NEW DISEASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1919, Page 3

NEW DISEASE.

DECLARED NOTIFIABLE

WELLINGTON, May 26-

Regarding the new disease, lethargic encephalitis, tho Minister of Public Health said to-day that his Department had been watching indications of it ever since the beginning of the month. On May Ist, Dr. M. Watt, District Health Officer, Wellington, forwarded a report to the Chief Health Officer, (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine), and on May sth, Dr. H. Chesson," District Health Officer, Christchurch, sejut a import concerning a case at Akaroa.

It has now been determined to declare the disease notifiable, and the necessary steps have been taken. I The Department is issuing a: bulletin for the information of Hospital, medical superintendents, and the medical profession generally, containing information from one of the reports of the British Health Department. The infectivity of tho disease is low. There are two or three suspicious cases in Wellington Hospital. The symptoms are apt to lead to confusion with cerebp-spinal meningitis. 11l fact-, the first cases reported were notified as “C.S.M. diagnosis uncertain.”

The disease would appear to bear some’ relation to infantile paralysis. It is also probablo that it is first cousin to the mysterious N disease reported in Australia hist year, if it is not the same sickness.

Dr Watt this morning said that apparently the disease had often been associated with influenzal outbreaks. Iffie earliest outbreak of which there was any record was about 1712 at Tubingen, in Germany, when it went under the name of “sleeping sickness.” After the 1889-90 pandemic of influenza there were outbreaks of wliat was apparently the same disease in Northern IYaly and Hungary. The disease was then known as “noiia,” apparently a popular corruption of “coma.” .Cases were reported in England last year. First of all it was believed to be poisoning and was called botulism, as it was thought to be due to the bacillus botulinus found in pork sausages, etc. Later, enquiry and research showed that this, was not the case.

A cable messago from America a week ago stated that sleeping sickness was prevalent tlierp. There is no re. cord from England of many cases being met with there now. Being due fo a germ, the sickness is infectious, but no cases have been reported of more than one member of a household being affected. In England the degree of mortality was not high.