WALKING EPIDEMIC.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1104, 3 June 1913, Page 3

WALKING EPIDEMIC.

FULL OF TYPHOID GERMS

One. of the most curious pathological cases known to medical science is at present living at tlic Pasteur Institute , in Paris iu the person vt a young girl uutuetl

Jansen, who for more than three years has, without the slightest rietrinienf to her own personal health, been carrying in her body, ami distributing to all friends wlio approached her, typhoid bacilli. About three years ago Mile. Jansen, who was then living in her native town of Colmar, in Alsace, and, working as secretary to an important personage there, was approached by a. young giul, who soon after fell ill with typhoid fever. Fifteen days after (wo friends were suddenly struck down by the same malady, and in loss than three months eleven persons fell victims to this terrible disease. The medical authorities of the town immediately commenced making enquiries, and all food, milk and water wore secretly analysed, but to the great surprise of the medical officov of health nothing could be discovered, and it was supposed that the epidemic was due to infected people passing through the town. However, after months and months of assiduous sen renting, Mile. Jansen was discovered on diagnosis to bo a living vehicle of innumerable Eherth bacilli, which were found to be abounding in her digestive organs without in any sense impairing her personal health. She was immediately isolated, and a treatment was commenced —without, however, any satisl artery result. After a year the. ease was reported to the Pasteur Institute, and after many difficulties Mile. Jansen was admitted there for treatment. She is employed as assistant librarian, and but lor the. fact of the presence of the microbes in her body no one would have imagined that anything was wrong with her at all. To a representative of tho Matin she gate tho following recital of her life, whicli is not without a touch of tragedy. “As ,-onii as it was discovered that I was a living nest of typhoid bacilli 1 lo*l n\\ situation, and my Inends held mu in honor, not daring to come into close contact with me. However, no person contaminated by me died from the disease, and for ibis 1 feel trulv thankful. The doctor who treated me in the isolation hospital at Colmar uouh. never allow me outside, but my case was length reported to the Pasteur Institute, who wrote me to come to Paris. The German doctors, however, were averse to my travelline in a railway carriage for tear or spreading the dreadful bacilli, and raised difficulty after difficulty, which, however, were all surmounted, and I arrived here about two years ago. . “Professor Metchmkoff and his assistants immediately commenced diagnosing me and analysing my intestinal organs, wherein thev’discovered myriads of ‘protein’ microbes. .which cause so much illness in children. These microbes were hiding the Eherth hacillli, the typhoid bacilli, and Ihe colt bacilli, which were living, and which, nn'happilv, still live in my digestive organs. Happily, the doctors have, after .special treatment, succeeded in exterminating the •proteus’ bacilli, but unfortunately the ■coll and the Eherth bacilli still exist, and I still continue to he a micro-biological curiosity. I am happy to state that the typhoid bacilo have lost much of their virulent; character after four different anti-typhoid vaccinations.”