NEW DISEASE

Grey River Argus, Volume 26, 26 May 1919, Page 2

NEW DISEASE

.' ■♦"- . CASES IN SOUTH ISLAND. .. ... ,' CHRISTCHUECH, May 24.' A Christchurch . doctor has been called in to attend to a patient who js suffering from a mysterious sickness that has attracted attention recently.. The patient is a man, and 'there seems to. be no doubt that ho has been attacked by the disease, which is popularly known as the "sleeping sickness," and in medical language is lethargic encephalitis. Dr Chcsson will be informed of this case, and it is, thought that he will ask the Chief Health Officer in Welling to declare the disease a notifiable one. . • The patient is improving. The disease has no connection with influenza, the patient had influenza about six months ago. In some- respects, said the doctor, it resembled botulism, "which was very prevalent in Europe during the latter part of last year, when a. t 'art>e number of deaths occurred. it had probably been introduced from England by sonic means. Thirty per cent, of patients died in Europe. The doctor explained tha* the sickness began with intense pains in. the head, followed by a drowsy condition lhe patient remained in this condition continuously, and he .had to be wakened whenever it wes necessary to give him food or speak to him. He could speak when spoken to, but only in a urowsy, disinterested kind of way. DUNEDIN, May 24. It is stated that several medical men here are of the opinion that cases' of "sleeping sickness" here exist, and the matter has been freely discus'sod: In Dunedin and other partsi, of Ota<ro tor some weeks there had been causes -the symptoms of which have caused much consideration, and recently j therp had come under notice one or two cases developing symptom's of a suspicious character. The disease is very vague in its manifestations, and. mostly affects the muscles of the head and i!ace -