THE NEW DISEASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 124, 27 May 1919, Page 4

THE NEW DISEASE

F U RT HERD'ET AILS.

(United Press Association.)

WEI TdNGTOX, May %

Further details of the new disease date that it would appear to be some relation of poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis-, and there is also a possibilty that it is first cousin to the mysterious “X” disease reported in Australia last year, if it is no, the same sickness. Dr Watt, District Health Officer, this morning said that apparently the diease had often been associated with the

: fluenza outbreaks. The earliest outbreak °f which there was any record ■-as about 1712, at Tubingen, In Germany when it went under the name of sleeping sickness. After the 1889-90 oandemic of influenza in 1890, there were outbreaks of what was apparently the same disease in Northern Italy and Hungary. The disease was then known as “noiia." apparently a popular cormption of “coma.” Cases were reportM in England last year. First of all it was believed to be poisoning, and it was called hotnlismns. as R was thought to be due to bacillus botulinus, found in

•wk sausages, etc. Later inquiry and -esearch showed that this was not the 'nse, A cable message from America a week ago stated that sleeping sicknes* was prevalent there. There is no record from England of many cas? 'being met with them now. Being due to a germ the sicknesg is infectious, but no cases have been reported of more than one member o f a Freehold being affected. I>i England the degree of mortality was not high.