DEADLY DISEASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21805, 21 May 1934, Page 11

DEADLY DISEASE

CANTERBURY GIRL'S DEATH RECENT AUCKLAND CASE DANGER IN CHEWING GRASS [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday A ten-year-old girl who contracted the disease of actinomycosis, more generally known as ray fungus, died in the Christchurch Public Hospital this week after many months of illness. This is a rare disease for which no certain remedy is known. Medical authorities state that in almost all cases it is fatal. A boy died from the disease in Auckland last February. Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist at the Christchurch Hospital, said that one or two cases of raj' fungus occur in Christchurch each year. The disease was not necessarily attributed to the chewing of grass or straw, although this undoubtedly was a cause of infection. It was generally very difficult to trace.

Frequently its exact nature was revealed only under bacteriological examination, Dr. Pearson said. The disease might be contracted through some small break in the mucous membrane of the mouth, or it might be inhaled into the lungs. ,

The Auckland case mentioned in the message was that of a lad of 17 years. Medical authorities to whom the matter was referred yesterday said it was extremely unlikely that there was any connection between the Auckland and Christchurch cases. Although very rare, actinomycosis was encountered from time to time in various places. The source of infection was very difficult to discover. The disease is liable to infect cattle and other animals, and the virulent germs may lodge on grass with which the diseased animal conies in contact. In such form, when introduced internally into the human system, as by placing the infected grass in the mouth, the germs are particularly virulent in attack and little can be done to arrest the disease.