Cerebro-spinal meningitis in Massachusetts : being a succinct history of the epidemic of 1873 : with an analysis of upwards of 500 cases, collected from every part of the state / by J. Baxter Upham.

  • Upham, J. B. (Jabez Baxter), 1820-1902.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cerebro-spinal meningitis in Massachusetts : being a succinct history of the epidemic of 1873 : with an analysis of upwards of 500 cases, collected from every part of the state / by J. Baxter Upham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    muscles not tmcommonly, x'^techise in a few instances, hypersestliesia of tlie skin in a goodly number of cases, a variable pulse, accelerated respiration, restlessness and jactitation. In regard to the severity of the present epi- demic, he says: On the whole, I should think that the epidemic had been a mild one. On the subject of causation he continues as follows: After careful inquiry I get no light as to the cause of the disease. As in most of the epidemics in this country of which I have any knowledge, a majority of the cases occurred in the period between December and July; there were only a few scattering cases after that time. The only circumstance that has- pointed to contagion was the occurrence of two fatal cases in one house, two sisters being attacked within two weeks of each other. While on the subject of causation it may be well to say that our system of sewerage is quite defective, and that the recent introduction of city water renders it rela- tively more so, though improvements are now in progress in this direction. In comparing the rainfall and temperature of the epidemic season of this year witli those of the same period in previous years I find nothing worthy of remark. Under date of December 19, he writes: Out of thirty-seven deaths from this disease, twenty-seven occurred between February and the last of July. Since August 1st, there has been a material decline in the number of cases. * * * As to the matter of location: I thought of water-courses and damp soil in my earlier perambulations, but could not establish any law in this particular. Out of forty-eight cases which I have recently examined I find that only sixteen can be fairly placed in damj) regions or in the line of water-courses. Lynn.—Dr. Webster gives a detailed account of the character and habits of the epidemic as observed by him in Lynn, where the disease prevailed quite extensively. The attack, as a general rule, came on suddenly with severe headache, especially posteriorly, pain soon extending to the neck and back. Vomiting was oftentimes an early symjitom. Eetraction of the head was a common occurrence. All ages were attacked. Dr. W. likcAvise refers to the prevalence of spurious cases, so called, where the patients had the early symptoms of cerebro-spinal meningitis, but which, in 4hree or four days, recovered or lapsed into some other and milder affection. The first death resulting from this disease which appeared upon the records at the city hall in Lynn dates back to March. Dr. W. thinks-a few patients Avere attacked as early as February. He gives the record of four cases which occurred in his practice, in two of which the locality is stated to have been dry and in two low and undrained. Both of the former were on the borders of a lake, where also several other cases occurred. In regard to the two last named of his cases the sanitary conditions are stated to have been exceedingly iDoor. Dr. Cahill says, of four cases reported by him, that the locality was low or damp in three and fair in one. Dr. Galloupe says, of nine cases which he reports: I have been unable to find any cause, proximate or remote. The disease has ajipeared under every variety of con- dition, among old and young, rich and poor. Three out of five cases reported by Dr. Drew are supposed to have had for their proximate cause over-exertion. Dr. Goodell says, of three out of seven cases reported by him, that the locality was near a pond. In one other, the sanitary condi- tions were very j)00i', in the rest, fair. Dr. Newhall, who reports six cases, writes: In no instance could I discover any cause, either in the locality or condition of the patient, which could in any manner j)redispose