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ABOUT SLEEPING SICKNESS. State Health Office Gives Some Interesting information. Without attempting to overcome the incorrect impression created by the hasty naming of the malady, the State health officer announces the appearance in South Carolina of "sleeping sickness." Technically, the disease is which, freely, defined means inflammation of the brain associated with drowsiness or stupor. As a recognized disease it is new in South Carolina, and indeed * v orV>rt?+ +1-IQ StntPS. This IUI uugiiv/ui int v fact together with the lack of exact knowledge as to its cause and treatment surrounds it with an aura of dread and apprehension. Clinically it has been carefully de > scribed and its outstanding characteristics render it more or less easy of recognition. The purpose of this discussion is to provide the public with authoritative information so j that clear cut cases may be recogniz1 ed and reported and to prevent undue and unnecessary concern in the instance of cases of illness which are clinically unrelated. Recognized authorities agree that lethargic encephalitis is an acute, fepidemic affection, due to a special A virus or body poison which attacks specifically the nervous system. It is a general infectious disease, the symptoms of whicn originate in me brain tissue and is characterized by stupor or mental dullness and desire for sleep, certain localized paralyses and fever. That the disease is epidemic is evidenced by the appearance of a number of -cases in a given locality (England, Italy. Hungary.) To what extent the population of a community is susceptible and to what degree the poison or the disease is infectious can not be estimated at this time. -v That it does not spread rapidly nor does it attack a large number of the population at one time is well estab? - lished in the government report of the epidemic in England in 1918. -If it is caused by a specific virus it is reasonable to suppose that it may fe'\ be spread as a result of contact between persons so infected and other healthy but susceptible individuals. ' k For this reason the individual must assume every precaution and avoid r all unnecessary intercourse with per j$*.' sons sufFering with a disease condition characterized by stupor but the public mind should not give way to unrestrained apprehension on the score that a new and mysterious "plague" is about to sweep the State. % Case histories have not established'a conclusive connection or rela. tionship between "epidemic coma" v and influenza. A number of persons Who had influenza have subsequently ^bveloped the disease but it is illogical to attribute every abnormal physical manifestation to the much maligned influenza. Certain of the quarter-million people in South Car" olina who had influenza between September and February have since suffered broken bones and others have been in automobile wrecks. Influenza has not been cited as a contributory factor. To date only four cases of "sleeping sickness" have been report% ed.. K-.' Following is a report of a case ( - which gave no history of influenza or of any other disease in recent years: ^At the request of a prominent physician in Latta, S. C.. a suspected case was investigated on March 18, 1919. The patient, a woman 58 years of age, first complained on Wednesday, March 12, that she felt stupid and drowsy and her eyes "burned." Durir ing this and the following day her desire for sleep increased and bodilyweakness was a prominent symptom. On the third day of her illness she was compelled to take to her bed and subsequently her condition has become progressively worse. When first seen by her physician her temperature was slightly elevated and each day has been higher. On Tuesday, March 18, 1919, this rfcase was seen by the State health officer and the writer. The following was observed: The patient, with features drawn and expressionless, lay fully extended and as motionless as if in a deep sleep. The slow, noisy respiration made the picture of sleep more real. Persistent questioning elicited coherent replies whch dispelled the illusion of true sleep but the soft halting syllables seemed to indicate a great weariness, both mental and physical. rne upper nmDS lay quietly wun the forearms crossed over the body. The lower extremities were rigidly extended and fixed as if by unusual muscular effort. There was no indication of pain nor of bodily desire and neither nourishment nor water was taken except when urged insistently by the watchful attendants. Respiration was . slow and somewhat labored. At times the effort seemed almost too great and for sev? STEEL PRICES REDUCED. Manufacturers Forego Part of Big War I*rofits. Complete schedules of prices for steel and iron products agreed upon by representatives of the steel industry and the industrial board of the department of commerce were announced recently after members of I the board had conferred with Attor| ney General Palmer. The announce-1 ment of the new prices, following the conference, was taken as an indication of the board's efforts to reduce and stabilize prices through agreement with opposition from the department of justice. Steel men. who in joint conference with the hoard framed the new schedule, said it was understood the question of price agreements was to be laid before the attorney general by the board. Chairman Peek, of the board, however, after the visit to Mr. Palmer's office said the board had 'merely paid a social call on the new attorney general.' The new prices, which generally represent reductions from 10 to 14 per cent, become effective at once for efforts of the industrial board at price stabilization and reduction to a peace time basis. In approving the schedules submitted by the steel men, the board, according to a statement issued tonight, adopted a policy to be followed in agreements with producers of other basic commodities. This policy, it was said, is to strike a balance that "while calling sooner or later for some sacrifice or adjustments on the part of all, yet will not subject any of intense interest to undue hardships." Judge E. H. Gary, of the United States steel corporation, chairman of the committee representing the American iron and steel institute, which conferred with the board, in a statement containing the announcement of the nev; prices, said the new rates were agreed upon with a view to bringing about a revival and stabilization of business through prices favorable to the consuming public and yet yielding a moderate and reasonable return to investors in the industry, he expresses the belief the new prices would not disturb wage rates or interfere with wage agreements. ^ <>> ? Chastized the Cannibal. The Australian naval vessel Fantome was sent to the New Hebrides Islands recently to chastise a tribe of cannibals, accused of having committed murders. The man-eaters occupied the northern side of Melekula Island and were accused of the murder of a French cocoanut planter. As the New Hebrides are owned jointly by France and Great Britain', the Australian warship was selected to punish the savages. The Fantome landed a punitive force of 65 officers and men at Malua Bay where the party was joined by 18 native guards. Having reached the outskirts of the village where the murderers were supposed to be hiding, the commander of the ^expedition sent an interpreter to parley with the villager*, for the surrender of the men suspected of the murder. Groups of armed savages from the interior were hiding on the hill sides overlooking the village and two of their chiefs shouted to the villagers that if any of them surrendered to the expedition the village would be fired upon. Seeing that the island tribesmen were making all the trouble, the punitive p&rty opened fire upon them with machine-guns and fnllnwpd this with a charge by a de tachment of blue-jackets, who took the ridge and drove the savages out. This ended the affair, the expedition suffering no casualties. British and French residents declared the cannibals had been taught a severe lesson which would insure the future safety of the white residents of Malekula. ^ ?i>? ? Made Greater Speed. "In some respects you are greater than Napoleon," remarked the faithful attendant. "But," protested the deposed ruler, "I am down and out." "Yes. Your finish is very much like Napoleon's, and it took you a very much shorter time to reach it." ?The Washington Star. eral seconds would cease altogether. For an inspection of this case it would seem that a fatal termination would be_ only a matter of hours but in this disease a prognosis can not be made with certainty. The official records show that the prognosis aS a rule is better than the alarming state of the patient in the fully developed stage would suggest. The duration of the stupor fs variable and may last from a few days to several weeks. The authority for certain statements in this discussion is contained in an article presented in Volume 34, No. 8 of the Weekly Public Health Reports of the U. S. P. H. S. OFFIC The Herald B largest shipmc ever received have almost a school room. Ink Ca Pens D Staffs I Ledgers Journals \ Records or most anyth your office su] get them here carry a large 1 * WA Coin Fine B We have the pretties all the different are as rensoi 25c to Carter's Fountain Pei Red, and Violet Photolibrarj SF.F. IIS FOR Herald Mail Orders Filled Same Day Received E SUP look Store received xnt of Office and S I in Bamberg at oi nything needed in If in need of ish Books R ay Books nvoices Indexes Tally Books Roll Books ing you can think of m * m ? _ pplies rrom the city ' and save the posta line of TERMAN IDEAL FOUNTAIN F ie in and see our lin AITA#] C^aJ UACU Jldl t line we have ever shades and shapes, lable as could be exp $1.25 the box, see i Ink, Pencraft, Koa Ink, Muscilage in b< r Paste, Indelible In! SCHOOL BOOKS A* Book mm mmmmam km i^b "* H IB U H bb kb sh m d^h ?fl ^b ^BBI yaj i last week the I chool Supplies le time. We I fk a rvffi/*n ah* Ul^ U111VV/ VI ''X'&B -M ' 1 - "A' # ' */P \ > * J. ' ? Memorandums Files '-|f| Erasers Letter Clips Rulers *1 i/y.'.'fsi ? 1 117 11 ink wens . Jg . Why order when you can ge. We also | 'ENS -:'i lH i* eot H tionery ; handled. We have and the prices ected, from jg th**m. J \11 ' <&j 1 Black, Blue, Green, ottles and tubes, k, Geo, etc. if "I 111 D SUPPLIES I Store . Bamberg, Sooth Carolin