EPIDEMIC CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS AT CAMP McCLELLAN

The preliminary report by Major Herrick 1 on the epidemic of meningitis at Camp Jackson calls attention to the incorrectness of the generally accepted view that epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis is primarily a meningitis. His view, that it is a secondary involvement of the meninges, appears to be the correct conception, and it is my purpose here to emphasize, from observations made at Camp McClellan, the importance of his conclusions. As far as is known, all meningitis, exclusive of traumatic meningitis and brain abscess, is secondary to hematogenous infection. This is common knowledge with regard to tuberculous, pneumococcic, streptococcic, staphylococcic, influenzal, typhoidal and anthrax meningitis. That meningococcic meningitis should also fall into this class is but a logical deduction because of the fact that blood cultures are often positive early in the disease, while later they are very rarely positive. It is probable that if seen early enough, all cases of