Scrub Typhus

Experiments With New Drug

SCRUB Typhus may soon be prevent able by prophylactic treatment.

This disease, which is caused by the bite of a tiny bush mite and which has a very high mortality rate, has been one of the hazards of life in the South West Pacific and jungle areas of Asia, for many years. During the war, casual ties from this disease were high among soldiers serving in the affected areas.

Teams of British and American scien tists have been working in a laboratory in Malaya for over a year and have been experimenting with a new drug called Chloromycetin, for which they now have high hopes. This drug is extracted from a mould different from those which pro duce penicillin and streptomycin, but it is classed with these two as an “anti biotic” drug.

The Malayan laboratory (the Kuala Lampur Institute for Medical Research) is one of the most famous centres in the

world for research on scrub typhus. It is directed by Dr. Lewthwaite, the fore most authority on the disease.

In April the Institute was visited by Sir Howard Florey co-discoverer of penicillin.

Bertram Schumer Calcutt. 54, was re manded for medical observation at the Quarter Sessions in Sydney on June 8.

He had conducted his own defence on a charge of having effected a public mis chief and the theft of two Court docu ments. He was described as a Special Magistrate of the Commonwealth Public Service. In the 30’s he was an Assistant District Officer in New Guinea. The Crown Prosecutor said that Calcutt suffered from a persecution mania, although he was a man of undoubted ability. Charges arose out of an incident following a divorce suit against him by his wife in 1932. Tax bills of costs were presented against him. Later, these bills were re moved from the Court records and sent to the Premier with covering letters de manding impeachment of the Attorney- General, Judges and other law officers.