Sandfly Fever in the Middle East in 1920s

[toby webb]

I have been investigating the illness of an airman in Palestine/Egypt/Iraq in 1928. He spent some time in a Palestine RAF Hospital before being repatriated to a RAF hospital in England spending over one year in total on a ward. Sandfly fever was suggested  but a year seems excessive from all I have read, but perhaps the lack of penicilin was the reason. I know more but wondered if anyone can kick off some discussion. Thanks for any help. Toby.

[Rena]

I'm sure somebody will come along with an excellent reason, but to be going on with;

Have a look at the Sandfly Fever item on this link:- 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1941.tb95298.x

Generally this fever is short lived, but particularly look at the last paragraph where it states "anorexia and "striking malaise".   

It could be that some patients were destined to be long term sufferers of M.E. (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), which wasn't recognised until a few decades ago when scientists found it occurred quite a while after a patient's body suffered stressful trauma such as a bad bout of malaria, pneumonia, etc.  --- apparently white blood cells start to decrease and the person suffers fatigue.

[toby webb]

Thank you Rena. That makes sense about a prolonged period. I have extracted as much as I can of symptoms which may help. The one item which worries me is the X-rays being taken. Doesn't seem to fit.

[Admitted to hospital in Palestine “for a few days rest as I thought to get over a little seediness”       “ It all started a fortnight ago last Sunday 23 September 1928  and for two whole weeks it was nothing else but sickness, biliousness, long spells of palpitation & pain & running a good old temp. One night I suppose I got to danger point although I didn’t know much about it at the time beyond a vague recollection of the night sister giving me injections and being woken every hour to have my temp taken. Anyhow I kept the doctor about the place till midnight and must have been a bit light headed as I was told afterwards that my one ambition was to sit up in bed & sing.”  “X-rays were taken and he was told that although his heart was back to normal position it was a very large one.”
      It seems likely he was repatriated by troop-ship Dorsetshire leaving Port Said on  2nd Dec. 1928 & was taken on arrival to RAF Hospital Halton where he had 3 courses  of injections of which the second series ended in about March and a third in mid May.]
 

      Unfortunately I don't know any more, even if he was ever discharged from RAF Halton hospital.  T.

[Rena]

He obviously confounded the medical profession at that time, as he didn't fit into the perceived popular cause, symptoms and cure.

It oculd have been a diseased mosquito.  My late OH served with HM forces in the middle East during the 1950s and his whole unit were laid low with a mysterious ailment.  The men had no energy to eat or even sit up and all had the same symptoms which the medics didn't recognise.    It was probably some new type of malaria because he suffered bouts of it for several years afterwards (this prolonged ailment  doesn't happen now).

I wonder if you would have better luck posing the question on the military board where somebody might hav e come across the same thing.  You need to put a link to this page if you do pose the question on the other board.

[toby webb]

Thanks for the advice which I will do. Toby.