INFLUENZA AND MEASLES SYNDROMES INDUCED BY CONTACT TO THE FUNGI MUCOR, ASPERGILLUS AND PENICILLIUM*

By JAMES CONNOR, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.Ed., L.R.F.P.S.

MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I present for your attention a paper entitled "Influenza and Measles Syndromes induced by Contact to the Fungi Mucor, Aspergillus and Peni- eillium".

In the preparation of this paper a wide range of subjects has been investigated, ranging from old American history, meteorology, mycology and agriculture, to the most modern aspects of allergy.

The inspiration for these observations came after reading through an old homceopathic publication, The Hahnemann Monthly, Vol. V, printed in Philadelphia in 1870. In this issue there appeared an article by a Dr. J. H. Marsden entitled "The action of the wheat straw fungi on the human organ- ism", which he had delivered to the Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, Homceopathic Society. For some years, Marsden had been collecting information relating to the effects of the straw fungi on human beings. This was not difficult for him to do, as his practice included many farming communities.

He noticed tha t during the threshing of wheat, certain effects were caused in people who happened to be in the vicinity of the operation. These effects were described generally as follows: a sudden chilliness, with a feeling of coryza, and general malaise. These symptoms increased, then profuse perspiration ensued. The following day, nausea, tightness of the chest, chilliness in the back, neuralgic pains in the side of the neck, weariness and aching of the limbs developed--all of which lasted some days.

Marsden noted these symptoms and signs regularly and he was so impressed tha t he carefully enumerated the following as being a complete word picture of a person who had inhaled the dust produced during the threshing of wheat:

"The patient first complains of waves of chilliness first felt in the feet and ankles, but which rise up the lower limbs to the small of the back. Pyrexia develops and the patient feels nauseated but does not vomit. He feels extremely thirsty, his chest is sore, he has a severe headache which does not subside until the temperature returns to normal; the headache is described as darting from temple to temple. The extreme fever is accom- parried by profuse perspiration. The symptoms usually last for three-four days."

Previously, in 1862, a Dr. Salisbury, who was a Surgeon in the Union Army during the American Civil War, gave his account of soldiering in an article in the American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Among his interesting reminiscences, some are of more than usual note. He relates that on several occasions he had been called to examine soldiers who recently had been pitching old straw upon which to lie. The soldiers complained of certain symptoms-- these were a sore throat, with chilliness and pains in the back. The chilled feeling was followed by fever, headache, congested feeling in the chest, swollen and inflamed fauces with severe catarrhal symptoms. A measle-like rash appeared on the face and

* A paper read to the British Homceopathic Congress, June, 1958.

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54 T H E B R I T I S H H O M ( E O P A T H I C J O U R N A L

neck and the patient developed a taste of old straw. The fever persisted for some days. The rash passed downwards over the whole body and began to disappear from the face. The patient then gradually recovered. Salisbury called this condition "Camp Measles"--a sickness which was prevalent in the Union Army.

Salisbury also described a case, as an example of other patients he had seen. On this occasion, a young boy developed symptoms of measles following assisting at the threshing of wheat. He had what appeared to be measles, although no other cases were reported in the district.

On reflecting on the experiences of two independent sources of information-- Marsden and Salisbury--some interesting points may be noted.

Firstly, it appears tha t wheat straw is intimately associated with the symp- toms described. To elaborate, it is well known that unless wheat is stored dry, fermentation will take place, heat is generated and moisture appears on the surface. Here are the ideally essential conditions for the formation of fungi-- the growth and maturat ion of which is rapid. As the moisture evaporates, the fungi become desiccated, so that when threshing ensues, the fungi are thrown into the surrounding air to be inhaled by those in the vicinity.

The second interesting fact which emerges from the observations of Marsden and Salisbury is tha t the signs and symptoms they described are comparable with the virus infections of influenza and measles--here, therefore, is the link between the title of this paper and the topic of discussion of this Congress.

In fact, as far as influenza is concerned, it is interesting to compare these symptoms with those described in the official report by Dr. W. Horne, the Medical Officer of Health for Glasgow on the Influenza epidemic of ] 957. In this report appear two descriptions of influenza. The first is described as commencing with a severe headache, excessive pains in the legs, backache, sickness and high fever, profuse perspiration and particularly intense and uncomfortable tracheitis.

The second description is characterized by sudden onset, a high temperature of 103~ ~ F., profuse sweating and a sore throat.

These two pictures can be favourab ly compared to tha t as described by Marsden.

The similarities were so striking tha t it seemed quite a natural sequence to endeavour to bring up to date the observations of 100 years ago.

But before this could be achieved certain difficulties had to be surmounted. Modern methods have changed, radically, the storing and threshing of w h e a t ~ in fact, it was impossible to discover one example of similar storing and thresh- ing. Consequently, an alternative had to be produced. I t was decided that an approximate natural parallel would be to study the circumstance under which fungi are produced at the present day. Since this occurs rarely in store nowadays, we concentrated our efforts to find suitable fungi producing conditions before wheat goes into store. The final deduction was that, a wet harvest, when wheat had to be left in the fields under damp humid conditions, could possibly repre- sent the modern counterpart.

Accordingly information was obtained from the Department of Agriculture for Scotland and from the official meteorological reports, on the state of harvests, rainfall and weather conditions for the past twenty years- -over Scotland, England and Wales, and the United Kingdom. (Incidentally, the Department stated that they themselves had no general account of wet and dry harvests and various sources of information had to be searched to obtain it.)

From the Department of Health for Scotland the notified cases of measles for the past twenty years were obtained, but when the figures for influenza were needed, some difficulty was experienced as this is not a notifiable disease.

INFLUENZA AND MEASLES SYNDROMES 55

Eventually from the annual reports of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, figures for claims for sickness benefit, due to influenza, were obtained, and from the Registrar-General's annual report, deaths due to influenza wera noted and these figures were taken as indicative of the incidence of influenza.

In tabulating all this information, certain average figures had to be estab- lished. As far as rainfall was concerned, the Meteorological Office takes as representing 100 per cent. ,-the average rainfall between 1881 and 1915. Subsequent years are read as a percentage of this figure. The humidity and temperature of the harvest season were also estimated. Interesting indeed were the comparative figures of the state of harvests and the incidence of measles and influenza. There was a more or less parallel rise and fall--not to a corresponding extent, but if dampness and humidity increased, so did the illnesses; and if the season was dry, the incidence of illness dropped, and when the season was of average weather conditions the figures of illness fluctuated little.

In comparing the figures some latitude was necessary--as weather conditions were always for a fixed period--July to September--but for illnesses, the figures h a d to be of an indefinite following period--partly due to a time-lag for the possible effects of atmospheric moulds, and to the manner in which official sources estimate sickness figures.

During the war period 1940-1945, due to security on weather conditions, the barcst details were obtained, but only a little variation in each autumn was noted-- the rainfall was 88, 86, 105, 110, 104 and 104 per cent.--these years all produced average illness figures. 1946 had 136 per cent. rainfall, followed by a high incidence of illness. 1947 was average--just over 100 per cent.--which was followed by a drop in the illness figures. 1948 showed a 125 per cent. rainfall-- followed by a rise in both measles and influenza. 1949 had a percentage of 70 and the illness figures were also comparable. 1950 was extremely wet---140 per cent. - -which was followed by extremely high illness figures; in fact 1950 had the second highest rainfall of the period and was followed by the second highest illness figures. 1951, 1952 and 1953 were average years for both weather and succeeding illness figures. 1954 was above average at 125 per cent.--so were the incidences of influenza and measles. 1955 had 76 per cent., followed by an illness drop. 1956 had the same figures for weather and illness as 1954. 1957 had the wettest autumn of the period under review--the figure for rainfall was 150 per cent. and the reported cases of influenza and measles were also the highest. These facts--and facts they are---are presented for your rumination, propaga- tion, or even decimation.

I t is known that fungi spores are affected by weather conditions, both in their formation and area of influence. This information is received by means of a mould survey. An apparatus is used to collect atmospheric moulds at given periods and seasons. This is not a recent innovation. Col. Lindberg, the American aviator, in 1934, while co-operating in a mould survey, found fungi 10,000 feet above the Arctic Circle. A mould survey collects, identifies and enumerates the fungi. P. H. Gregory in his Presidential address to the British Mycological Society in 1952 noted that fungi spores, after being transferred by air currents over large areas, act as colonizers. They may also act as unreliable Air Marl carriers for other bacteria. When colonizing is being accomplished the strain of the fungi may alter.

Burnett, in his book on Ringworm, published in 1892, stated that: " I t is doubtful ff it is possible to exclude the germs of common fungi, so numerous are they, and no air can be found but what contains multitudes of them."

Burnett also stated that it was possible for the spores of ringworm to spread the illness from one patient to another without the patients being in direct contact.

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Pasteur has stated that "the spores of fungi are most numerous near human habitation. A common form of spore is Penicillium, its spores being everywhere present in large numbers".

After personal consideration, a decision was made to apply the homceopathie law. I f fungi caused, or had a bearing on, the incidence of these virus infections, it may be possible to use potentized fungi in the t reatment of them. Accordingly, a quanti ty of wheat straw was obtained, incubated and allowed to fungate. A sample of the fungus was cultured at the West of Scotland Agricultural College in Glasgow and found to be composed of three separate fungi, namely, species of

Mucor, Aspergillus and Penicillium.

These are common varieties. They do not exclusively grow in wheat, although damp organic mat ter is a principal source. The main supply of the fungi was dried and washed off the wheat with 20 per cent. pure alcohol. This liquid was sent to Nelsons in London and potentized initially in three strengths--6x, 12x, 30. M.A.P. was given as a title to the remedy, from the initials of each of its components.

Armed with these homceopathic dilutions, suitable patients were eagerly sought. So far the remedy has been in use for only two months, and 40 cases of influenza symptoms and 20 cases of measles symptoms have been treated. At first the remedy was cautiously administered until a clear picture of any reactions was obtained. The first volunteer patient was a young male presenting influenza symptoms. He had been unwell for two days before t reatment com- menced. On examination he had a temperature of 104.6 ~ F. and the onset and course were identical to those described by Marsden.

The 30th potency was given by adding about 20 granules to distilled water, one teaspoonful of the liquid being given 2-hourly for 24 hours, then stopped. His symptoms, which had been lessening during the day--h is temperature had dropped to 100;, and he felt generally much bet ter--gradual ly returned. The remedy was resumed 12 hours later at 4-hourly intervals, and the symptoms disappeared completely within 48 hours. This procedure was repeated with six subsequent cases with similar results.

Fortified and encouraged by these results the remedy is now administered continuously for 48 hours at 4-hourly intervals and all the symptoms have disappeared within three days. Only 20 children with symptoms of measles have, so far, been treated and within four days they have been symptom-free, apar t from a residual cough which usually disappeared in about a week.

These statements are given without bias or comment. The possibility of coincidence has not been ruled out.

To analyse the constituents of the wheat mould it is known tha t a common mould circulating in the atmosphere is Aspergillus--a mould which can cause lung infections in poultry and man. Whether the strain which infects the lungs of birds and man is a peculiar and parasitic strain is not yet known. This is a case of there being many different strains, and although all may look alike they have vast ly different effects. Here we may have a yet unknown connection between cause and effect. The action of the inhaled mould may be to reduce lung resistance to the at tack of a more virulent infection or to act as a catalyst at the Lime of epidemics. I f moulds are inhaled in large quantities they can implant themselves and multiply in unhealthy lung tissue.

In 1940 the bactericidal properties of filtrates of the media in which a species of Aspergillus had been grown, were noted. In 1943 an antibiotic substance called "Aspergillic Acid" was described, which was obtained from Aspergillus ilavus, and was claimed to be effective against both Gram positive and Gram

I N F L U E N Z A A N D M E A S L E S S Y N D R O M E S 57

negative pathogenic organisms. Also in 1943, Flavicin was described. This substance, according to its investigators (one of whom was Florey) behaved in some ways as Penicillin, and, in fact, appeared to be somewhat more active than Penicillin against certain Gram positive organisms.

This short note is significant and shows tha t Aspergillus may be a useful ally in combating certain illnesses.

A species of Penicillium was the second constituent. Penicilliosis has been reported indicating that the fungi of the genus Penicillium can cause infection in the lungs. The number of species of Penicillium is so large and the mycological data on species pathogenic to man so meagre, tha t it has not been possible to include detailed descriptions of these fungi, but if the homoeopathic rule is followed, it should relieve the symptoms in potency, which it causes in its crude state.

Mucor, being the third constituent, produces a pathological condition known as Mucormycosis--this is characterized by acute inflammation and vascular thrombosis which is rapidly fatal in certain cases. Theoretically, a person in an environment where this fungus grows abundantly, such as an agricultural area where hay and manure are present, may be more likely to become infected-- diabetes mellitus, however, seems to be a predisposing factor to infection. With few exceptions the reported cases of Mucormycosis have occurred in acidotic diabetic patients. The diabetic state, in association with the acuteness of the infection, makes the prognosis hopeless. There is no known treatment. Un- fortunately, cultures have not been obtained from these cases of mucormycosis. The diagnosis has been made on the appearance of the fungus in the tissue.

Because of the relationship between mucor fungus and diabetes, tests for glycosuria have been carried out before administering M.A.P.

Reflecting impassively on the foregoing statements, certain questions arise. Firstly, what possible connection can there be between the possible exposure

to fungi, the incidence of certain illnesses and the apparent relief of symptoms when administered in potency. As has been noted earlier, the effect of inhalation of large quantities of spores may be to reduce lung resistance to virus infections.

In 1957, the influenza epidemic was noted to be principally caused by the Virus A (Asian) 1957, and as far as the complications of this epidemic were concerned, Staph. aureus and H~emophy]is influenza were very prominent.

In the last pandemic of influenza in 1918, there were three distinct waves - - a mild wave in the spring of 1918, an explosive outbreak with high mortali ty in the autumn of 1918 and a recrudescence early in 1919. Nothing is known concern- ing the type of virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic of influenza, although it is believed that the virus (an influenza virus A) remained in circulation for some five to ten years as a cause of influenza, then vanished.

A virus later found in pigs in the Middle West of America as the cause of swine influenza may have been the same virus as caused the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919.

I t may be significant that:

(1) the most virulent period of the illness was in the autumn of 1918, and tha t

(2) the outbreak of swine influenza was reported some years later as being probably caused by a similar virus.

I t is significant to state that research through old meteorological office reports showed tha t the Autumn of 1918 had a percentage rainfall of over 250 per cent.--which was the wettest Autumn since 1896. The two wettest autumns in the past 60 years gave the two highest figures for influenza.

58 THE BRITISH HONI(EOPATHIC JOURNAL

Can it be possible that fungi are concerned with the spread of infection as well as preparing the body for the infection? Fungi are known to be able to metamorphose when colonizing new territory. The strain may change according to the conditions under which they exist.

As far as the reduction of symptoms is concerned, it has been shown that species of Aspergilhis and Penicillium have been described as being active against Gram positive and Gram negative organisms. I t has also been shown that apart from Virus A, Staph. aureus and H. influenza have a hand in influenzal symptoms. Since Penicillin is effective against Gram positive organ- isms and Aspergillus against both Gram positive and Gram negative organisms, is it too much to assume that a combination of these two moulds in a homceo- pathie dilution could b e n valuable homceopathic remedy? There could also be a synergetic effect. Further information on this topic would be gratefully received.

A description of the effects of moulds would not be complete without con- sidering the question of allergy--a phenomenon unknown to Marsden and Salisbury. Allergic reactions to moulds have been described. These are princi- pally of respiratory and skin conditions. Most fungi-sensitive patients give a history of an aggravation of symptoms in the summer months, although lesser symptoms may also occur in the winter. In contrast with pollen sensitivity, summer has no sharp delineation. The season depends on the degree of sensitivity of the patient, those being least sensitive having a short term of the symptoms usually during July and August, those who are more sensitive may suffer from April to November, and the extremely sensitive patient having symptoms almost the whole year round.

There is also reason to believe that the type of fungus may determine the season. A suggestive point of diagnosis is a history of a positive reaction to yeast or mushrooms. Respiratory reactions are described usually as asthma or rhinitis. Seasonal dermatitis or conjunctivitis can also occur.

I f the foregoing is taken as typical of fungus allergy, it differs greatly from that described by Marsden and Salisbury.

In conclusion, I would like to include some personal remarks. I should emphasize that although I have presented this paper to a Congress discussing virus infections, it may be argued that very little has been written on this subject. But, is the alleviation of the signs and symptoms of disease not the principal object of Homceopathy, irrespective of the cause--which may be simple or complex--a filter passing virus, or bacteria, visible or invisible, but producing similar signs and symptoms.

Finally, as a result of this paper, and especially it should be remembered during the discussion, the writer does not make any pretence of being an expert on moulds, or a "mouldy expert". Most of the information included in the paper was unknown to the writer until six months ago, when, without the help and co-operation of the sources now mentioned, it would have been impossible to complete these remarks.

I should like to offer my thanks to: Dr. Dickens0n of the Botany Department of the West of Scotland Agricultural College, Glasgow; the Staff of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow; the Staff of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, Glasgow; the Staff of the Library of the University of Glasgow; the Director of the Commonwealth Mycological Institute, Kew; the Librarian of the Depart- ment of Agriculture and Ministry of Health, Edinburgh; the representative of Bencard Allergy Service; Dr. T. F. Stewart, for valuable access to certain publications; Mr. Everitt, of Messrs. Nelson & Co., London, who so efficiently potentized the remedy from the supplied fungi; Dr. H. S. Carter, City Bacterio- logist to the Corporation of Glasgow.