[Children with kuru, a fatal nervous system disorder]

[Children with kuru, a fatal nervous system disorder]

Collection:
Images from the History of Medicine (IHM)
Language(s):
English
French
Format:
Still image
Subject(s):
Child
New Guinea
World Health Organization
Abstract:
Head and shoulders of two children of the Fore, a primitive tribe living in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. Verso: WHO/9599. New Guinea-Kuru. Kuru does not abandon its prey. Kure is a disease which has only been found among the Fore, the primitive tribe living in the Easten highlands of the Trust Territory of New Guinea. The disease is still a mystery to modern medicine. No treatment or remedy for it is known. It inevitably leads to death, usually less than a year after onset. The victims start shivering and trembling, they jerk their heads to and fro ans their faces are occasionally distorted by spasms. There seems little doubt that Kuru has a genetic base. It appears to be a degenerative disorder of the centeral nervous system, in some ways similar to mutliple sclerosis. The tribesman believe that Kuru is sorcery. "If this is not witchcraft, why can't the doctors cure it?", said a man.
Copyright:
WHO must be mentioned in the accompanying text and/or given credit.
Copyright Holder:
World Health Organization; Source: Research; Research date: 07/24/2015
Extent:
1 photoprint.
NLM Unique ID:
101436968 (See catalog record)
NLM Image ID:
A013636
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101436968