15 
Springer (1896, p, 61) refers to it as a “continued fever, with typhoid condition 
and a red eruption general over entire body.” 
Sweet (1896, p. 61) defines it as a “continued fever, with mild exacerbations; 
temperature usually not excessive. Cases sometimes pass into an adynamic or 
typhoid condition.” 
Maxey (1899, pp. 432-433) defines spotted fever as “an acute, endemic, noncon- 
tagious, but probably infectious, febrile disease, characterized clinically by a con- 
tinuous moderately high fever, severe arthritic and muscular pains, and a profuse 
petechial or purpural eruption in the skin, appearing first on the ankles, wrists, and 
forehead, but rapidly spreading to all parts of the body.” 
Montana . — Gwinn (1902) defines this disease as “an acute, febrile, noncontagious 
affection, characterized by an eruption of macules which are at first pink, afterwards 
gradually assuming a purplish or dark blue color.” 
Historical Review of the Disease. 
Idaho . — “Spotted fever” has been known in Idaho for about thirty years (Wilson 
and Chowning, 1902a, p. 132; Anderson, 1903c, p. 8). 
Montana . — According to McCullough (1902, p. 225), “spotted fever” has prevailed 
in various degrees of intensity in Bitter Root Valley from the earliest history of its 
settlement by white inhabitants; he states that prior to that time there is convincing 
evidence that the Indians were also subject to this ailment. Gwinn (1902) states 
that according to his personal knowledge it has been prevalent in the Bitter Root 
Valley since 1886, and he is credibly informed that it has existed there since the 
region was first settled by white men; he adds that the number of cases has of 
course increased with the number of inhabitants. 
Wilson and Chowning (1902a, p. 132; 1903a, p. 28; 1904a, p. 33) report that so far 
as can be determined the first case of “spotted fever,” “black fever,” or “blue 
disease” in the Bitter Root Valley occurred in 1873 (this case — J. W. — occurred in 
May, near Woodside). At this time there were but few white men in the valley. 
No authentic information of its occurrence among the Indians, who until 1890 
inhabited the valley, has been obtained, though many old residents, including 
Indians, white trappers, traders, and Catholic priests, were consulted (1903a, p. 28; 
1904a, p. 33). It has been recognized as a clinical entity by the local physicians for 
fifteen or twenty years (1902a, p. 131 ; 1903a, p. 28; 1904a, p. 31). Anderson (1903a, 
p. 506; 1903c, p. 8) states that it has been known in the Bitter Root Valley for about 
twenty years. 
In addition to the case in 1873 reported from Woodside b}" Wilson 
and Chowning (1903a, p. 28), I might add that Doctor Parsons has 
kindly called my attention to a second case which occurred at another 
place in the valley in the same year. 
Doctor Buckley, who has spent considerable time and money in 
tracing back the history of the disease, assured me that he had been 
unable to obtain any convincing evidence that the Indians had suffered 
frorh “ spotted fever.” 
That this disease has existed for some }"ears in other localities than 
Idaho and the Bitter Root Vallej" does not seem to be entirely 
excluded, for the medical histor}" of man}^ parts of the Northwest is as 
yet unwritten, and there will naturally alwa^^s remain some cases of 
disease among the early settlers which will probably be unrecorded 
and unexplained. To assume that “spotted fever” has made a sudden 
