Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 75, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1907 — MARTYR TO YELLOW JACK. [ARTICLE]

MARTYR TO YELLOW JACK.

Soldier Wiio Was Experimented On Novr a Hopeless Cripple. After offering himself without hope of remuneration upon the altar of medical science that further research might be made in the prevention and cure of yellow fever, John R. Kissenger of South Bend, Ind., who is still less than 30 years old, is now practically a confirmed invalid. He is suffering with myelitis or inflammation of the spinal marrow as the result of the experiment made and he is unable to go about except with the aid of a wheelchair. The sacrifice was made while Kissenger was a soldier in the United States army. The young man enlisted during the Spanish-American war and w£s mustered into the service as a member of the Indiana militia. At the close of hostilities, when mustered out of the volunteer service, be and a companion, John J. Moran, enlisted in the regular army. At this time the War Department was endeavoring to stamp out or abate yellow fever In Cuba. Dr. Walter Reed, a specialist in the disease, was selected head of the board appointed to make the tests, researches and experiments. His assistants were Dr. ,James Carroll, Dr. Jesse W. Lazear and Aristides Agramonte, a Cuban physician, who, having had yellow fever, was declared an immune. After experiments, during which Dr. Lazear died, the physicians were convinced that a variety of mosquito was the cause of the disease. They wanted, bowevar, -to (est the theories for the prevention of the spread of the disease and its cure. Ilenco-Jt w:\- necessary that others be inoculated by submitting to the bites of the disease-bearing insects. The government volunteered more assistance. A camp, named in honor of the dead physician, was established, and Congress appropriated money to reward those risking their lives in the proposed experiments. It was not necessary to call for volunteers. Messrs. Kissenger and Moran came to the front and offered themselves, first stating in black and white that they did not want pecuniary reward, and that it should not be offered to them.

Kissinger was the first to be inoculated. He was bitten by five mosquitoes, which had become infected by biting yellow fever patients. His sufferings were terrible. Three days after being inoculated with the disease, or Dec. 8, 1900, his life was despaired of, but he apparently recovered under the greatest care. Moran had to be infected twice before be was attacked, but he did not have the disease in its worst form. But the after effects were different in the case of the two young heroes. Moran seemingly suffered no ill results. For a time Kissenger appeared to have recovered completely, but subsequent developments prove contrary conditions. He returned to his army post and served until his enlistment expired. Last fall he began to lose strength, and he has daily grown more enfeebled. Tits legs have not the power to carry him and they are in such condition that he travels about the house on bis knees and uses a wheelchair out of doors. Eminent physicians who have examined Kissenger say that hia trouble is the result of the yeltyw fever experiment.