Free Republic

Mystery illness kills Missouri soldierJosh Neusche died Saturday; his family waits for answers.By Eric EckertNews-Leader Staff July 16, 2003   Montreal, Mo. — Seventeen-year-old Jacob Neusche spent Tuesday morning packing up his big brother's belongings — books, a high school letterman's jacket and a Class A uniform.  "That's what Josh will be buried in," the teenager said, referring to the uniform.   Missouri National Guard Spc. Josh Neusche, 20, died Saturday at the Homburg Hospital in Germany from a mysterious illness. A member of the 203rd Engineer Battalion, he is the only Missouri National Guardsman on the Department of Defense's...

School warns parents of SARS May 4, 2003 Parents of students attending Cloverdale Elementary School in Carol Stream received letters Friday informing them that a student or teacher had exhibited a symptom of possible SARS infection. District 93 Supt. Henry A. Gmitro said Saturday the letters were sent as a precaution because the individual also had a "personal history" factor--such as travel to a country where SARS rates are high--that warranted monitoring for three days. The person had not come down with any new symptoms, and Gmitro said he hoped the situation would soon be resolved.

SARS PUZZLERS Why does death rate seem higher in more advanced countries? Why are children less affected? GENEVA - Researchers are trying to get to the bottom of a number of baffling patterns emerging as the outbreak of the deadly Sars virus progresses.These include puzzling details such as why death rates are variable and may be higher in countries with more advanced health systems, such as Singapore. Advertisement Other questions baffling health experts are why children do not appear to be as affected, and why some patients develop a more severe form of the virus.'The case fatality rate remains at...