Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-13
SCIENTISTS SEARCH
FOR A NEW GERM
DIR. TERRIRERRY sUeeEeTs A
SCHEME
Physician Thinks Epidemics of Infan-
tile Paralysis Should Move 3ac-
terioIoeist5 to Seek the
Cause

NEW YORK, Sept. IA scientific hunt
for the infantile paralysis germ has be-
gun in this city. When and where 1t
will end is not even guessed at now by
the psychologists who are at work on
the problem for they are quite uncer-
tain what the germ looks like, or whence
1t comes and whittier 1t goes.
The hunt was brought about by cpl
denies of infantile paralysis which have
occurred in several localities within a
radius of 200 miles of New York The
disease even now is prevalent In this
city. Nearly 100 cases are under treat
ment at the hospital of the New York
society for the Relief of the Ruptured
and Crippled in Forty-second street near
lexington avenue. A large number also
are being treated in the Orthopedic hos
pital in Fifty-ninth street and at various
other hospitals in Manhattan and Brook
lyn
While infantile paralysis does not often
prove fatal, it is one of the most serious
of diseases, because it usually leaves the
patient a cripple for life.
A plan of campaign has been mapped
out by DR.. ]. F. Terriberry, neurologist
to the hospital of the New York society
for the Relief of the Ruptured and Grip
pied which is expected to pave the way
| for the psychologists. DR.. Terriberry' s
plan is for physicians in towns and vii
lagos throughout the country to make
| full reports of the infantile paralysis
epilemics in their territories. He sug-
gests that such reports would do much
| toward establishing at least the usual
surroundings in which the disease occurs
most frequently, and will give an idea
of the conditions in which the germs
flourish.
DIR. Terriberry suggests that those who
report upon the epidemcs state the fol-
lowing conditions:
Temperature and humidity and anal
ogous conditions at the time the epidemic
| occurred.
Natural peculiarities of the region. with
especial emphasis as to sunlight; also
| whether 1t is a town or country region
Whether there are any other epidemics
occurring at the same time in the same
place.
HOW large an area is covered by the
epidemic.
| Water supply-whether 1t is derived
| from river or from wells.
The paragraph relating to whether any
| other epidemics are occurring at the same
| time was occasioned by a recent report
from Ridgway Pa, to the effect that
epidemics of typhoid fe er, spinal menin-
| gifts and infantile paralysis were in prog
ress there simultaneously.
There are many thousands of cripples in
New York. now who are victims of infan-
tile paralysis. and there are several hun
bred children who are now undergoing
| tment-unsatisfactory as 1t is. The
present manner of treating the disease is
the treatment of the effect rather than
of the cause, simply because there seems
no way at present of combating the
cause 1t is remedial rather than prevent
i've, this treatment which is now being
pursued at the hospitals.
1t is rare that the disease appears in an
adult, although such cases have been re-
corded, and then, of course, it could not
be called infantile Most of the cases de-
velop in children under 10 years of age
Another great handicap under which
the hospitals labor in treating the dis
ease is that the cases are not brought t
their attention in time. Usually severa