The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-27
HILL ON INFANTILE
PARALYSIS PLAGUE
EPlDEMIoLoGIsT OF MINNESOTA
TELLS OF INVESTIGATING THE
CHILD scoURcE - SYMPTOMS
DESCRIBED - REGULATIONS
THAT SHOULD BE OBSERVED

DIR. Fl. w. Hill, epidemiologist OF the
Minnesota state board Of health, who
Is one Of the best authorities in this
part Of the country on anterior po-
lio-m yelitis, or infantile paralysis, has
returned from a tour of investigation
through several localities In the state,
and gives out the following facts in
part to The Pioneer Press concerning
the situation in Minnesota:
Attention has been paid to rural
outbreaks rather than to cases in the
twin cities because 1t seemed that
archaeological evidence would be
cleaner cut in the smaller places than
amongst the complications necessarily
encountered in big city. These cases
have included a wide range in clinical
pictures-from the "abortive" cases,
showing only a temporary weakness or
paresis of the legs, to cases showing
complete paralysis of almost all of
the voluntary muscles, terminating in
death within forty EIGHT hours Of the
onset. Three cases showed early To-
calization of the paralysis in the throat,
with death in two cases, all three
showing a marked accumulation OF
thick tenacious mucus in the pharynx
and reorganization of food through the
nose and larynx, in brief, typical bull
bar paralysis. One severe case of this
type, extremely emaciated, was i'm
proving slowly when last seen.
1.-THE tendency of this disease to vary
In different epidemics is shown by the
differences observed in various out
breaks in Minnesota and elsewhere,
and particularly by the peculiar Incl
dence in st. Paul where older children
and adults have been affected in great
disproportion to the incidence in the
rest of the state.
Defines the Disease.
"The very variable death rate, the
wide distribution, the comparatively
small number OF cases per locally, the
tendency to attack the smaller towns
and the rural districts, and the alb
sence of repetition in the same locality
are shown.
las definition of anterior polio
myelttis, should say that 1t is an
acute affection or poisoning Of the CEN
trail nervous system (brain and spinal
cord) the most striking result of
which is abrupt onset of motor paraly-
of sensation) of various muscles, some
time in one arm or leg, sometimes III
both legs, or both arms, or the. neck,
or in the face or throat. In most
cases the attack begins in a patient
perfectly well up to that time. The
child complains of being tired, has a
little fever, may vomit and is usually
constipated. After two or three or
four days, in which the child may be
drowsy, although irritable on being dis
turbed, and perhaps witches and talks
to some extent in its sleep, decid-
ed weakness in one or more limbs
may develop At times great pain all
over the body keeps the patient awake
and restless. Sometimes the neck is
stiff, the head drawn back and pain
in the neck is present. Perhaps the
urine is not passed and the bowels
may be badly constipated.
"In twenty -four hours after the
weakness is noted the paralysis of the
affected part is usually complete. The
fever and pain subside but the limbs
and especially the joints are tender
on movement. In many cases the pa
ralysis begins slowly to disappear
again and it may vanish completely
in two or three weeks. Usually 1t Is
more prolonged, but even in the pro-
nounced cases some Improvement goes
on for a couple of years. What is left
then is likely to be permanent through
out life. unless corrected by physical
measures.
I'm other cases the paralysis from