Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-19
Suspected They Are Response.
BILE for Infant Paralysis.
SCIENTISTS ARE AT WORK
One Chicken Fancier, Now III Of
Disease, Had Treated Sick Fowls.
SEVEN CASES AMONG HUMANS
Two of These Fatal Near Bethesda
Marine Hospital Surgeons Ex-
aiming Dead Chickens.

Are chickens responsible for infantile
paralysis?
This is the question which is being
seriously asked by the people of
Bethesda district. Montgomery county,
Md, just to the northwest OF the Dis
trict line.
Suspicion has been cast upon the chick
ems by simultaneous outbreak OF the
mysterious malady. and the deaths of a
large number OF chickens from an ap.
parently similar disease. The surgeons
of the public health and marine hos
pital service have been working On the
case, and it may be said by way Of
easing the public mind that there SO
far is no apparent evidence to con-
meet the two outbreaks, the scientists
say.
Seven Gases, Two Deaths.
Recently there have been seven cases
and two deaths from infantile paralysis
within a radius OF few miles Of Bethes-
da. One Of those AFFLICTED is Henry j.
Hunt, Sd. He was stricken last Monday
and several times since then his condi-
1t was stated today that while Mr..
Hunt is very weak ne is doing as well
as can be expected. No new complica-
lions have arisen, and the spread OF the
paralysis beyond the lower limbs has
peen stopped. His condition Is such at
present Inat DIR. Lewis, his attending
physician, does not consider 1t advisable
10 use the massage treatment generally
employed. Mr.. hunt infant child, 1t
was stated this afternoon. has also de-
veioped a case OF the paralysis, bit the
attack is very slight and II is believed
that it will readily be checked.
Fowls Die in Strange Way.
Mr. Hunt, who resides on & portion of
the estate of his grandfather. the late
Gen. r. c. Drum, is d breeder Of fine
chickens. and has a large run near his
home. Last Sunday, 1t Is understood, he
had occasion To attend to a number OF
fowls which showed signs of illness. Mr..
Hunt was stricken with infantiie paraly-
sis Monday night. and the chickens died.
A mile north Of Mr.. Hunts place at
the home Of former United States Dis
trict Attorney Morgan Bach. later in
the week, a number OF fowls succumbed
suddenly to q suspicious affiiction. About
the same time a large number Of chickens
at the place Of John Trout. near
Beach's. met a similar fate. The cpl
demic was reported yesterday among
the ducks at the home OF X. 4. Drum
who lives a snort distance from his
brother, Henry J. Hunt, Sd.
With all these facts before them the
Bethesda people are strongly inclined
to suspect chickens and other fowls OF
carrying the disease which Is puzzling
the physicians and scientists.
Bodies Under Examination.
DR.. John l.. Lewis. who is attending
Mr.. Hunt. has furnished the public health
and marine hospital service with several
dead fowls, and studies Of them are now
being made at the hygienic laboratory
of the institution. There are simultaneous
studies being made there, under the dfrec-
ton of DR.. John F. Anderson, OF material
collected from different localities.
Surgeon General Wyman this summer
sent Surgeon Wade Hampton Cross to
Iowa at the request OF the state BOARD or
health there, and he not only made
statewide study Of the disease, but sent
home material for study and Is now max
ing q report on his work.
Under the direction OF the surgeon gen.
oral there are being collected ali the sta
it has appeared in this country, and as
soon as possible this will be embodied
In a report with charts showing the
prevalence in various localities and the
height Of the seasonal outbreak: The
experts Of the institution say there 10
every reason to look for rapid decline
II the disease In this country: as the
curve taken IN the ietituoe or
New York rises abruptly to the middle
81 September. and then as rapidly de-
ciines. The same Is true in Sweden, |
where the maximum severity OF the
resnonds with tho climate Of the locality. |
This fact would make 1t look 70 the |
ayman as though 1t might be an insect |
.arried the disease. but the experts say /
here is nothing else to give color to this |
belief.
Germ Not Yet Identified.
The source Of infection In the disease
,as bean located, but the germ has not