Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-09-02
FACTS ABOUT IN
FANTILE PARALYSIS
\ Hot Weather Disease Among In
fanls of Which Little is as
Yet known by the Doctors

The death of The little four-year-
old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs / NJ
Starrh of this city of infantlle par
alvsis. has caused some little un-
easiness among the parents OF little
ones and some fear that an epidemic
of the terrible disease may threateI
the community.
There is little danger of an cpl
demic at the present time, although
all due precaution should be taken
10 avoid any possible spread OF the
disease. While it is commonly sup
nosed that the disease is contageou
many Of the highest medical au-
thorities do not think that 1t IS con
tageous in the ordinary meaning o.
The term. Cases are on record
where it has gone through an en-
fire family of children, but there
are as many eases where only one
out of several has suffered.
If is most common in children OF
from six months to three years OF
ace. although older children some
times contract it, and there are
few cases on record where the VIC
tim has been an adult.
What is the exact cause of the
disease is unknown but it Is un-
doubtedly caused from derange-
menls of the bowels, and most fire.
ouenllv attacks little ones whose
nose and throat are in bad condl-
ton. 1t is hot weather disease
and there is little danger after the
present month.
The following article from the
Capital News will throw some light
en- the general characteristics Ct
the malady:
In order That the general public
my be properly informed as to the
nature. symptoms and danger Of the
dread disease, mfantile paralysis.
CITY Health Officer NJ. ;. Parker
has issued statement which aside
from the coveted warning hinted at
is interesting, containing as it does,
statistics with reference to the patl
way of death the disease has made
in the east.
There are four cases of infantlle
paralysis. in Boise. I'm order to pre-
vent the spread Of the disease, the
health department ordered all cases
quarantined While no additional
cases have developed up to the
present time. surprise would not be
manifested if several more break
out. Partly to prevent this the
statement of the health officer is
issued. 1t is as follows:
Not only have epidemics of acut |
.nfantile paralysis occurred in
America. but in Europe and Aus
tralia. 1t is said that there have
been over 40 very severe epidemlcs
Of this dread disease. In the year
1908 Norway reported IS eases, III
1901. 81 and in 1905 there were re-
ported 9lS cases.
"On an average, about 10 in ever.
hundred die and about 10 in every |
hundred remain permanently paral
wed aud are invalds for life an
appalling fact, indeed. but In the
year 1861 there were 300 cases in
The city of New York alone, and
positive and absolutely reliable dat
was obtained on 752 cases. SO far
a, has been observed in different
sections of the country, this disease
seems TO appear more frequently
along the lines of travel. particu-
larlv in valleys and basins. A report
on this malady issued not long ago
by the New York Society on Merry
Gus and Mental Diseases would
seem to indicate that this very pc
eular disease spreads from cities
to surrounding towns. Heretofore
it has been observed TO be more
prevalent in the country than iii tn
CITIES.
1T is singular fact. SO far, that
very few colored children have TAX
en- the disease. The question nat
urally arises and is often asked: rs
paralysis communicable?
Out of the 752 eases in the city of
New York on which accurate data
was secured, there were 700 homes
with one case each. rs with , cases
and five with three cases. OF cours /
it goes without saving that there
were many homes in which there |
was only one child and also many 1
homes in which there were childre
ranging in ages from IS to 81 years.
However. the New York sOcleLy'S