Evening journal., 1910-08-06
National Bureau of Public
Health Seeking TO Check
Progress of InfanfiIe
Disease
EXPERTS SAY GERM
is THE CAUSE

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.--The medi- |
cal department of the government is
investigating carefully and scientific
ally the epidemic of infantile paralysis
which prevails here and i'm some sec
tions of several States including sew
eral towns I'm Pennsylvania.
n will surprise even many physi-
clans 10 learn that the Government
experts believe that infantile paralysis
/ is both infectious and contagious, GER
tainly infectious. Although the dis
ease Ia not often fatal. its appalling
feature is that many children affected
are permanently crippled or deformed
robbed of speech or hearing.
In a word. infantile paralysis is not
a slaughter but a mutilation of the
| innocents. It is helping TO deprive
the Republic Of fits future strong mind
ed. able bodied men and women.
Caused by Mysterious Germ.
The experts have decided, too. that
infantile paralysis Is caused by a germ
which remains a mystery 10 science,
for it has not been isolated. The dis
ease usually appears during June,
reaches its greatest prevalence during
July and August and subsidies In Sep
tember. There are more than five
hundred cases I'm this city. &
The nation-W wide investigation into
infantile paralysis was ordered by Dr.
Wflter Wayman. of the Public Health
and Marine Hospital Service. II is
being conducted by Or. John Ander-
son. director Of the hygienic labora-
tory of the service. and he is assisted
by DR. W. r. Frost, Of the stan. now
en- route from Mason City. Ga, where
he has been studying the disease.
The affection commonly attacks chill
dren under Ave years Of age and so
gets its name But occasionally an
adult is its victim
Baseball Pitcher Has Disease.
Its shining mark" here az the min
ute is William Hinrich, a pitcher Of
the Washington American League
Baseball Club He is in the George
town University Hospital here suffer-
ing from infantile paralysis.
Hinrich. twenty-one years old, went
to the hospital FIVE days ago for treat
ment for his arm. which was para
lyzed
DR.. S. Clifford Cox. who is attend
ing Hinrich. declares that he undoubt-
erly has infantile paralysis. and that
he can play no ball for some time,
probably not again this season. Hin
! rich had been in poor health since
reporting to the Washington team in
Tune. He came here from the Pacific
coast with a great reputation, but mas
proved disappointing.
DR.. George II. Acker, who has been
studying infantile paralysis for years
says:
'The disease is only feebly conta-
gious in my opinion. II was generally
believed a few years ago that II
affected the spine only, but il has been
demonstrated that it attacks the brain,
too.
''In some cases now under my obser-
vation I have noted paralysis OF the
muscles of the face. Another indica-
ton that the disease is not confined
to the spine is that il has affected the
mucous membrane Of the nose
Most authorities state that II is
most frequent in the male sex, put 1
do not think that race or sex intiu-
ences the causation OF the disease.
Some cases have followed chilling and
attacks Of acute infectious diseases.
cannot find in my cases any evidence
which would tend to throw light on lts
J origin. Several cases looked like tnfiu-
enza at the outset
Little Known of Causes.
Beyond the fact that infancy is
distinct predisposing cause almos
nothing is positively known in regard
to the causes of this affection. IL
onset is often quite sudden, in tn
midst of what appears to be perfec
9 health. The disease is no doubt du
T. to germs, but they have not yet oeel
found"