The Washington times., 1910-09-21

With the cooperation Of practically
every physician ia the city. and win
Government experts CONDUCTING expert
ments on monkeys al two separate
Laboratories the special committee ap-
pointed by the Medical Association Of
the District To investigate the cause ~
possible cure of infautile paralysis. is
today working indefatiEably TO best the
bafding disease
Although the research here Is Vet In
its preliminary stages. members Of the
committee declare that there Is no o.
casion for great public alarm, ard they
deprecare the state Of --ncasiueSs 10
which the community appears TO have
been aroused
one member Of the committee. Dr.
Tom A. Williams, who Is now studying
a dozen OF more cases .oG iurautiIe par
alysis, SAID reassuringIy today that the
danger Of infection in the public schools
is not 50 great as has been feared by
those unfamiliar win the disease
Doubts Disease II Fowls.
Dr. Williams, from q preliminary study
Of the cases under his observation. Is not
inclined 70 believe that the disease Is
communicate from chickens, as has
been suggested following the epidemic
a.
Nd Dr- Williams believes that the
para I-sis prevalent among poultry there
viii prove not Go be the disease known
as iufauJIie paralysis or anterior polio-
myeIif5s-
some Of the dead and dying Bethesda
fowls also are under observation at
Laboratories here
The experiments conducted on mon
keys here, and elsewhere. within the
past feE weeks, Las proven that the
disease Is easily communicated To- the
monkey but 20 uo other animal Il has
been found Impossible 10 luGcuiaTe Earl-
Gus other species of the lower animals.
although the germ seIZeS the monkey
OF ape Immediately. and may be COM
uuuicared, one TO another.
Injection through the nose has been
DEFINITELY eSra DiiSEeC through the aid
OF ti.eSe experiments with apes
y HIn-lon physicians are now work
lu- on theories chat there may be
other means OF Infection The germ.
It Is declared lives IN the arr Is
small tEIL II Is seen with great dit
hcultE through the most powerful
microscope. and Is Of tbs most elusive
4 Pc I- dies rapidly when subjected
70 a temperature of 120 degrees.
Doubts Epidemic Recurring.
DIT Williams does not anticipate a
recurrence Of the epidemic IN Wash
inEtCn- He made the following state
ment today concerning the preIimi-
mary work undertaken by himself as
q member OF the committee named By
the medical association
81 discIeiu any authority as 10 Ell
Clcrv ,-GEsationl. Ny own uroviuce is
neUroIUCv- the means Of distinguishing
IT'S disease dJ its onset from other
nIaladies of the nervous system When
The disease has developed para Iy-sis this
Is usually clear enough fOr any cOmpe-
tent doctor but there are cases with
unusual symptoms which come within
tIe special field Of the ueurOlOEISr- Such
are TIE cases with JremUlOuS move
Tnents. resembling St NiJsIs dance,
where the muscles are stiff instead OF
lax, as is the rule and the cases where
the face Is paralyzed ana there exists
other "a Isles
4 must say. however. that in an
epidemic have observed in south
Maryland. I have been much struck
with the occurrence OF a mild CatarTH
and the evidences Of the direct trans
mission OF the disease from case 10
case Esut IN another Maryland cpl
demlc there Is no such connection
1t IS premature. however. TO gen
eTslIze- and Il is TO avoid all haSty
generalization that our association
mas desired me 2latLIlCal report OF
its committee based upon the ObseT-
TatiOnS OF the doctors of Washing
ton and vicinity.
valuable data has been accumulated
and we may hope that our report will
add still more light 10 what is prov
3uE a most difficult problem OF pre-
VeutiVe and curative medicine
Not Confined To District.
The epidemic Of infantIe paralysis IS
by no means confined 10 this vicinity,
being far spread through Virginia.
Maryland, and Pennsylvania. To Judge
by the experience Of these States We
NAV look for a further outbreak there
next year It perhaps viii not occur in
W ashington, for 1t has been Observed
that a severe outbreak is followed BY
2 subsistence. and an epidemic in nearby
territory not severely Cttacked before 90
All the members OF he special com
g1ittee named by the Medical Associa-
non are making daily observations Of
the disease Physicians generally in
washington and elsewhere, are aiding
In the research and the. special com
nitIee has written a letter asking the
profession 10 cooperate in every man.
ner possible with the doctors Of the
capital some or the questions being
asked include
First-VVhether the secretions or the
nose and throat are capable of carrying
the disease and. # So when the period
Of iufectTVity begins, and when II ends
Secondly neither It il possible by any
method 20 recognize The disease with
certainty before the onset OF. paralysis,
anu- II so how
Tbird-lThether IT IS possible by any
method 80 identity aboTtINc or atvpical
cases. and carriers. II carriers eN-
Isl who present no clinical symptoms
Fourth, whether Gnv intermediate
host, such as insects OF domestic ami
mails, NAV Ire resDo1sfnle Tor trans
mission NJ -he disease
Washington nhysicI-ilS- while admit
t,nS that the disease Is Of most nyS-
ferrous nature and ihat there X much
10 learn concerning its origin and cure.
depTe~1te E-eraJeC statements IIal
have been made from time to time as %
the nature OF inf1utiIe DSra5ySis- 50 Ear
as TIE danger fron- infection = con
CeTDcd- That il IS Infectious and thai
il is u he dreaded. Is admitted On the
6iher hand, those who have watchek the