The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-19
SCARE is ABATINC
Physicians Scout Idea of a
Paralysis Epidemic.
Agree That Cases Have Been
Widely Separated.
OPINIONS ARE GIVEN.
Cleanliness Of Surroundings Is
Prevention.
Third Victim Thought to BE
Out of Danger.

The dread and fear of infantile
paralysis is being abated by the saner
advice of the medical fraternity, which
regards the idea of an epidemic an
anxious parents of ailing children who
have besieged the local physicians
have been given assurance that the
disease should cause no alarm.
The theory that the infection comes
from summer complaint and allied
troubles of the little ones is the one
most advanced. Just as any of these
complaints sometimes lead to death, it
may lead first to paralysis. Spinal
meningitis is said to be often called
infantile paralysis and some say they
are identical anyway.
The idea of an epidemic is secuted
by majority of physicians, the sug-
gestion being called groundless. OF the
three Topeka cases, the infection has
been from individual sources for the
cases were as widely separated as the
city limits.
Cleanliness Is Prevention.
As far as treatment is concerned, the
disease must be met before it arrives.
For Instances where it might be caused
by bowel troubles. the cure of those
troubles is the prevention. Or if the
infection should be through the
breathing organs, cleanliness of sur
roundings is preventive.
Some of the opinions obtained from
physicians of Topeka regarding the
public fright follow:
81 would not consider infantile
paralysis in the light of an epidemic
in Topeka because of the few cases"
Kansas Medical society. 1.-The people
should not be alarmed Not more than
10 per cent of the cases are fatal. 1t
is a distinct disease. however, from
though not thought to be contagious
The infection comes through the ali
mentary canal. In the heat of sum-
mer when children have so much
bowel trouble, the disease becomes
more prevalent, the spinal cord becom-
ing infected. That is the best knowl-
edge we have of the disease
This alarming infantile paralysis
which has been so named is nothing
more than spinal meningitis, the old
deal since the first medical literature
was published in the opinion of DR.
L. Y Grubbs ''Infantile paralysis is
not specific ailment. The medical
books treat of it only as infantile spi-
nal meningitis. Some have tried to
make out that it is something alto
gether new and alarming
Sees No Cause for Alarm.
DR.. Harriet E. Adams said: lone of
these cases was in the far east side
of the city, another in the far west.
and third in the center. Does that
lndlcate an alarming epidemic. 1nat
seems TO me to be a small number of
cases compared with other disea SEES
which are as fatal. Usually tire victim
of infantile paralysis either RECEIVERS or
dies inside of four days. only most of
them do not end fatally. When so
much publicity is given to each case it
naturally looks like terrible thing but
the cause for fear is not likely to come.
The disease is not contagious and GER
tainly is not sweeping the state"
DR.. F. H. Scholle. who is treating
the third case of infantile paralysis in
the city said: II believe the childs life
Row is out of danger. The limbs were
afflicted but can now be moved by the
Child and the respiration is less diff
cult"
The victim is William Price, the 3
year-old sen of w. F. Price, 1O7 East
Thirteenth street. He was stricken
Friday the disease beginning to creep
over his legs and arms at the same
time. For a day he was unable to move
his limbs at all and his breathing was
affected slightly. The stroke now seems
to be receding and it is believed the
boy will recover.
Dr. A. p. jeffrey. who had the first
case of the season attributes the death
rather to weak condition Of the pat
lent than to a dangerous nature of the
disease The boy had had pneun onia
in the winter and was in a run down
condition.