The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-03-14
FOR "PLYING LABORATORIES"
DR. SACkSS PLAN TO COPE WIN
MANTLE PARALYSIS.


the C0ming Summer wants the
state To Rush Physicians 10 study
Gases nj the Crisis NJ the Dlsease.
DR.. b. Sacks. the expert neurologist
CT Bellevue, who was chairman OF the
committee to investigate the various
phases Of the epidemic Of infantile paral-
ysis which appeared. in this city in 1907.
predicted in a paper read before the
Society OF Medical Jurispr udence last
night that there would be another ep,-
demic this summer for which the State
should prepare. He told OF the epidemics
OF 1908 and 1909. which were less virulent
than that Of 1907
but DR.. Sacks said the best way to learn
about il was to take individual cases
for study when they were in the early
stages and he advocated that the State
establish flying laboratories" These
should consist Of squads Of competently
trained physicians who should be pre-
pared to rush to the scene Of an epidemic
and extract the valuable early serums
from the spinal columns Of the sufferers.
DR.. Henry.w Berg. another well known
neurologist. gave a description OF just
what the disease is and how it acts. He
said that it struck the child like thunder
clap. In apparently robust health the
child goes to bed at night and in the
morning awakes paralyzed. At that
moment, he said, the disease has reached
its highest point and the recess Of the
attack Of the toxin sets in at once. OFTEN
the paralysis remains. but often it also
gradually leaves the patient and full
health 10 restored. The poison. whether
organic or chemical. the medical world
does not yet know. 1t is ultramicro-
scopic and.Dr. Flsxner OF the Rockefeller
Institute has demonstrated by his expert
ments on monkeys that it can pass through
the finest filters known to man.
DIR. Sacks in his paper spoke highly
Of the work carried on by DIR. Flexner
at the institute. He said that his work
with the monkeys had practically es-
tahlished beyond doubt the fact that the
disease il infectious. though the medium
Of contagion has not been discovered.
DR.. Smith Ely Jellife in discussion
said that Dr. Flexner had done more in
five years through animal experiment
tation in this line than had been accom-
plished in 1000 years. Dr.. Sacks en-
phasized tho fact that the hysteria about
the disease was without real cause. He
said that it affected young children pm
marty and that the cases in older chill
dren and adults were comparatively rare
The medical world. he said. had . great
deal still to learn about IL. but they knew
enough to-day TO make it possible to fight
IL successfully in many instances. II
In not usually fatal and not Indignantly
contagious.
DR.. Sacks advocated the closing of
| schools in which one or more cases appear
DR.. JellifYe said that the closest OBJ
servations OF the disease in it's exterior
manifestation Of paralysis had probably
been made by the Dutch. Flemish and
Italian painters OF the early Renaissance
period. He said there was proof that the
disease existed in the first century Of the
Christian era. He said that although
little was known positively about the
path OF contagion yet there were facts.
such as the prevalence OF the disease in
certain trades. which gave material to
work on. II had been observed that
trades where clothing. and especially shoes.
were handled were open to the disease.
He said il had been proved almost beyond
doubt that foodstuffs had nothing to
do with transmissions.
DR.. l.. Pierce Clark emphasized the
need OF getting at the disease in it's early
o., hA Of stt,AN,inn IL
He advocated DIR. Sacks's idea Of flying
laboratories" because OF the fact that
except for the paralysis there was no
known symptom to the disease. II was
this, he said. which made it almost i'm
possible for the physicians to diagnose it
until il was too late for when the paralysis
comes then the disease is over The
paralysis is a result rather than "a
symptom.
Dr. Berg took issue with DR.. Sacks in
several points Of his paper He thought
that too little was known as vet about the
disease TO make it worth while to have
the State establish flying laboratories.
He asked for little time for DR.. Flexner
He did not believe with DR.. Sacks that
schools fostered epidemics. He cited the
epidemic of 1907. which he said he had
followed closely while it was in progress.
and he added that this had taken place
between July and October. showing that
il had little to do with schools.
A committee OF the society appointed
TO look into the proposed changes in the
laws by abolishing the defence OF insanity
presented its report, which will be acted
upon later. The report opposed on both
legal and ethical grounds the reforms
proposed by the State Bar Association.
The report. which is unanimous and is
signed by A. Delos kneeland. chairman.
william W. Bryan. George +. Langbein
and DR.. Arthur C. Brush. declares that
the proposed laws are unconstitutional
because they invade constitutional rights
by curtailing the right OF trial by jury
when the defence is insanity, The pro-
posed legislation also assumes to imprison
an insane person even il he becomes sane
during his commitment for as many
wears az il he had been sane when the
act was committed.
JUSTIFICATION MtRRI tGE.
alderman Becker Gets Some GllGicd de-
taiis About the Souls Tie United.
Il a hal Il L,.,