Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-11-17

A physician can only put the pdtieht IL 49,
ton to weather the storm as we'll as possloie
But while little can be done after the disease
has developed careful parents can do much 10
prevent their children from taking the malaos
The children's can be kept clean Ut REX
ner regards this as most important. Also certain
disinfectants If used mouth and nose WASH
during the summer danger period, are eneeuVe-
one per cent. solution of hydrogen peroxide VIII
kill the germ OF infantile paralysis So VIII
plain menthoL Each of these statements is made
upon the authority of DR.. Flexner.
Yet the germ that causes infatnile paralysis is
more viruent than the germ OF rabies. Dr. flex-
ner discovered that the paralysis germ could not
even be weekend by drying it for weeks over
caustic potash by keeping it frozen for weeks
But hydrogen peroxide and menthol Kill it.
DR.. Flexner is now and has been for some time
conducting experiments to learn whether flies
carry the germs and spread the disease He has
already definitely learned that flies do carry the
germs but he has not demonstrated that the
germs when carried. get into the system and
produce the disease.
Infantile paralysis came to this country from
Scandinavia Prior to 1907 1t had seldom occurred
here Since then it has been epidemic from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. New York and Boston.
where so many immigrants gather. have suffered
most Minnesota to which so many Scandinayians
remove comes next The disease fourishes dur
ing hot, dry summers. 1t is sort of a sister
disease OF cerebrospinal meningitis and years
ago was probably often mistaken for that disease.
A conspicuous point OF difference is that the for
mer malady comes in late winter or early spring.
while infantile paralysis comes in summer. In
fantile paralysis is most likely attack children
less than four years DID, though adults are not
immune But one attack most likely makes the
subject immune for life. Dr. F1exner's expert
ments upon monkeys indicate as much.
But. barking back to the causes OF preventabe
deaths of children this much more may be said:
Mothers are too prone to buy medicine from doc
yiv IN Information
from them Mothers who do not know how 10
care for their children should not wait until
child is sick and then call the doctor TO dose the
child They should call the doctor when the
child is we'll and pay him his regulation fee for
sitting down half an hour and instructing them
with regard 10 the care of the child Most mothers
need information more than their children need
medicine. Doctors, when called often give harm
less medicine. when is needed. simply be-
cause the public feels that IL must have something
for its money The public is not wise enough
TO know that 1t spend its money in no better
way than to buy certain information that tends
toward the maintenance of health Diarrhea. TOR
Instance, which kills more babies. perhaps than
any other single cause, is solely disturbance
,f the digestive tract due to wrong feeding. Milk
thirty-seven million bacteria to the
,ubic centimeter-or even milion-will cause 1t.
Cows milk not properly modified is certain TO
upset the stomachs OF infants A half-hour with
good physician viii enable mother TO get in
ormation that may prevent her child from sicken-
ng and dying
In the meantime the responsibility for the
voidable deaths OF children must largely rest
With the few who knowing how to take care OF
heir own do not. for reason or another. take
Elective measures to pass on this knowledge 10
theirs few men control every government
ational state and municipal These men, II they
'anted to. could compel government to dissent
ate the vast amount of information concerning
he prevention OF infant mortality. France moved
hen her hirth-rate became low that she had
move When children become scarce govern
ents are sometimes as careful OF their health az
icy are Rt other times OF the health OF hogs