The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-11-11

physician can only put the patient In conon
ton to weather the storm as well as possiole
But while little can be done after the disease
has developed, careful parents can do much 70
prevent their children from taking the malay
The childrens noses can be kept clean Dr Fex
ner regards this as most important Also certain
disinfectants II used as mouth and nose WASH
during the summer danger period. are enective
one per cent. solution of hydrogen peroxide VIII
kill the germ OF infantile paralysis. So VIII
plain menthol. Each of these statements Is maoe
upon the authority Of Dr. Flexner.
Yet the germ that causes infatnile paralysis Is
more virulent than the germ of rabies Dr. Fiex-
ner discovered that the paralysis germ could not
even be weekend by drying 1t for weeks over
caustic potash nor by keeping 1t frozen Tor weeks
But hydrogen peroxide and menthol Kill It.
DR. Flexner is now and has been for some time
conducting experiments to learn whether nies
carry the germs and spread the disease HE mas
already definitely learned that flies do carry the
germs but he has not demonstrated that the
germs when carried. get into the system ana
produce the disease.
Infantile paralysis came to this country from
Scandinavia Prior to 1907 1t had seldom occurred
here Since then II 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 Scandinavfans
remove comes next The disease fourshes dur
ing hot dry summers 1t is sort Of sister
disease of cerebrospinal meningitis and, years
ago. was probably often mistaken for that disease
conspicuous point OF difference Is that the Tor
mer malady comes in late winter or early spring.
while infantile paralysis comes in summer In
fantile paralysis is most likely to attack children
less than four years old. though adults are not
immune But one attack most likely makes the
subject immune for life DR. Fexner's expert
ments upon monkeys indicate as much
But, barking back to the causes OF preventable
deaths of children, this much more may be said:
Aon-
tors and not enough given to buying Information
from them Mothers who do not know how to
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 well. and pay him his regulation fee Tor
sitting down half an hour and fnstructing them
with regard to the care of the child Most mothers
need information more than their children need
medicine Doctors. when called. often give harm
less medicine. when none Is needed. simply be-
cause the public feels that must have something
for its money The public Is not wise enough
to know that 1t can spend fits money In no better
way than to buy certain information that tends
toward the maintenance of health Diarrhea. for
instance which kills more babies. perhaps than
any other single cause. Is solely disturbance
of the digestive tract due to wrong feeding MIX
containing thirty-seven million bacteria to the
cubic centimeter-or even million-wiIl cause It
Cows milk not properly modified Is certain to
upset the stomachs OF infants. half-hour with
a good physician will enable mother to get in
formation that may prevent her child from sicRen
ing and dying
In the meantime. the responsibility for the
avoidable deaths Of children must largely rest
with the few who, knowing how to take care Of
their own. do not for one reason or another. take
effective measures to pass on this knowledge to
others few men control every government
national, state and municipal These men. II thes
wanted to. could compel government to dissent
nate the vast amount of information concerning
the prevention of infant mortality France moved
when her birth-rate became so low that she har
to move When children become scarce. govern
ments are sometimes as careful Of their health a.
they are at other times OF the health Of hogs.