The Red Cloud chief., 1911-10-26


tion to weather the storm as we'll as possible.
But while little can be done after the disease
has developed, careful parents can DO much W
prevent their children from taking the malay.
The childrens noses can be kept clean. Dr. FleA'
ner regards this as most important. Also. certain
disinfectants II used rs mouth and nose WASH
during the summer danger period, are enective.
one per cent. solution Of hydrogen peroxide Will
kill the germ OF infantile paralysis. So Will
plain menthol. Each OF these statements Is MADE
upon the authority Of DIR. Flexner.
Yet the germ that causes infatnile paralysis 10
more virulent than the germ OF rabies. DR.. Flex'
ner discovered that the paralysis germ could not
even be weekend by drying 1t for weeks over
caustic potash nor by keeping 1t frozen for weeks
But hydrogen peroxide and menthol Kill 1t.
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 ana
produce the disease.
Infantile paralysis came to this country from
Scandinavia. Prior to 1907 It had seldom occurred
here Since then 1t 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 Scandinavians
remove. comes next The disease hourishes dur
ing hot, dry summers. 1t Is sort or sister
disease OF cerebrospinal meningitis and. years
ago was probably often mistaken for that disease.
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 tho
subject immune for life. Dr. F1exner's expert
ments upon monkeys indicate rs 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
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 q
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 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 II must have something
for its money. The public ia not wise enough
to know that It can spend Its money in no better
way than to buy certain Information that tends
toward the maintenance Of health. Darrhea, 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 a miilion-will cause It.
Cows milk not properly modified In certain to
upset the stomachs OF infants. half.hour with
a good physician will enable a mother to get In
formation that may prevent her child from sicken'
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 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 they
wanted to. could compel government to dissent
nate the vast amount OF information concerning
the prevention Of infant mortality. France moved
when her brth.rate became so low that she hao
to move. When children become scarce. govern
ments are sometimes careful OF their health n
they are at other times OF the health OF hogs