The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-21
SAY INFANTILE
PARALYSIS IS
UNDERCONTROL
BIRMINGHAM WILL PUT FLAG ON
INFECTED HoUSES-DR. MEL
SON CITES AUTHORITIES ON
DISEASE AND EXPLAINS HOW
CITY Is HANDLING SITUATION.

Although three more cases Of in
fantile paralysis have been found and
reported in Birmingham and the health
| department will flag" all cases, no
alarm was apparent yesterday at the
office of the health department over
the possibilities of further spread Of
the disease, says the Birmingham Age
Herald.
Pratt City has been almost the only
affected region of the dreaded infantile
trouble, but yesterday West End and
AVondale were the suburbs that
brought in a case each. One was also
reported In what is known as old Biz
mingham.
The health department has decided
that 1t will be best for the department
to flag all houses where the disease Is
located in order to obviate as far as
| possible its spread.
Hereafter this will be done. All
things considered, the health depart
mept is very much encouraged over the
situation. All the physicians are re-
porting promptly all cases and other
steps have been taken looking to an
eradication Of the disease if possible.
On account Of the great amount of
interest in the infantile paralysis here
DR.. Nelson, the health officer, gave out
last night a digest of a report made
after a thorough Investigation by a
committee appointed from the Ameri-
| can Orthopedic Association and the
American Pediatric Association. That
report follows:
'1nfantile paralysis is. so far as
known, communicable disease, being
| communicated from one patient to an.
other and even perhaps by a third per
| son. 1t occurs sporadically and in cpl
denies. There is reason to believe
that it can be prevented from spread
| ing by quarantine and 1t is the opinion
| of this committee that it is essential
that it should be made a reportable
disease in all states in order that the
| presence may be detected and it's
! spread guarded against. OF special in
terest and significance are the So called
abortive cases which are undoubtedly
a source of infection and their record
and study are of much Importance. In
| such cases even recovery without pa
ralysis does not establish the fact that
the case was not abortive infantile pa
ralysis. All cases of infantile paraly-
| sis should be strictly quarantined,
sputum, urine and feces being disin-
| fected. and the same rigid precautions
| adopted as in scarlet fever. This quar-
| antine should last not less than three
| weeks in the absence of definite knowl-
edge as to when the infection ends.
Children from infected families
| should not be allowed to go to school
1
is abandoned. The report of all cases
Of infantile paralysis to the city health
authorities should be enforced by law"
In addition to the above excerpt from
the report DR.. Nelson said:
The above are the conclusions
reached as a result of an investigation
| by this committee consisting Of four
of the most prominent specialists in
this country, and report from such a
source carries great weight in medical
| circles. In Birmingham the disease has
been made a reportable and quaran-
| Unable one and the law will be en-
| forced as rigidly as in any of the con-
| tagious diseases for a period of not
| less than three weeks.
| There is a very exaggerated idea as
| to the number of cases reported. There
are not over 25 in Greater Birming
| ham and considering the fact that
| there are about $4,000 children under
| Z or 8 years of age it is seen that the
epidemic has not assumed serious or
alarming proportions. Daily bulletins
will be issued from the health depart
ment stating the number of cases, if
any reDOrted and their location {"