Imperial Valley press., 1912-08-02
EPIDEMIC PREVAILS AMONG
Los ANGELES CHILDREN

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2.-The epi-
demic of infantile paralysis, or spinal
meningitis, that is afflicting Los Ange-
les has spread to such an extent that
there is no longer any effort made to
suppress the facts and doctors and
city officials are in daily conference
i'll an effort TO find some way to stop
the spread Of the scourge.
One hundred and seventy cases
have been reported to date, and 2S
victims have died. Today all theater
proprietors were notified officially
that they must forbid the presence of
children under the age of Is years in
their places of amusement. Parents
are warned not to take their children
on the street cars or 10 other public
places. Doctors are greatly worried
because of the fact that the disease
has so far baffied their every effort.
City Health Officer Powers, Dr.. lie
Moyne Willis and two of the physi-
clans OF the governing committee
made an inspection Of the quarantine
hospital on Bernardo street, near
Adobe street today and made prepara-
tiOns to have il placed in order for
use as a temporary hospital where 20
patients can be accommodated. 1t
will take three days TO place the hos
pital in shape.
a conference was held by the COM
mittee TO discuss the mode of enforc-
ing the rules adopted recently and an
active campaign TO prohibit children
under Is years OF age from visiting
the moving picture theaters and other
places of amusement and children I'M
der 10 from freQuenting the public
Fairgrounds. School grounds will not
be opened for the present, stated DR..
Powers, and the clergy have cooper
ated in dismissing all junior Sunday
school classes until the epidemic is
under control.
In order to combat the spread of
infantile paralysis the city board of
health distributed 10000 circulars to-
day containing information for the
public. The duties OF parents and
nurses in guarding against the spread
ing OF infection are laid out as fol
lows:
The complete isolation of every
case OF acute pOliomyelitis and the
enforcing Of quarantine.
Children in family which have
been affected by the disease must not
be allowed 10 attend school until they
have received a certificate from the
health department
The room used by the patient
should be as nearly free from furni-
ture as possible. The sick room should
be well aired several times each day
and the floors and woodwork mopped.
Floors should be sprinkled before
sweeping.
When possible, one attendant
should take complete charge of the
rest Of the family. Household pets
should be kept out OF the sick room.
An tableware used by the patient
should be thoroughly sterilized and
used by no one else All soaps used
for washing of these utensils should
be thrown away.
discharges from the nose or
mouth of the patient should be imme-
diately burned.
"All bed linen and clothing of the
patient should be sterilized in per
cent solution Of carbolic acid
attendants should wash their
hands thoroughly and often.
When the patient is ready for re-
lease the entire body and hair should
be washed in hot soap suds. The pa.
tient should be dressed in clean
clothes and removed from the room
This applies to the attendant also.
| The room should be thoroughly
fumigated with formaldehyde.'