Imperial Valley press., 1912-09-26
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON ITS
PARALYSIS INVESTIGATIONS

Los ANGELES, Sept. 26.-The COM
mittee of eight physicians and two
Christian Scientists appointed by the
public welfare committee Of the city
council to investigate the recent epi-
demic of infantile paralysis in this
city and vicinity made it's report yes
terday. The committee investigated
236 cases and attributed AZ deaths to
the dread disease.
On account of the rapid manner IN
which the disease spread and its rapid
decline after the health department
had established it's rigid quarantine,
the committee expresses the belief
that infantile paralysis follows the
usual course of diseases accepted as
contagious. The report mentions the
fact that the Rockefeller Institute for
Medical Research has for several years
been considering this phase of the dis
ease, and has not been able to reach
any definite conclusions as to the
means by which it is communicated
from one person to another.
The report is signed by F. S. Bar
nard. NJ. d., chairman; w. J. Jeter.
d. o., secretary; H. G. McNeill M. D.;
S. S. Salisbury, NJ. D.; G. NJ Giffen,
G. III. Miller, C. s.; J. Park Dougall,
NJ D.; s. Merrill, d. O.; L. ]. Huff,
NJ. D., and A. o. Conrad. M. d.
AS to the damage done in Los Ang-
eles, the report says:
Your committee has investigated 236
cases; there were % cases that we
were not able to see, owing to their
having moved away and there being
no one who could give the necessary
information.
Sanitary conditions to not seem to
have much apparent influence on the
disease, as in our investigation, which
covered the whole city, the disease
was found where all surrounding home
and sanitary conditions were excel
lent and i an atmosphere of intelli-
gence; again where such conditions
were far from good, poor homes, with
most unsanitary surroundings and ig-
norance.
In about rs per cent Of the cases
a positive diagnosis of acute poliomyel-
tits Gnfantile paralysis) could be made,
the paralysis being or having been
present in a greater or less degree.
In the remaining 25 per cent there
were not over 4 per cent that could
be called probable errors in diagnosis
the balance being of the abortive type
or having completely recovered from
the paralysis before being seen by COM
petent observers.
The number of cases paralyzed was
173, the number of cases completely
recovered was so, the number of cases
partially recovered was 1913, the num-
ber of cases in which death resulted
was 43, the number Of cases not par
alyzed was 4e.
OF the parts affected: Right arm
was affected in 81 cases, right leg
was affected in 80 cases, left leg was
affected in Al cases, both arms were
affected in IL cases, both legs were
affected in SO cases, the face was af-
fected In 10 cases, the eyes were af-
fected in three cases, the trunk mus
cles were affected in four cases, one
side of the body was affected in 1Oi
cases, the wholly body, including the
muscles of respiration and causing
death, in 43 cases.
In some of the cases above the parts
dHecteu might lnclude an arm, q leg
and the face in a single individual
Any attempt to classify by an exact
similarity of cases would make the list
too long and suit no purpose.
Partial recovery means any degree
of improvement from slight to just
short of normal OR complete recov-
cry,
In no case of those who lived was
there one which did not show some
Improvement, a condition which is !
characteristic of the disease
In not over 10 per cent of the cases
was there so little improvement that
a serious crippling might be feared
The number permanently crippled |
cannot be determined in so short n |
time
The youngest person attacked was
8 months old.
The oldest person attacked was
years old.
The average age of those attacked
was ~ years old.
Pronounced Perfection-Dunaway' |
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