Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-01
NO EPIDEMIC LIKELY.
Not Expected That Vermont VIII Have
Many Cases Of PoIiomyeIttis,


1t is the consensus of opinion among
authorities on the subject that there will
not he such an epidemic of poliomyclitis
or infantile paralysis in Burlington, or
for that matter in the State of Vermont,
this year as was experienced during last
summer and fan Since records have been
kept they show that the disease does not
occur in epidemic form two succeeding
years over the same territory, and while
there may he very few scattering
cases in the city it is not expected that
the disease will this year occur in epi-
demic form
The reason why the disease does not
return on succeeding years may be ex-
planned by the fact that it immunzes tho
territory over which it travels There
seems to be no doubt but that there were
a number of cases of the disease during
last summer and fall which were never
diagnosed as poliomyelitis. There were
any number of cases amont children
where they had high temperatures and
whore It was at first thought they might
nave typhoid fever In all probability
these were cases of nfantile paralysis
which never eached the advanced stage
OF oaralyzing the muscles of the body. A
essarily need to suffer the paraly OF
limbs or even any of the muscles of the
limbs. There were probably three cases
where the patient had high fever aud
poiomyeits which did not run heavy
enough to paralyze the muscles to every
one case showing the symptom of par.
alysis.
The epidemic which visited this State
q CT
there were during the year 80 cases with
SIX deaths among population of $500
people. The epidemic began with FIVE
cases on July % and has constantly In
creased. there having been POI cases dur
ing the past year. Three new cases have
been reported this year, tho last coming
from Manchester during March. One re-
ported since January from Berlin died
ana a mild case was also reported from
Castleton. Next to Barton the la rgest
number reported from any one community
was 81 In this city while from the vicin-
'ty of New Haven and Bristol u cases
were reported. The epidemic of laet year
started at Barton and gradually worked
towards the southern part OF the State
and If there is any number of cases this
year they are expected to occur in that
part of the state
The investigation into poliomvelt,s
Wh''h Is being carried on at the present
Time by the Vermont State board Of
heaIth ana which was made possible by
the munificence OF an unknown svmpa
thizer Is bound to he Of great henef,t
to the State. The work is we'll under WAY
ana Or robert w. Lovett an eminent
orthopedic surgeon of Boston. has been
n n g..
chnlcs Tor the examination Of patients
''pp'ed from the effects of the disea go
During his visits with the assistance Of
"is nurse Dr. Lovett has examined 25l
case' and prescribed treatment whereof
many OF them have partially reglined
the Use of their worthless muscles He
VIII return to examine the same cases
inns summer While massage
NH eiectlCitN form a part of the treat
ment physical culture exercises by tine
themselves form the main treat.
ment AS each patient was examined
MS Ut ner condition was filed into blank :
forms and from these forms was trans.
-cr'peo onto Charts showing just what ,
We're partially or entirely. use-
'eSs' ne mas also sent number Of
braces which lave greatly helped
mo work which is being carried on at
he research laboratory by DR.. p :
o"ne under the direction of the board
'nn IN conference with DR.. II. l.. Amoss
u tne rockefeller Institute Is necessarily
''oN ana ilttle can he said of that phase
mn oeiinlte results have been obtained
All eHort is being made To ascertain Just
10" the disease Is communicated An
mort Is also being made to discover =
. 4 I IT nyDt nf