Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-22
CURE FOR POLIOMYELITIS
May Have Becn Found by DIR. T.. 9.
TOwne in Laboratory Experiments.

/ Work carried on by DR.. Z. s Towne
who Is in charge OF the research labora-
tory OF the Vermont State board OF
health at the Medical College, may have
resulted in the making of a substance
which will lessen the effects Of poliomye-
Tits. the disease which caused so much
dread In Vermont last fall, when an
epidemic swept over the State taking
many lives and leaving in its wake
large number of crpples. Dr. Towne,
when seen yesterday, would not say that
the substance upon which he has been
working will cure the disease, but as
result Of its use me monkey which was
inocuated with virus of poliomyeits
and who came down with every symptom
OF a severe attack is past the acute state
Of the disease and is improving, having
regained the use Of many of it's muscles.
Another monkey noculated with the
same amount Of virus on the same day,
and which received the ordinary treat
ment died one day after coming down
with the disease.
The original work at the research lab
oratory. which was made possible
through a generous gift made to the
State board Of health by an unknown
benefactor was to ascertain the means
OF communication of the disease, but DR..
Towne in the spare time which he has
been able to find, has been at work on
the substance which he hoped would
cure the disease. On April 6 two mon
keys We're inoculated with the virus OF
poliomyeltis. Each was given the same
amount and both came down with the
disease with all its symptoms in the
minimum length of time. six days. When
II was seen that they We're infected one
was given the ordinary treatment which
has been given to patients who have had
the disease and the other was given the
substance upon which Dr. Towne has
been at work. The enc who received the
ordinary treatment died the next day,
but the one into which the curative sub
stance was injected has passed the crisis
fthe disease and has begun to regain
the control Of the muscles which were
affected. The monkey, who at first could
not raise his head and keep 1t under
control yesterday had perfect control
Of his head and Is also gaining the use
Of his legs and arms. He is now on the
same diet as all OF the other monkeys
at the laboratory and the indications are
that he will regain his normal condition
Another experiment which has been
carried on by DR.. Towne also shows that
the substance which he has been work
ing upon has much power over the dis
ease. Another monkey which was inocu-
lated with the virus was treated with
the substance and the malady was nipped
in its very beginning, the monkey now
being in a normal condition. The amount
OF virus which was placed in this mon
Key was only one one-hundred and
sixtieth part as much as that which
was put into the monkey in the above
case, and the disease as it showed up
In that monkey would be more like the
cases which have been manifest among
children who have had the disease.
DR.. Towne would not say yesterday
that he had discovered a substance which
would cure poliomyelitis, but did say
that he was encouraged by his expert
ments. In speaking Of the substance he
said that It acted as an assistant to ma
ture In Its resistance Of the disease He
also said that a preliminary report for
some of the medical journals was in
process OF preparation,