The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-04-17
FEAR NO EPIDEMIC OF
INFANTILE PARALYSIS
Records Show That Disease Has Not
Spread in Two Successive Years
Over Same Territory.

1t Is the consensus sot OPINION among
on the subject that there will
not be such an epidemic of poliomyelitis or
paralysis IN Vermont this wear
as was experienced during last summer
and fall. Since records have been kept
they show that the disease does not occur
in epidemic form two succeeding years
over the same territory.
The reason why the disease does not re-
turn on succeeding years may be explained
by the fact that it immunizes the terri
tory over which it travels There seems
to be no doubt that there were
number of cases Of the disease during last
summer and fall which We're never dag
nosed as poliomyelitis There were any
number of cases among children where
they had high temperatures and where it
was at first thought they might have ty-
phoid fever. In all probability these were
cases of infantie paralysis which never
reached the advanced stage OF paralyzing
the muscles of the body patient i'll
with the disease does not necessarily need
to suffer the paralysis OF limbs or even
any of the muscles of the limbs.
The epidemic which visited this state
last year broke out at Barton, where there
We're during the year 80 cases with six
deaths among a population of $500 peo-
on July % and has constantly increased,
there having been 291 cases during the
| past year. Three new cases have been re-
ported this year, the last coming from
| Manchester during March One reported
| since January ] from Berlin died and a
mild case was also reported from Castle
ton. Next TO Barton the largest number
] reported from any one community was 81
in Burlington, while from the vicinity OF
New Haven and Bristol p cases were re
ported. The epidemic of last 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 poliomyelitis
which is being carried on at the present
time by the Vermont state board oil
health and which was made possible by
the munifcence Of an unknown synpa
thizer is bound to be of great benefit t,
the state. The work is well under way
and DR.. Robert w Lovett, an eminent
orthopedic surgeon of Boston, has beer
to this state five different times to holC
clinics for the examination of patients
crippled from the effects of the disease
During his visits with the assistance D
his nurse, DIR. Lovett has examined %
cases and prescribed treatment whereof!
many of them have partially regained tn
use of their worthless muscles. He vii
return to examine the same cases during
this summer While massage and elee
tricity form a part Of the treatment, ply
steal culture exercises by the patient
themselves form the main treatment A
each patient was examined his or her con
dition was filed into blank forms and from
these firms was Transcribed onto chart
showing just what muscles We're PARTIAL
or entirely useless He has also sent
number Of braces which have greatl
helped
The work which is being carried on a
the research laboratory by DR.. Z. 5
Towne under the direction of the boar
and in conference with DR. H. L. Amos
I of the Rockefeller institute is necessaril
slow and little can be said of that phas
until definite results have been obtained
An effort is being made to ascertain jus
how the disease is communicated A
, effort is also being made to discover tn
treatment of people which will immuniz
: them from the ravages of the disease a
it spreads over a territory or to contrC
the disease after the patients are know
! to have it Little has formerly been az
: complished along these lines and the II
search is pioneer work.