The sun., 1916-09-15
FLEA SUSPECTED AS
PARALYSIS CARRIER
r1y and Mosquito Virtually
Eliminated by Health De-
partmcnt Officials.
SCHOOL OPENING PLANS
Health Certificates Required
Tor Children who Have
Been Out Of City.

pc,or,s were made to the Health De-
.,r,,eut Yesterday of thirty-six new
Eases Of infantile paralysis and eleven
aea.hs from the disease. This marked
a., increase. of five cases and W deaths
aver the figures tabulat,d on the pre-
..a,,v day, but much below the daily
average Of previous weeks.
Hath Commissioners Haven Emerson
,,aic,,ed A new line OF investigation by
the medical officers studying the source
q, Infection of poliomyelitis when he said
cha, suspicion rests on the rat fiea as
,,a carrier Of the disease. All the theories
that other parasites, such as flies and
trosouitoes. transmitted h malady have
,ean virtually eliminated. DIR. Emerson
aid If his theory concerning the flea
A. nroy.d correct ii will mean that in
1ntle paralysis Is spread in the same
,,nu,r AS bubonic plague, through rats,
nh,ch ar, infested with ieas. DR.. Einer-
son added that the accusation against
IN. flea is at present unverihei ana that
4, v,s SIN the strongest conviction OF
eve health officials that "the transmits
son was from person to person.
scientists concerned in the paralysis
Night however. are studying this phase
closely. pr. G, T. Brues. professor OK
entomology at Harvard University, has
been EXPERIMENTING on rats and their
,ermiu at the Health Department labo-
,a,orIes. Numbers OF rats nave been
furnished to the Rockefeller Institute
where a similar study is under way.
Whether logs and cats that carry
feas play their part in TRANSMITTING
Yolomyelitis is as yet n moot question
Dogs have been found suffering from n
TYNE Of poliomy.litis. but It has been
found impossible thus far to inoculate
them with the same variety Of paralysis
which attacks human be.ngs
school Opening Definite.
nr Emerson announced definitely yes
terday, after comforting with william -
Wilcox. president Of the Board or Edu'
cation. that the public schools will open
on september IS. as previously stated
On tn. recommendation Of the Health
Cgmmiss oner the acting Superintendent
g. schools had announced that al
teachers would be notified to require
health certificates from children wh'
have been absent from the city. pr. Ira
s VILE II the Board OF Education ar
rucl against this measure because !
wou'd be confusing and would incon
yen.enc. parents, who would have Il
set the necessary certificates after re
turning with their families to the city
ur Emerson told Mr.. Wilcox no certif
,eat.s would be demanded Of pupils Wit
had been in unaffected areas, which
could readily be located by the specia
maps made for this purpose. Those un
able 20 provide certificates will be KEEP
under observation for two weeks. DR.
Emerson estimated that only . per cent
q he children returning 10 school woui'
b. affected 10y this provision,
No children. the Commissioners said
would be allowed In school who lived u
Infected premises in the city. Ever.
morning the schools are to be furnishe
with lists of such premises and eac
teacher will exclude from her class an
Pupil living there until two weeks afte
the termination Of the case. In apart
men, houses the rule will affect only III
ctldrcn residing on the particular apart
nent floor concerned.