The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-07-20
CLEANLINESS BEST WEAPON
Commissioner Wright Urges Battle
Against Flies and Filth That Chill
dren Of Kenosha May Be Kept from
scourge Sweeping the Country.

According to Health Officer DR.. Her
bert Wright, the fly swatting cam
paign is more necessary this year than
ever before if the city of Kenosha is
to avoid danger of an epidemic Of
infantile paralysis which is sweeping
the east at this time.
"The very best means to prevent the
disease is by perfect sanitation, !"
said DR.. Wright "Prompt and thor
ough disposal of garbage, carefully
screened houses and war Of exter-
mination on flies will do more to pre-
vent the disease than any other thing
known. Flies are known to be car
lriers of disease and infantile paralysis
lis malady which is causing so much
trouble just now that it is very es-
sential that KenOsha keep itself clean.
1T is four or five years, / understand,
since we had any cases in the city
and the city health department. will
do everything in its power to keep
the disease away, for we do not want
any more of it.
is "The disease is particularly common
among children, especially those of
tender years. 1t may make its APP
ipearance alone, or it may follow other
diseases. The chief thing to do is to
Isee to it that no dirt or filth of any
kind is permitted, use care in the diet
of children, that they may receive no
contaminated food and be suspicious
of any intestinal disorders. 1t is a
disease frightful in it's results and to
combat it successfully the utmost care
must be used to keep everything about
the entire city clean and sweet. Els
pecially must flies be got rid of if the
city is to escape without paying heavy
toll for its negligence through death
Or permanent crippling of many Of
its small children"
Infantile paralysis, according to
Health Officer Wright, is one of the
most dreaded diseases because, while
it is believed to be germ disease, the
germ has not been isolated and iden-
titled. 1t is also dreaded by the
medical profession because it is so diff
ficult to diagnose until it is we'll es-
tablished and because so little can be
done to combat it after it has been
diagnosed. For that reason !. some of
tho eastern cities are employing all the
specialists available to combat the
epidemic which is raging.
Several years ago there were seven
or eight cases of the disease in this
city, all of which made their, appear
ance at about the same time. The
disease was in light form and no
children died from it.
According to the best authorities on.
the subject, DR.. Wright said, the dis
ease manifests itself with fever and
jlassitude and there are no symptoms
(which are characteristic or peculiar to
that disease alone. Within a short
time, sometimes within few hours,
paralysis of one side--or sometimes
both sides-manifests itself. There is
no progression of the paralysis. It is
an affection of the nerves of the spine
and is very marked from the outset.
Unless it proves fatal there is mark
ed Improvement in the general condi-
ton of the patient within few days.
Then for a period of about three
months there seems to be an improve
ment of the paralyzed limb or limbs,
but after that period there is usually
no change.
DR.. Wright said it is the Judgment
of best authorities that the arm is
usually more seriously affected than
the leg. During the period when the
nature Of the disease is manifest about
all that can be done is to massage the
limb, use electricity and do other things
of that nature which are indicated in
any form of paralysis. The accepted
theory is that the disease is taken in
through the nose but its exact cause
has not been determined, he said. The
percentage of fatality appears to be
much higher during the last year or
two than previously.
That the disease is highly contagi-
GUS is beyond question:, according to
DR. Wright. For that reason the
patients are isolated at once and the
quarantine is as rigidly enforced as
that against smallpox. The great diff
fculty with the disease, he said, is that
it has no marked characteristics of
its own and the physician who is call
edit any is called-is not able to
determine the nature Of the ailment
until the paralysis sets in and then it
is too late. 1t most generally attacks
children between the ages Of one and
four years, but those of older years and
even adults are. sometimes stricken.
With infantile paralysis in the neigh
boring state and at least one fatal
case reasrted in Wisconsin-that at