The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-18
CHILD PARALYSIS
TO BE FOUGHT BY
VARIOUS STATES
Continued from Pnse onc)

Virginia: DR.. e. G. Williams, 10 cases
in June and 10 in July; only one at
tributable to importation. Local but not
state quarantine More cases in 1915 and
sporadic since every month.
Florida: DR.. J. Y. Porter, six cases this
year, but none imported. Northern trav-
elers closely inspected, but no state
quarantine.
Louisiana: DR.. Oscar Bowling, 81 cases
this YEAR, four deaths. Only eight in New
Orleans Disease mostly in rural dis
tricts and no cases imported. NO state
quarantine.
Attention was conferred chiefly at to-
days conference on prevention OF spread
of the epidemic through interstate travel.
Uniformity of regulations for travel on
railroad trains, steamship and other car
riers was urged by Secretary McAdoo
of the treasury department in opening
the conference. and while the opinion was
advanced by several speakers that gen
eral quarantine against passengers IRON,
the eastern infected areas was unneces-
sary, the conference probably will recon-
mend a system Of uniform inspection, is
suance of health certificates and coop
Grafton between federal and state health
and railroad authorities toward safe
guarding travel. Medical representatives
of a dozen larke trunk lines urged the
conference to assist in securing uniform
traffic rules.
SPECIAL COMMITTEE NAMED
A special committee to propose methods
for control of the epidemic including
transportation regulations was appoint
ed to report tomorrow Its members are
DR.. John S. Fulton of Maryland, chair
man; DIR. T. D. Tuttle OF Washinton
state; DR.. Ennion G. Williams of Vir-
ginia DR.. H. H. Bracken OF Minnesota,
and Surgeon Charles E. Banks, head OF
the public health service corps fighting
the plague in New York.
Another committee was appointed to
recommend uniform method of collect
Ii ing and transmitting statistics and in
| formation regarding the diseases progress
and control.
| A national survey prevented by the
| state delegates showed II 1T cases In IS
states reporting including cases Jan
| uary l.,
The state health officers reported that
no states except those near New York
had imposed embargoes on travellers
| from the epidemic areas and expressed
| belief that such drastic quarantine reg
ulstions are unnecessary. Several dele
gates said few cases in their states were
! traceable to the eastern epidemic anC
others reported the plague more preva-
lent in rural than urban districts. The
majority advanced the opinion that Il
| was unnecessary to keep the schools
closed in their states.
SEGREGATION DESIRABLE
| Assistant Surgeon w. c. Rucker. who
with Acting Surgeon General A. H. Klein
nan, presided over the conference, gav'
! out tonight the following synopsis 0
I the views of the speakers.
ut appears to be the consensus o
opinion that segregation of persons will
l tho disease is desirable and that open
| ing of schools is also advisable. Trave
| is dangerous when it permits movement
| OF acute or chronic carriers of the dis
ease. The evidence Is against insec
| transmission, and transmission by foo
Is hypothecal"
| Reporting on scientific study of symp
tens and control of the epidemic in New
| York, conducted by many state. cit.
and federal Surgeons General Eros
| Of the public health service, said:
| Frankly we don't know how the dis
| ease is transmitted. nor its cause. TIL
| evidence strongly points to humans a
the carriers. The evidence is that it i
purely a human disease and if contag
ious a large proportion of persons ex
posed are immune"
Despite the New York epidemic. Sur
geon Frost said the most striking char
acteristics of the disease Is that it !
| more severe in rural communities rattle
| than in cities. He said 80 per cent o
| cases occurred among children under
years of age. There are few infections
of persons exposed in their own fami
| lies he stated.
Dr. George Draper of the New Yorl
health board said milk possibly was {
source of infection. and that while a
first negroes were believed to be immune
cases lately had appeared among tina
race.