Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-07-17
DusTsAnD sESRETloNs or AMI.
MAILS BELIEVED TO SPREAD
lNFANTlLE PARALYSIS.
DISEASE NOT CONFINED
TO THE LARGER CITIES
Prevalent n Smaller Cities and Towns
and Even in tho counsry--Ho uss
Pets Are Carriers, Believes Or.
sun'ner-chiekens and Pigs May
Contract the Disease.
Special to Times Republican.

M = y
E Des Moines, July 1T believe that
the dust and the secretions which
come from animals have the most to
do with causing infantile paralysis, ;
said DR.. g. Fl. Sumner, secretary Of the
state board of health, in discussing
this disease today.
+ You notice that it is not confined
to the cities by any means. In fact in
1910. when we had more OF it than we
ever have had since, there were more
cases in the smaller towns than in the
larger places.
"Hhere is a strong suspicion that this
disease comes from the lower animals.
It Is even advocated by osme that it
is disease which originates with
horses. Flies, cats and dogs carry the
germs into the houses and the children
come in contact with them and con-
tract the disease. Then the dust of the
streets and alleys carry the germs.
This blows into the house or the chill
dren get in contact with the germs in
playing in the streets. 1t was noticed
that when the streets were sprinkled in
Minneapolis few years ago, during an
epidemic of infantile paralysis, the dis
ease was checked.
Disease in Chickens and Pigs.
Chickens and pigs contract the dis
ease, presumably from the stables. In
our epidemic in 1910, DR.. Bierring,
president of the state board board OF
helth, found six instances Of paralytIc
disease occurring in lower animals on
the premises or in-the immediate vicin-
ty of an epidemic outbreak of the DIS
ease in human persons.
4 suspect IL one were to go thru the
streets and alleys Of New York City
where the epidemic started there he
would find dirt and filth.
The premises should be kept as free
from dust as possible and the children
should not be allowed to play in the
streets. The use Of solution Of
perhydrol, containing per cent of
hydrogen peroxide is advised as gar
gle or spray for the throat and nasai.
passages. It seems that dry, dusty
weather Is particularly favorable to the
spread Of the disease.
Regarding Perkins Bill.
iowa is well Prepared to handle this
disease. We are distributing thousands
OF bulletins on tnfanttle paralysis.
However, We would have been much
better prepared II the legislature had
passed the Perkins. bill. known as SEN
ate file 90, which would have made
provision to send inspectors to all cases
or suspected cases not only Of this dis
ease but Of other, diseases. The bill
carried with it an appropriation Of
$4,000 necessary to carry On the work,
and 1 suppose this is what killed it, APP
preparations to preserve the huma.:
health do not seem to be regarded as
necessary by many Of our legislators
The state board of health now re-
Quires all cases of infantile paralysis
or suspected cases be reported immedi-
ately by the attending physician or
head of the family to the local board
Of health, who in turn must report the
same at once to the state board. Quar-
antine Of all cases is required for at
least three weeks after the beginning
Of the disease and a thorough disinfec-
ton of all infected premises after the
termination of the disease is also re-
CURED.