The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-25

n many physicians and laymen for nxormation and advice on the subject &z 1nfantile paralylsts that 1t has Dcunsd desirable to relate the facts 4f present knowledge concerning cer- ain highly pertinent aspects of the isease, together with deductions of practical Importance derived from hem.
 n Nature. Infantile paralysis is an hfectious and communicable disease
 hich Is caused by the invasion of the Pntral nervous organs = the spinal @rd and brain--of minute, filter pss naicro-organism which has now 5esn secured in artificial culture and such is distinctly visible under the Ulgher powers of the microscope.
 Fl Location of the Micro Organism or Rlrus in the Sick.-The virus of in- bntile paralysis. asl the micro-orEan- m cAuzing 1t is termed. exists con- kAnt1y in the central nervous organs nd on the mucous membrane of the ose and throat and of the intestines perepns suffering from the disease;
 occurs less frequently in the other hterual organs. and 1t has not been etsctsd In the general circulating loodt of patients.
 Location of tho Virus in Healthy
 er1onn.-Although the micro-6rgan-
 m Of infAntile paralysis is now Known, tho difficulties attending It's rtinc1al cultivation and identifies
 lon under the microscope are such as make futile the employment of or iu4ry bacteF1ologic tests for detec- < lon Mevartheloao, the virus can be l lefeut6d by inoculAtion tests on mon- sys. which animals develop dis ] 1ASe corresponding to infantile para lysdD in -Auman bein64 Tn this man. &sr the fAct has boon determined that mo mucous membrane of the nose end throat of healthy persons who have been in intimate contact with hcute cnses of infantale paralysis may become contaminated with the virus, and that such contaminated persons. without faIIinE ill themselves, may convey the infection to other persons. ehisny childFsn. who develop the dis
 Relation Of virus to Types of the pisease. The virus has. apparently, An identical distribution irrespective bf the types or severity of cases of 1nfantile paralyxia. Whether tho cases Correspond with the so-caIled abortive forms of the disease In which definite Haralysis If the muscles does not oc- Sur at III, or is so slight and neet- 3ng as often to escape detection: whether they correspond with the menin6eaI forms in which the symp- toms resemble those of acute menin- 0itiss with which muscular paralysis nay or may not be associated: or l whether they consist of the familiar fAr4lyttc condition, the virus is pres Gnt not only within the nervous or 3nua, but also on the mucous mem branes of the nose, throat and 1ntes- fipeA "
 i Escape, of the Virus from the Body.
 1ficrp-6rgxnisms which convey dis ease from the body of an infected in- divtdual in Q manner enabling them to enter and multiply within fresh or uninfected individuals in such a man. n6r n to cause further diSease. The yirus of infantils paralyss is known to leave the infected human body in the secretions Of the nose, throat and 1ntehtfnes It salSo escapes from con, I taxlnfnated healthy persons in the se. crstdons of the noss and throat Whether it leaves the infected body ir other ways is unknown At one time certain experiments seemed to show that biting insects. and particularly the stable 4y, might withdraw the virus from tho blood of infected per. sons and inoculate it into the blood 01 healthy persons lButEas the virus haa { neysr been detected lin the blood o1 hu1faan beings, and later experfmentl wifh tho stable fly have not confirmed the earlier ones this means of escape { of the virus must be considered doubt. full On tho other hand, 1t has beer shown ,bY experiments on animais, st th@t tic nhrno facts should be regard cd d eppIicable to human beings that the virus seeks to escape iron the- body by gay of the noae ant xhroafs not only when inoculation Ii experfp1entaliy made into the abdom inal cavity, the blood, or the brain 1t self. From this 1t is concluded tha t-.e usual means of escape of the viru is by way Of the ordinary secretion of the nose and throat and. after swal lowing, these with the discharges o the i11tegtines.
 BntrAnce Of the Virus into tn Body Tifw virus enters the body. a 2 rule if not exclusively. by way o the nnncous membrane of the nos and throat. Having gained entrance to those easily accessible parts of tn body. rnultiplication of the virus oc CUTS ftIere, after which it penetrate to the brain and spinal cord by wa, of the Emphatic chahnels which con meet the upper nasal mucous mem brane6 with the interior of the skull Whethers the virus enters the body il any other way is unknown Certail experiments already referred to mak 1t possible that 1t may be inoculate, into the blood by insects, and othe experiments have shown that unde !. peculiar and extraordinary conditions 2 1t may in monkeys enter through tn intestinegA But while the latter tw modes of Infection may operate some times, observations in human case of infantile paralysis and on animal all Indicate that the main avenue o entrance of the virus. into the bod b by way of the upper respfrator mucoug membrane,, that is, the mem brane of the nose and throat.
 Resistance of the. Virus.-The phy Ecal properties of the virus of infan tile paralysis adapt 1t. we'll for con veyauce to the nose and throat. Be ing contained in their secretions i is readily distributed by couehine sneezing, kissing. and by means O fingers and articles contaminated wit these secretions, as well as with tn tatestinal discharges. Moreover. a rss virus is thrown off from the bod