The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-23
How [nfantile
Paralysis Is
Contracted
And How Patient
Is Effected

aid on the symptoms of Infantile Pa
ralysis:
The cause of this dreaded disease
has been traced to a minute micro
organism-a so-called virus.
This virus has been transmitted tc
apes and in them produces character
istics effects similar to those produced
in man.
AS is true of other infectious dis
eases considerable variations in vir
ulence( Severity are noted.
! After death the virus has been
found in the tissues and various secre
tons Of the body, namely. brain, spin
al cord, tonsils, intestines and mucous
secrtions.
The virus is also found in the Sc
cretions of those recovering and thise
actually ill, as well as persons coming
in contact with the disease apparently
well but who are harboring the spe
cific germ and are discharging it in
their secretions. The latter are called
passive carriers
The nose, mouth and intestines
seem to be the avenues of infection
showing that the disease in conta
gious-spreading from person to per.
son through interchange of secre
tons.
The disease is known practically to
every civilized country on the globe
AS to season, cases have been seen
during every month of the year, in
every state, nevertheless it is more
prevalent during the summer and au
tumn months.
Another striking incident, which
is true of all infectious diseases af.
fecting man is that it travels or fol
lows the chief routes of traffic.
However, on several occasions this
rule has been laid aside, once during
the epidemic of 1907 in and around
New York City when it did not spread
to the city of Philadelphia.
In many instances the spread of the
disease has been very rapid and the
supposition is that it was carried by
man who is the most rapid widely
travelling animal.
Another stricking fact is that the
disease is proportionately about the
same among persons living under
good and those living under poor ny
gienic conditions, so this Eliminates
such factors as overcrowding, sinsuffi-
cietn and improper food, uncleanliness
and association with verminous in
sects.
No difference has been noted be-
tween the different races and nation
alities.
However, one feature is stricking-
ly constant and selective. namely in
respect to age, its greatest incident
being always among children, espec-
tally those in the trust decade of life
Fifty to ninety per cent of the cases
are in children under five years of
age and in this country they furnish
about twelve per cent of the popula-
second decade) which furnish fifty
ton. But adults Chose past the
! per cent of the population seldom
furnish over ten per cent of the
cases.
Whether the children are more
susceptible or suffer a greater expos.
ure to the infective agent is a cues.
ton.
! As to the attack, in most cases af.
ter slight indisposition and feyerish-
ness the child is noticed to have lost
the use of one limb-convulsions at
the onset are rare Fever is usually
present the temperature rising to 1O1
degree and sometimes to 1O3 degree
or more. The fever may last onlv one
day and again may be present a week
Occasionally vomiting and diar.
rhoea are present.
Pain is often complained of in the
early stages, this may be in the hack
or between the shoulders.
Any pressure or movement Of the
paralyzed limb may caused child 70
cry.
The paralyis reaches its maximum
in veryshort time, even within "a
hours, it is rarely generalized.
The suddenness of onset is remark.
able and distribution is variable. One
or both arms may be affected, one arm
and one leg, both legs are certain
groups of muscles. At first the af.
fected limb looks natural but by the
end of weeks time it becomes soft