Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-12
DOCTORS PLEDGE
LEVY THEIR AID
Two Hundred Physicians Dis
cuss Means to Prevent Epi-
demic of Infantile Paralysis.
TAKE SITUATION SERIOUSLY
Resolutions Adopted Promise Co.
Operation With State and City
Health Departments.
TAKE SITUATION SERIOUSLY

upon the morrow or within the year,
more than 200 physicians, assembled
last night in the auditorium of the
Chamber Of Commerce. voted by stated
resolution TO give their undivided ef-
fort TO DIR. T.. G. Levy, Chief Health
Offtccr, in aiding him and the Health
Department In preventing an incursion
OF infantilc paralysis into Richmond.
The resolution Was adopted on tho
motion OF DR. j. Allison Hodges
In effect. il calls upon the parents
to cooperate with Dr. Levy in every
way possible ana to obey his instruc-
tons implicitly. II also calls upon
every physician 10 make proper report
or every suspected case. and the paper
requests the cooperation OF the State
Board Of Health, so that the threaten
ing disease may be kept out OF Vir-
ginia.
The resolution was adopted at a con-
ference OF physicians called by the
vice president Of tho Richmond Acad-
emy Of Medicine and Surgery. DIR. st.
Julien Oppenhimer. to whom the re-
quest for such conference had been
presented by Chief Health Officer Levy.
ADVISABLE THAT PUBLIC
DE WARNED OF DANGER
speak and 10 express their views as to
the situation. All OF them deemed it
advisable that the public be properly
warned. tina; mothers he Informed OF
the peril and that the physicians them
selves cooperate in every way possible
10 eliminate the threat In n prclmi-
nary address TO tho profession DR..
Levy said that he had two objects in
mind-the nrst 10 seek the cooperation
of the physicians, and the second 70
seek their views as TO preventive
measures
The medical profession" he said, lis
our greatest hope" He advised that
gatherings Of young children should
he prohibited, and that every hygicnic
precaution known 10 medical science
should be used. And then he urged
that every case of illness among chill
dren should be regarded with suspicion,
and, il there were the least alarming
symptom, should be reported. Though
agreeing that the situation might be-
come serious, DIR. ]. y. Upshur said
that the physician should he careful
not TO say or do anything which would
create a sensation or bring panic into
the minds OF tho people.
SITUATION CANNOT
PROPERLY MINIMIZED
DR. Mcclure Newton declared that
il was unfortunate that tho public had
become SO aroused. and added that the
important seriousness of the situation
could not properly be minimiZcd
The public ought TO he warned"
said DR.. Newton. but il should also be
told that !nfantilc paralysis is not the
most contac ious of diseases, that il is
not easily transmissble and that sec
ond contagion is rare. He stated that
the lnorIai'ty is about u per cent of
those inicci ID. and that about 30 per
cent make absolute recovery after four
years.
In discussing the symptoms of tha4
disease DR.. Newton said that there is
nothing characteristic in its first
stages; that paralysis might be the
initial stage. Paralysis. he stated.
might como unon the third day after
infection. o. upon tho twenty first day.
Dr. ~ r. Emmett. school physician of
Richmond, who had just returned from
New York, said that in the metropolis
$4,000 people were now being used to
detect and prevent the disease from
spreading; that the Fairgrounds had
been closed, and that certain quarters
Of the city i'll which tho conipla int is
most prevalent had been quarantincd
He asked that every sanitary measure
be taken. and said that a reasonable
amount OF public alarm is necessary.
TUCKER DESCRIBES
EARLY SYMPTOMS
DR. Beverly II. Tucker agreed with the
others that the threat of epidemic in
vasion should cause a certain amount
of public alarm. "Eut.' he said "if
we can regulate the alarm. we will do
we'll" He described the carly symp-
toms of the disease, saying that they
arc not easily differentiated from ma
laria, measles. bronchitis. rheumatism
and other common ailments The
watchword OF prevention. he said.
should be suspicion In describing
cases which had come under his own
notice, he said that paralysis Of tho
limbs was not often detected by nurse, |
doctor or mother and that sometimes
the infection. because of the lack Of
proper detection. had gone so far that
treatment was practically futile.
1T would bc foolish" he said. 'for
us not TO heed the warning that has
come to us through the newspapers.
Our children may be infected within
six months or within "a year We
ought 10 ana Ut. Levy III every respect
that We can" In describing treatment
he had found effective, DIR. Tucker said
that frequent doses Of urotropin had
been discovered as cflicacious. Electric
treatment, he stated, should not he
used until all the acute symptoms had
disappeared.
TUCKER GIVES HIGH
PRAISE TO LEVY
lie stated that DR.. Levy had not
been day or an hour too soon in his
campaign Of preparedness.
"If we don't have tho disease in
Richmond" he added, "it will be a
miracle, and that miracle will bc duo
to DR.. Levy"
Or. J. Allison Hodges urged careful
md accurate diagnosis. backed by a
suspicion OF every disease.
''Wo must look at tho situation" ho
continued on Third Pagel