El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-31
KEEP CLEAN AND
AVOID PARALYSIS.
Cleanliness and Isolation of
Suspects Urged By Ell
Paso Doctors.

Keep clean.
Avoid dust
Avoid crowds
Spray the nose and throat twice
daily.
Keep the bowels in good condi-
ton.
Observe the ordinary rules OF
hygiene. in order keep the re-
xistance up TO maximum pitch
These are the preventives for in
fantile paralysis as given by local ply
sicians.
Cleanliness and complete isolation are
the hest preventives for infantile for in
fantile paralysis, or acute pilamyeli-
it's according to DR.. c. NJ Hendricks,
medical director of the Hendricks sana-
forum.
There is no positive cure for the dis
ease" said the doctor Wednesday al
ternoon- The best that can be done is
to surround the child with safe living
conditions and isolate all suspected
cases Immediately
The first symptoms are those OF
common cold in the head The diagnosis
in the earlier stages is usually made
from the appearance of the patient
Isolate Cases.
The Ohio state board of health has
issued the following rules for the $50
lation of patients and exposed persons:
For the Standardization until re-
covery from acute manifestations of the
disease and for a period of not less than
SO days from the disappearance Of the
acute symptoms.
For exposed persons-Quarantine Of
the child for a period of p DAYS from
date of last exposure TO the disease"
The disease is described by DR.. F.
Forchheimer, of Ohio, a leading au-
thorify, as being -irreparable damage
TO the spinal cord" DR.. Forchheimer's
suggestions as to the treatment are as
follows;
AT the outset the treatment is that
OF all acute febrile diseases in children
that of fever. commissions There can
be no specific treatment because we do
not know the exact cause Of the disease
The diet should re that OF ordinary in
fantile febrile diseases; the bowels
should be kept open by means OF mild
laxative. Above all. il is the duty Of the
physician to see that the patient is kept
absolutely quiet, so that the inflamma-
tory process may not be made worse
Repair Stage.
The stage of repair-It will be seen
that the muscles, or groups of muscles,
which at first were paralyzed. begin
to contract. and the case gradually set
tie down TO that condition that remains
perma nent Here again the patient
should be kept as quiet as possible. the
diet and the condition OF the bowels
should be controlled Electricity may
be applied; but mild currents should be
used The medical treatment should be
adapted TO the special indications. which
as a rule will be found in the admin
istration of tonics: iron, arsenic. cod
liver oil. In this stage the use Of diph-
iberia anti-toxin has been recon-
mended."
A third stage in the treatment. &C
cording to DR.. Forchheimer. is the at
tempt to secure compensation for those
muscles that have been paralyzed; TO
prevent contractures and deformities;
and to correct those already existing.
DR.. OsIer an Authority
Another authority is cited by DR.. Hen
bricks was DIR. William Osler. of Johns
Hopkins university. in Baltimore Dr.
Osler's description OF the symptoms is
as follows.
IN the majority Of cases after slight
indisposition and feverishness. the child
is noticed TO have lost the use Of one
limb. Commissions at the outset are
rare not constant as in the acute
cerebral palsies of children. Fever is
usually present, the tempera ture rising
TO 101 and sometimes TO 1O3 degrees.
Pain is rarely complained OF. there may
occasionally be slight aching in the
joints The paralysis is abrupt in its
onset and as rule. is not progressive.
but reac hes its maximum in a very short
time. even within "a hours The sud
denuess of the onset is remarkab bic.
Paralysis Varies.
THE distribution of the paralysis is
very variab le. One or both arms may
be affected. one arm and one leg. or
both legs: or il may be crossed paraly-
sis, the right leg with the left arm. In
the upper extremities the paralysis is
rarely complete and groups of muscles
may be affected"
Complete Recovery Doubtful.
THE outlook in any cases for COM
Let f- h1A 10 II
course of the disease must be borne in
r.ind: the sudden onset. the rapid but
not progressive loss of power. station
airy period. the marked Improvement in
certain muscle groups. and finally in
many cases contractures and deforIni-
ties. There is no other disease in which
the physician is so often subject to
unjust criticism, and the friends should
be told at the outset that. in the Sc
we're and complete paralysis, complete