Evening star., 1916-08-10
NFANT|LE PARALYSIS
CONFERENCE IS CALLED
Public Health Service Seeks Wis
dom of Experts Experienced in
Fighting Epidemic.

Specifically stating that IL is not be-
cause of fear of a nationwide spread
of the infantile paralysis epidemic, the
public health service has called a con-
ference here, August II. of health au-
thorities from all the forty-eight states
in the Union, to discuss this disease.
How to prevent spread of poliomyelitis
will be the principal topic before the
conference.
Plans for closer cooperation between
the state health authorities will be
worked out. Best methods of treating
the disease will be explained by federal
and state experts, who have gained
much valuable information and ex-
perienee during the present epidemic
Persisteney Puzzles Experts.
Although officials insist that there is
no occasion for panic over the paraly-
sis epidemic in New York and other
eastern states. IT Is understood the per-
sistency of the dise4se. in spite of all
efforts Of state and federal officials has
aroused the public health service to the
necessity of determined and oesaniz-
ed fight against it.
The service has collected a mass Of in
formation on the prevalence Of paraly-
SIS. much Of IT coming, from ils own
rnys'eisns ,,s ans, already assigned to work
states. Service ofRcfals have watched
the situation closely. They -empha-
sized that everything possible was sbeing
done with the means at hand
Experiences to Be Assembled.
h 10 known, however. that some pux-
xiing features Of the present outbreak
have been discovered. me service is
anxious to get the benefit of a wide
range Of scientific skill and to draw
on the experiences of health authorities
in ali sections for guidance in treat
ment.
In view of the coming conference AS
1iStant Surgeon General Rucker has aban-
aonea MS intention of going u New
York, TINS week to oversee the work
being done by Iederas authorities there.
berior surgeon Charles T. Banks and
SurSeon C. l. Layinder will come here
from New York to confer with Dr.
kpcker Friday.
Important Results Expected.
DIR. william c. woodward. local health
officer, said today he expected the con-
ference TO be OF immense value in many
ways. especially IN making IT possible
to arrive at a common understanding as
to the state and interstate quarantines
Revision of the local regulations gov
erning infantiie paralysis may follow
the visit to New York Of DR.. Wood
ward and DIR. ]. j. Kinyoun. bacteri-
ologist of the health department.
After thoroughly studying the meth
ods followed there for holding the
scourSe in cheek. DR.. Woodward said
he might decide to recommend certain
changes in the Districts regulations.
Under the present system a patient
is isolated, but attendants are not
auarantined. though they are required
To observe certain precautions about
coming In contact with other persons.
No New Gases reported.
The development of q case of infan-
tile paralysis in a northwest apartment
house has alarmed the other tenants
and health officials are again consider
ing whether it would be advisable to
quarantine attendants as well as pa
tents So far this has not been con-
Sldered necessary. as the disease has not
saincn toOthofd here to any extent
40 additional cases of the disease
have OceH reported since Tuesday and
.rr.. srx-f.