The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-12

Dr. Carl Ii. Epps Writes Open Letter
Giving Information OF General In

Editor Daily Item.
Having returned Il few days ar,
from New York, where l had the op.
portunity OF observing many cases OF
iHfantile paralysis, Il few notes on the
present epidemic may be of interest.
Probably practically every physi.
Clan in South Carolina is receiving
calls to children whose anxious moth.
ers fear that they have the disease
And it is we'll that the mothers are
taking such an active interest in the
matter, for they are usually the first
to observe anything abnormal in the
children.
This is not the first epidemic of in
fantile paralysis that New York has
suffered. In 1907-0S there were about
2,OOO cases, with + to Z per cent. ol
deaths. Up to now. during the present
epidemic, there have been 5,O52 cases,
with 1893 deaths, a mortality Of over
II per cent, as compared with that of
typhoid fever which is about s per
cent. In one hospital, however, a ply
sician told me that their, mortality had
been only about Z per cent.
The present Is by far the largest
and most fatal epidemic recorded in
medical history. The epidemic in
Norway In 19O5-6, with 1858 cases.
and las deaths. was small in compari.
son. So far, the fight against the dis
case In New York is anything but en-
and, considering the fact
that the autumn is the season when
infantile paralysis Is usually most
it Is probable that the
height Of this epidemic has not yet
been reached. The last report gave
ts2 new cases that day, this being an
Increase of "a over the record of the
previous day. OF course the authori-
Ties try to make the situation appear
9s favorable as possible, but the daily
record tells the tale.
In one hospital which 1 visited, the
presbyterian, there were only 10 cases.
*hile in the Metropolitan, on Black
wells Island, there were about 80
cases. and at the Willard Park Hos
pital they had about 400 cases. The
latter institution had two buildings de-
voted solely to this disease. one Of
them being used for suspected cases
those that had not yet been positive
" diagnosed. The early symptoms,
according to the physicians at these
hospitals. are exceedingly variable, and
often quite vague. There is usually
fever, temperature of from 1O1 TO
l04 degrees. This may last for only a
short time. The children may De
restless and fretful, though they are
often drOwsy. The first alarming
symptoms usually observed by the
mother Is that the child has lost the
use, to a greater or less extent, Of
leg or an arm. 1t is apt to complain
of pain In the affected limb before the
paralysis appears. This pain may be
present only when the child tries to
stand. The patient may appear to be
we'll except for a slight local
paralysis. The appetite is usnaIly
good, and there are no special stomach
Or intestinal symptoms. Pressure along
the spinal column may cause pain
The disease sometimes appears quite
the child being apparently
we'll at night, but showing a paralysis
the next morning. In many cases
there is a decided stiffness of the neck
and the head may be drawn
backward. as in strychnine poisoning,
but this is rather rare. The physician
may be aided in diagnosis by the fact
that the patellar reflex is usually alb
sent, while Kernig's sign is generally
present. While the spinal fluid usual
ly shows an increase Of albumin and
a leucOcytOsis, the picture Is not ty-
p1cal or the disease, though 1T may aid
In differentiation from other diseases,
such as tubercular meningitis.
The exceedingly mild symptoms ex-
hibited by a great many Of the chill
dren in these hospitals were quite
striking. The disease seems to at
tack almost any muscle, or group Of
muscles. Perhaps the only abnormal
ity observable would be an eye-ball
rolled outward, or upward; or the
mouth drawn to one side by facial
paralysis. One little fellow had no ap-
parent trouble except a paralysis of
the deltoid muscle of his right arm.
While he had pretty free use of his
arm. he could not raise his hand
above his head. In some cases there