New-York tribune., 1916-07-05
DR.. Emerson EnC0ur-
aged but Fears Epi-
demic Will Continue.
10000 CHILDREN
FLEE SCOURGE
Several Cities Bar New
YOrkers-BrOOklyn Ne
elects Precautions.


fantile paralysis throughout the city
was checked somewhat yesterday. IL
was announced by the Health Depart
ment last night that reports for the
last twenty-four hours showed twenty
five deaths, ffty-nine new cases and
thirty-one more suspected.
DR.. Emerson said that the slackening
of the disease was somewhat encourag-
ing, but that he was afraid it was not
especially significant. He will reinforce
his aids who are combating the
ocourge by fifty additional field nurses,
fifteen more physician inspectors,
eghty-seven hospital nurses, ffty-four
domestics and twelve orderlies.
Children Leave City.
Before the close of the public schools
on Friday the exodus of children who
mad been sent from the city by their
parents IN an attempt 70 escape ex-
posure TO infantile paralysis had be-
gun. Yesterday the Board OF Health
announced that more than $4,000 chill
dren had left the city.
The epidemic will not spread by the
scattering of the children, said Health
Commissioner Emerson yesterday, pro-
vided they are not taken to other con-
gested districts. From Chicago came
dispatches saying that all New York
trains are being met by physicians, who
inspect the children on board and ques-
tion parents as TO where the children
were brought from. There is no danger
for those children who have been sent
TO isolated places, the Health Commits
sioner said.
DR.. Emerson, with Drs. Waters,
Glatteis and Ager, made tour
yesterday morning Of South Brooklyn,
where the epidemic Of infantile paraly-
sis began. The head Of the Health De-
partment reported that he found many
violations of the tenement house and
sanitary codes. One family that he
mentioned had stricken children in beds
in rooms without screens that swarmed
with flies, and many other unsanitary
conditions which help TO spread
disease.
In another house, where there were
two children i'll, the father insisted
that, as they had recovered from the
fever, there was no necessity for re-
moyal to a hospital. Later the mother
agreed that they should be taken away.
The examiners also looked through
back Yards and cellars. In many they
found garbage exposed to flies and rub
bish piled about. These places must
be cleaned at once, said Dr.. Emerson.
While the head Of the department
WAS making his rounds. thirty-two
other physicians were visiting almost
two hundred new cases which had been
reported during the previous twenty
four hours. Ten of the mel were vol
unteers from the Bureau OF Child
Hygiene.
Carele.sness Aids Epidemic.
Dr Emerson said that the condi-
tions he discovered we're contributory
causes Of the ravagss made by the
neralysi.. He cited two cases OF care
iessness OF a different sort. In one a
father had carried his Ill babe on the
trolley for several miles 20 a hospital,
ONLY TO be turned away, after which
ne returned. exposing countless persons
TO the infection.
Another was Of physician who
noticed two stricken children in the
street Upon examination ne learned
that they had been taken III two weeks
previously, but were never reported
because the mother thought herself
able 10 cope with the trouble. Al
though they were infected with the
disease thev were in the streets by
direction OF their parents under the
mistaken impression that they should
exercise so as 10 strengthen their legs.
A smaller child OF the same family
had been affected later.
Dir Emerson issued appeals and or
ders as a result Of his findings of yes
terday. All hospitals discovering cases
must isolate and quarantine them at
once. Then they must report them 20
the Health Department
Parents are urged 10 kee their chill
dren away from indoor meetings. II
would be worse to deprive them OF the
use OF streets and Fairgrounds. said
tho doctor, for then they would be
crowded into their close. unsanitary
| houses. Janitors are particularly urged
70 see that their yards and Railways
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