The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-09

NEW YORK. July s-The biggest city
in the world today is the mobilization
center Of forces Of nation. State. and
city who are waging one of the biggest
battles to save life that ever has been
fought.
New Yorks 100000 babies were
threatened with that mysterious malady
-infantiie paralysis. Half a dozen other
States reported child victims.
The Federal Government started
plans to organize a great laboratory
here where 1t Is hoped the nations
greatest bacteriologists may make the
sacrifice Of the baby victims Of the
scourge not a van one-where II 10
hoped some preventive may be discov-
cred.
Up to midnight the total number Of
cases in New York city since June had
reached S93; the total deaths 26.
Health Commissioner Emerson an
nounced a desperate measure when he
obtained permission from the police de-
partment for calling out New Yorks
ten thousand home guards"-citizens
trained under police direction for con-
scription In crises.
From now tho 10000 will patrol beats
with uniformed policemen. but with the
special duty Of cleaning up" It Will
be their duty to see that streets are
kept spotiess; garbage pals tightly
closed. children kept of the streets. lit
ter removed. and disinfectins Of infected
districts done thoroughly.
Fucker Kept Busy.
Deputy Surgeon General w. c. Rucker
Of the Public Health Service. spent .
strenuous ten hours In New York and
hurried back to Washington to cut red
tape and permit immediate establish
ment here in New York Of q complete
laboratory and administrative force OF
public health surgeons not only to help
the city authorizes cope with the cpl
demic but to study the mysterious
disease.
What makes for fear of the cpl
demic." said DR.. Rucker. is the mys-
terry Of the disease. The coccus. or
germ. has been isolated. but medical
science knows nothing of how 1t Is
transmitted or why. 1t Is the unknown.
| the mysterious. which brings fear A
few years ago discovery was an
nounccd that the stable f,y transmitted
the malady.
AN experiment In Washington on
monkeys showed that stable fly which
had bitten an infected monkey. trans
mitted tho disease to . healthy monkey.
But there the experiment ended-it
could not be repeated.
In one epidemic on the Pacific coast
Il was discovered that coincidentelly
there was an epidemic Of lame colts. but
no one could connect the TWO; IN ,' In;
chickens and ducks around homes In
which were infanule paralysis cases.
But there was no way or oonnectlnS
them up 1t couldn't be aseertain n;s
ease from the colts. the chickens or
The ducks. or vice versa.
Would Disinfect Cars.
DR.. Rucker in Washington will ask
Treasury of a special order directing al
common carriers leaving New York
thoroughly to disinfect and machine
clean all cars when they leave and
again before the cars are sent acros:
the New York State line on the way
back.
you can say with all emphasis thai
there has been no thought Of q gen
eral quarantine against New York" DR.
Rucker said.
1t was understood the Federal expert,
maintaining any sort OF an effective
Quarantine as utterly out of proportion
to the amount of good which might bs
af some sort Of gene general Inspection sys
tenn, however, may be evolved. but THU
will have to be considered by the gen
eral board Of the Public Health Service
which passed the House in Washington
yesterday to have the Federal Govern
ment turn over the Ellis Island Con
tagCuS Hospital to the city for en
fantile paralysis cases was hailed b!
both city and Federal authorities as
splendid arrangement.
The Ellis Island hospital accommo
dates 900 patients. and is splendid!
Miss Jane Deiano. Of the Red Cross
is expected In New York today to- con
son and offer the unlimited support o
the national society in aid of his figh
against the epidemic.
Emerson wants more nurses and NOR
care of cases. but In inspecting CROWDS
sections of the city, In making dag
noses of ailing infants and in tellin
ignorant mothers how to protect thei
babies from possible infection.
Greatest Epidemic.
New York's problem 10 the bigges
that has ever developed in the histor
of infantile paralysis epidemics. Their
was a brief outbreak here in 1907. bu
not as serious as the present one.
In smaller cities health authoritie
have been able In previous epidemics I
Isolate the cases, but a stringent quar-
antine on affected districts and to STAN
out the maiady by complete "ceian-ups
of the cities.
No such campaign can be waged her
in Now York simply because OF tn
millions of population here-a popula
ton. a large part OF which Is compose
of foreigners. many illiterate and crowd
ed amid squalor and filth and wit
hundreds OF thousands so poor the
feel they must try to do their own dos
toring OF their children.
/ DR. Emarson. who has been lahorin