Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-29
PARALYSIS FATAL
TO GILMAN BABE
TufantiIe Disease Carries on Child in
West End of City IL Hours After
Guaranteed
NO EPIDEMIC Is FEARED HERE
Municipal Health Authorities Say All
Necessary Precautions Arc Taken
Against Spread

Tufauti1e paralysis resulted fatally
for the first sufferer Of the disease in
Rock Island county this year when
Francis Thomas Gilman. aged p
months. died at 7:45 o'clock last night
at the home, GIT Fifth street
The death of the baby shows how
rapidly and peculiarly the disease de-
velops The child became i'll of sum
ner complaint Sunday. Not until yes
terday was it known definitely that the
case was one Of infantiIe paralysis.
the paralysis setting in before the med
ical attendants We're certain as 10 the
nature Of the disease. Less than u
hours after the paralysis set in the
baby was dead
The funeral was held at I O'Clock
this afternoon. Thomas Gilman, the
father, was the only member Of the
family who attended. He took an
anuseptic bath and donned fumigated
clothes. Burial was made in Chip
piannock cemetery.
The other occupants of the house
mother and four children. were later
given antiseptic baths and put on FUN
igated clothing. Health authorities
then fumigated the home.
Or. C. 7. Foster, city health physi-
clan. drove 240 miles from a point
y
tempt OF get to Rock Island in time
TO examine the child. He did not get
, here until o'clock last nigh, after
the child had died
Does Not Expect Epidemic.
DR.. Foster said today that there is
no danger of the disease having spread
from the Gilman home. Health au-
thorities took precaution Immediately
against the spread OF the disease. From
the time that the symptoms OF infan-
tile paralysis first showed until the
child died the home was in quaran-
tine, although no sign was placed on
the house until yesterday morning.
Health authorities believe that the
case Of the Gilman child is sporadic
The family has not been out Of the
city recently and the child las not
come in contact with any other
youngster suffering infanule paralysis.
There is no possibility of tracing
this case to any pre-existing case"
Dr.. Foster said today. I feel reason
ably sure that the city is pretty safe
just now against IN epidemic. We
have held a good watch over this case
in the west end Of the city and there
was little chance for the disease to
spread from there.
A state inspector, here last week
TO consult with me relative to any in
fantile paralysis cases that might be
in this community, told me that at that
time % cases had been reported to
Illinois authorities. OF these 81 half
were genuine cas~s. Many of them
are located near Spring Valley"
To Question Family.
DR. Foster said today that when Mr..
and Mrs. j L. Smith, 527 Twentieth
90
they would be questioned They went
to Chicago to attend the funeral of
niece who had died Of infantile par
aIysis DR.. Foster said that he be
lieved there is no danger To be feared,
as they were probably excluded from
the home of their niece in Chicago, as
out Of town people would be from the
Gilman home here. He said if they
were given entrance to the home all
necessary steps to prevent the spread
Of the disease here would be taken.