Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-13
SIiuht Decrease in Number OF
New Cases of lnfantile
Paralysis.
MEDICAL MEN NOW TURN
TO SEARCH FOR THE GERM
Towns Near New York City Refus-
ing to Permit Children to Cross
Their Borders.

NEW YORK, July ia
slight decrease in the number OF
new cases and a marked increase
in the rumber of deaths during
the last twenty-four hours in the
epidemic of infantile paralysis
was shown in the daily bulletins
issued by the department of
health at noon today. During the
twenty-four hours preceding 10
o'clock this morning twenty-four
children died from the plague and
there were ~ new cases in the
greater city.
New York city health officers said
TODAY that they were doing their pest
to prevent the spread OF infantlle pa
ralysis from this city to otner co -
mites Residents of infected d1stricIS
here have been warned that tney WI.
encounter stern quarantine meaeuf Go
if they leave the city.
List of Infected Houses.
out-of-town health authorities have
been asked to report any persons ar
riving from infected areas in New York
city. To enable other towns and cities
to do this the local board of health Is
distributing broadcast lists Of addresses
where cases of the disease have been
found here.
The New Jersey state health depart
ment last night reported the total
number of cases in the state as sixty.
with eleven new cases for the day. The
state health department has announced
that it would not declare q quarantine
against New York city, but would
leave that to the local boards. From
the office of the attorney general OF
New Jersey came an opinion tnat ae me
fourteen years of age II they are
healthy.
Children Are Turned Back.
Many of the New Jersey towns near
est New York, however, have not hesi-
tated to turn back children. not only
those who come from New Fork. but
those from other places At Edgewater
a small town on the west bank OF the
Hudson, opposite northern Manhattan,
the police not only guarded the New
York ferry, but established motor
boat patrol to prevent children from
crossing the river in other craft.
In Connecticut and New York state
towns Immediately north OF this city
health and police officers are meeting
all incoming trains and trolley cars ana
even stopping automobiles and turning
back all children under sixteen.
Search for Disease Germ.
Mayor Mitchell, local health authori-
cooperating with them believe that
every known physical precaution has
been taken to check the epidemic. The
physicians now will concentrate their
attention upon laboratory work in an
effort to isolate the germ of the disease
and find a preventive or cure. In this
connection there is great interest in
a meeting to be held in the rooms of
the New York Academy of Medicine to-
experts on infantile paralysis. Ques-
physician had discovered the germ of
the disease. Health Commissioner En-
erson replied: IF any one knows more
about that than DR.. Simon Flexner of
the Rockefeller Institute it's news to
me and / believe that would have had
a tip before now"
Fears More Serious Epidemic.
WATERFOWL, n. Y, July 13.-Dr.
child hygiene. New York state health de-
partment, said today he feared that the
epidemic of infantile paralysis in New
York state would grow more serious.
81 do not wish to be an alarmist," said
DIR. Shaw, but in all past epidemics the
disease has become more virulent as the
progresses. August and Septem-
ber are the worst months, the high mark
being reached in September usually"
DR.. Shaw spoke at a meeting of the
Jefferson County Medical Society at Alex
andria Bay. In his address he stated that
man who has isolated the germ of in
fantile paralysis and told how he, with
other physicians, had seen the germ under
4 microscope a week ago.
The speaker said that the disease
could not be traced to a milk supply.
but that the only point of entry was
the nose, and that it could not come
the mouth or through the
veins. Flies might be carriers as well
as human beings, he said. He added
that if a Gordon was drawn around
New York for two weeks and every
child was refused exit the epidemic
could be stopped. but there would be
civil war if we die. such a thing" he
declared.
The most serious aspect of the dis
ca Sc Dr. Shaw pointed out. was that |
no one can diagnose it until paralysis
comes. saying. II defy any one to dag
nose it accurately before that stage"
System of, Notification Starts.
The federal fight against the spread |
If infantile paralysis. epidemic in New
York city, developed today into public
,ea1th service plans for immediate |