The evening world., 1916-07-07
US. HEALTH
|NPLAGUE FIGHT;
AIDS new YORK
Sends Experts Here to Consult
AulhOrilies-Starts Nation
Wide Crusade.

WAsIifNGTON, July Fearing q
pu--iblo nation. wide epidemic ~ In.
fnntilc paralysis. the United states
Public Health Service to-day took
step. actively 10 aid New York health
oiiiclnls In nghtlng tho disease that al.
ready has killed more than 100 New
Nurk babies In less than a month
The iirst step of Federal authorities
IN the battle against the dread disease
will bo n visit of Assistant Surgeon
william Colby Rucker to New York.
Dr Rucker leaves tonight to confer
to. morrow with Commissioner N
Health Emerson OF Now York and
Surgeon q. u. Lavender. stationed at
Ellis Island.
Tho United States Public Health
Service. following n conference at
noon to-day. ordered six OF Its eS-
rerts to cooperate with Now York
officials to prevent spread OF the dis
ease, which to-day was reported In
Cleveland. Chicago and other cities.
Surgeon Lavender win have charge
OF tho six men. DR.. Ruckcr to-day
tclegraphcd to doctors OF the service
all over the country foN reports ON
lnfantile paralysis In their States
Monkeys are needed Immediately
for experimental work IL tho disease
IL to bo checked. CommI Issioner
Emerson telcgraphed Dr. Rucker to-
day that ono hundred monkeys be-
longing TO tho Rockefeller Institute
are being held In the Philippines be-
cause OF department OF Agriculture
embargo against the importation OF
animals. Emerson asked that these
lie released. Rucker took the matter
up with the department OF Agricul-
ture. ono case ot Iniantile paralysis
Was reported to tnu health service to-
day at Wlnfleid, Kan,
Jacob =. Price, Director OF Health
Of Trenton. n. j.. to-day wired Dr.
kucker asking that steps be taken TO
prevent the spread Vt tho disease.
In hshting the disease the Govern
mcnt also is hghting ignorance Of
mothers and fathers whose babies
may DO the next victims. The fight
has Two phases u baby Is
attacked and during It's illness.
In the first phase--preventlo tlon-gcn-
cral rules OF health only are neccs-
sary. In the second the first step is
To send for "a doctor.
Some OF the rules for prevention
were given to-day by DIR. William
{. fucker. Assistant Surgeon Cen
eral:
Care In the baby's diet.
Prompt attention to intestinal dis
orders.
Proper milk-preferably mothers
milk.
Plenty OF sleep-slxteen hours a
day Tor babies less than "A year old,
Elimination OF flies.
In case OF Illness and especially
when infantile paralysis IL present
IN "a city--a doctor should he called
Immediately. DIR. Rucker said. The
tendency To try family remedies
when tho baby seems to be- only
slightly indisposed Is blamed by the
service for much of the spread OF
the disease,
Perhaps the greatest danger from
tho disease in the first twenty -four
hours IL when many parents are
trying 10 cure their babies by home
treatment. Dr Rucker said. The
second great danger Ia that IA bapy
suffering from tho disease win not
bo isolated because II may po
lonely"
Diet and rest are tho principal
treatment. Tho disease Is noticed
lrst by fever, pains or Intestinal
disorders II may cause death In a
day or Il may attack baby 81
lightly that beyond "a days slcknes,
no ~ effects viii bo felt.
The disease Is caused 10y its germ at
tachlng the front cells OF the spina
cord. When the germ inilames
cell, the body nerves fed from tha
cell are paralS zed. II the cell attacke,
. feeds the forearm, the forearm or pos
slhly only one or " U muscles In II vii
be paralyzcd