Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-16

local health officer within six hours at
ter their arrival. 1t then becomes the
duty of the local health officer to eX-
anime or cause to be examined all
children so reported and to keep them
under observation until 80 days after
their departure from New York. In
case of any illness among these chill
dren. isolation is required until a def
mite diagnosis shall have been made.
The state board of health has also
issued a warning, urging that better
baby contests and other affairs bring
ing large numbers of children tOgeth-
err, shall be delayed until after all dan
ger of spreading poliomylitis is past
Following its policy of widespread
publicity as the best means of prevent
ing communicable disease, the board
has recently issued a circular on in
fantile paralysis for general distribu
ton This circular bears the date of
July 20, and contains all of the infOr
nation on the disease published up to
that time, including the statements
presented before the New York Acad
envy of Medicine on July 49,
Referring to the hundred or more
cases of poliomyelitis which have
been reported in Illinois since the be
ginning
the circular says:
Definite knowledge regarding a
communicable disease robs it of most
of its terrors. If we add to our fear
of the disease the elements of uncer-
tainty and mystery, we have a cOmbi-
nation which is singularly disturbing.
If our knowledge OF infantile paralysis
were more complete and satisfactory,
it is very doubtful if its presence
wouid occasion the concern that it has
within recent months. Many
cases which are mild in character, so
closely simulate other more common
and less serious conditions that their
nature is not determined until the ap-
pearance of newspaper accounts CEN
tering attention upon epidemics in 9TH
er localities. AS an after thought, ply
sicians often recall doubtful cases
which must have been those of polio
myelitis. For several years past, it
has been observed in Illinois that,
when epidemiCs have been reported in
other states by the public press, num-
erous cases, previously unreported
here, are brought to light. Not infre-
Quently these cases have passed
through the active stage and some o.
them occurred weeks or months be-
fore. 1t is more than likely that their
termined at all were it not for the CEN
tering of public attention upon the
subject through alarming epidemiCs
elsewhere.
Thus it is seen that the reports of
cases in various localities which fol-
low the announcement of epidemics
elsewhere are not necessarily indica-
tive of impending catastrophe. Such
reports merely indicate the extent to
which the disease ordinarily prevails.
They indicate that infantiIe paralysis
is endemic in many communities.
In as Localities.
With the report of every case of &C
tual or suspected poliomyelitis in the
state, however, a rigid investigation
has been carried out by the state cpl
demiologist or by one of the district
health officers and. at the close of
business in the offices of the state
board of health on Aug. IA, there were
then under quarantine 1872 confirmed
cases distributed among 76 localities.
While cases have been reported from
almost all sections of the state three |
localities seem to be marked by an I'M
usual prevalence of the disease. In |
that section within 25 miles Of Cherry |
there have been seven cases; within |
% miles of Decatur there have been |
reported II cases and within 25 miles !
of East ST. Louis 13 cases have come |
to the attention of the board. On ac- |
count of these reports parents are ad- |
vised not to travel with children IN
necessarily in these communities.
The active cases now under quaran- |
tine in the state are distributed as fol- |
lows:
Adams county, near Quincy, L. Car
roll county county, Chadwick 1.
county, Sidney /. St Jo-
seph 1 Clinton county, near Becka-
meyer l; Coles country, near Ash |
more 2, Charleston L and Oakland / |
Cook county, Chicago 40, Des PLANES
l and Evanston 5; De Kalb county,
near Genoa 1; Douglas county, near
Arcola /; Edgar county. near Kansas
/; Franklin county, near Christopher
l, Frankfort Heights /; Fulton county,
Canton 1 f; Iroquois county. near Ash
KUN l. Sheldon /; Jackson county,
near Makanda l 10 Daviess county,
near Galena /; Johnson county, OZARK
l; Kankakee county, Kankakee /; La
Sale county, near Cherry l, Ottawa s.
near Ottawa 1, Streator 2, near
Triumph l and near Wedron /; Lee
near Harmon l: Livingston
county, Pontiac I; Macon county, Ar
genta 2. Decatur 2, near Long Creek /
and zMarOa. La Madison county. 4 Collins