Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-10
REPORT NO CHANGE
IN THE EPIDEMIC
New York Officials Register
1903 New Cases of Infan-
tile Paralysis.

NEW YORK, July 10.-Rain and cooler
weather failed today to check materially
the epidemic of nfantile paralysis which.
since its inception two weeks ago, has
claimed 23s lives in New York city.
During the twenty-four hours which
ended at 10 o'clock this morning IA deaths
and 1o3 new cases were reported. Thirty
of the new cases were in Manhattan. the
largest number yet reported there in a
single day.
Five city departments united today in
campaign to keep the city of New York
clean in order to check the epidemic
Hereafter during the prevalence of the
disease 100000 gallons of water will be
used nightly in flushing the city streets.
Removal of Refuse Expedited.
The street cleaning department has been
instructed to accelerate the removal Of
garbage. ashes ard refuse thrown into
the streets in the congested districts. and
the mayor announced today that he has
directed the police department to arrest
householders and storekeepers who in
dulge in this practice. The tenement house
commissioner has been instructed to COM
ways, cellars and Yards throughout the
city. In Brooklyn, where the epidemic
has been most severe. the work of flush
ing the streets at night will be more than
doubled.
In announcing this extra effort to
clean up the city. the mayor said the
city government would use all Its
efforts during the continuance of the
epidemic to reduce the possibility of
spreading infantile paralysis by e!imi-
mating as much dirt as possible.
No Occasion for Panic.
There is no occasion for alarm or
panic" said the mayor. The careful
observance of the simple directions as
to personal and household cleanliness
will go far to prevent further spread
of or exposure to infection"
Plans have been made to induce all
parents Of children who are afflicted
with the paralysis to send them to hos
pitfalls, as only 5 per cent of the cases
treated in such institutions have died,
while of the children who were kept at
home about % per cent have died
After a conference with health officers
and Otner neduS OI city entS,
the mayor said today that, although
little is known of the origin of the
disease, all scientific experience indi-
Gates that 1t is communicated by per-
sonal contact. and that the germs do
not live apart from the human body;
that it is necessary for one diseased
person or another. who has been in
contact with him. to come in contact
with a third person before the disease
can be communicated.
Tracing the Origin.
The national health service is endeavor-
ing to trace the origin of the epidemic
and to discover how the disease Is
transmitted. DR.. C. H. Lavinder. who
is in charge Of the federal health serv-
ice, denied TO-DAY a report that the
United States government plans to
quarantine New York city.
Senate Adopts Siegel Resolution.
The siegel resolution to authorize
Secretary Wilson to utilize hospital IA
cilities at the immigration station at
Ellis Island, N. Y. to aid the health au-
thorities Of New York in cooperating
with the epidemic of infantile paraly-
sis there was adopted by the Senate
without debate today. The resolution
was adopted BY the House Saturday.