Evening journal., 1916-08-24
PARALYSIS TREATMENT
ADVOCATED BY DIR. L0YETT.

= fantllC paralysis are swearing, IT.
rltability and general sensitive
ness. says DR.. Lovett.
A really bedridden case Of in
fantile paralysis never should oc-
cur.
Therapeutic measures invari-
ably will strengthen weakened "
muscles.
A warm bath Is the best treat 4"
ment in acute cases.
After the chronic stage is pass
ed. massage. heat. electricity and
muscle training may be used with .
~ sa zss y .
acute phase. we have no knowledge
at present OF any drug or serum or
means Of treatment which will pro-
tect from infection. abort the attack
or prevent the paralysis, even II We
make the diagnosis in the pre-para
/ lytic stage. Meter. OF Paris. has ad
! vocated the injection into the spinal
]
+, persons. and he believes the paralysis
has been modified by the treatment,
but the matter Is still I'm tho expert
I mental stage and has not yet received
/ general confirmation. HeNamethylen-
anime (Urotropinl has been shown
when administered by mouth to provo
! that its presence can be detected by
| chemical test in the cerebro-spinal
fluid soon afterwards. II has been as
certained that when the virus Of
! polyiomyelitis is Injected into the
\ brains OF monkeys. i'm which the hexa-
methylenamine is already present in
4 the fluid. and the drug Is then admin
istered by mouth daily thereafter
that In a proportion OF animals so
treated but not in all first: The onset
Of the disease is prolonged from six
to eight TO twenty-four days and next
the onset Of the paralysis is entirely
prevented There Is no experimental
evidence that the drug is OF any value
when infection has accrued; on this
evidence tho use OF Hexamethylena-
mine seems warranted and legitimate
as a preventive when such is desir-
able. In the early stages II has been
extensively used especially in the pre-
paralytic. and at times il appears TO
be useful, these facts and n used with
care and in intelligent hands II is
harmless seems to render its use lc-
gitimate in the early stages on gen
eral grounds and experimental evil
dence
Question Of Massage.
At this stage is strictly 10 he on
forced in all cases there is absolutely
no evidence to show that the use of
electricity or massagng at this stage
is Of any benefit this point is en-
b phasized because parents, relatives
! and inexperienced practitioners have
6 heard so much Of rapid recoveries un-
der massage. electricity and the like
that such measures are often used toe
n early 70 the detriment OF the patient.
s At this period a warm bath is gen.
n orally Of benefit. especially n n small
+ amount Of salt be added because the
e buoyancy OF the water diminishes the
q weight Of the limbs and permits mo-
2 tion which is not possible out OF water.
e emersion in the bath Is not desirable
D. during the arst two or three weeks of
{ the paralysis but IL may be used be-
J fore tenderness is wholly gone.
II is desirable now TO get the pa
e tient in the upright position. because
the lying down is unnatural and unde-
I sirable. on account of its effects on
$ the circulation because the sitting and
$ later the standing attitude, is a stimu-
[ lus TO the muscles themselves, and TO
a the nerve cells controlling them; how
q ever there is danger of over-using
o the muscles and this Is to he guarded
I n In rru 10, ha grr1. naf
u Of braces. II the patient cannot stand
J. or walk unaided, or stands or walks in
q a position of defOrmity, especially Will
IT knee or knees hyper extended. the
use of braces here is by all means de.
Il sirahle. for the lower extremity the
so-called "caliper" splint with kne,
!, straps and checks in the heel to pre-
:, vent the dropping of the heel or from
y of the foot Is desirable.
~ ! Made More Difficult.
n The problem is made more difficult
N when the arms are involved. because
IL in that event the patient cannot us'
" crutches easily, but an arm paralyzeC
IS enough not to be able to hold crutcl
o. Is fortunately the exception Pertain
ii-i ing to the apparatus used, that
e. should be light is essential. II is
lie great burden TO weight weak lie
O. with several pounds of metal, and
e tax on muscles as rule unable
n bear an extra tax. Il is also neces
Je sary that apparatus should fit accuI
le ately and be mechanically sound.
~ The sense OF equilibrium often i
y greatly impaired by the prolongei
P resting. and when the patient thu
~ severely affected is placed on his feet
o' he is quite unable to keep any bal
y ance either with or without crutches
the sense Of balance must be rock
- oned with in all severe cases, an
must he trained by repeated drills Il
standing with crutches. and supper
Of the nurses hands and by holdin
- on to the furniture.
- When standing with braces an
IN crutches but unsupported by Outsid
M assistance is possible. the patien
should next be encouraged 10 advanc
X the crutches one at a time, and dra
M the feet forward to them, and thei
4. to advance the crutches again, AM