New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16
PICKETS TO KEEP
DISEASE IN CITY
Continued from page I

has detailed a number OF its most cx-
perienced officers 10 cooperate with the
Health Department of New York City
and authorities throughout the country
generally in carrying out thorough
and systematic plan of notification Of
travel to eXtra-state points so that the
local health officers can take preventive
measures.
Menace Not So Great.
Without minimizing the seriousness
of the situation, it is safe to say that
the menace is actually much less than
il appears in the public mind. This
may be attributed in the first instance
TO. the very admirable frankness Of the
New York Health Department and press
in publishing the facts. The conse-
quence has been that, especially outside
of New York, people are impressed
with the number of cases, failing to
see their proportion. They forget that
New York has population of more
than five millions, equal to the popula-
ton of two good sized states, and that
a thousand cases in this population Is
proportionate to two in a city of ten
thousand.
There are other considerations
which are more or less reassuring. No
one can make predictions as to the pre-
else course of an epidemic, but all ex-
periences teaches that outbreaks of in
fantile paralysis are self-limited and of
rather short duration, also that they
DO not spread uniformly from an cpl
demic focus, but usually skip many of
the localities that they would be ex-
pected to strike.
Disease Often Appears.
ut also should be remembered that,
although t.is is a relatively rare dis
ease, the cases occur constantly in all
parts of the United States. Such iso-
lated cases occurring now and gwen
wide publicity need not be taken as
necessarily traceable to Infection spread
from New York.
"As to the extent OF crippling, that
will ultimately resul. in the victims Of
the disease, epide.nics vary consider
ably in the proportion of permanent
PARALYSIS. 1t would be premature TO
attempt any prediction in regard TO this
particular outbreak. but the general
experience in the epidemics of the last
few years has been that complete re-
coveries are more frequent than was
formerly thought possible, and that
skillful treatment is of more avail than
was realized.
zone of the most excellent works
done by the New York Health Depart
ment has been in the prompt hospital
cation Of such large proportion OF the
cases. and we may certainly expect That
this will have the result of greatly de-
creasing the ration of permanent dis
ability"
DR.. Doty will confer with Commits
sioncr Emerson tomorrow morning
concerning the work for which the
fund from the Rockefeller Foundation
is TO be used. DR.. Doty said yesterday
that much research work would prooa-
blv be done and that it would probably
lead to large number of cases, when
would otherwise have escaped notice,
being discovered.
Twelve Guard Terminals.
Twelve surgeons of the Federal ser
vice will 60 on duty at the railroad
terminals tomorrow morning. All per
sons travelling with children VIII be
told when they purchase tickets that
a surgeon is at the railroad station ior
the purpose of making medical exam
nations. No child will be compelled
to undergo an examination. but the
United States Public Health service
deems it advisable. only children
who are found to be i'll Will be pre-
vented from leaving the city.
Certificates will be issued 10 children
examined and found to be well, stating
that thew are in good health. They
will contain the child's address and
tho place OF destination. While health
officers of other cities are not bound
10 recognize the certificates and may
quarantine the children, Dr. Banks said
that much inconvenience might be
avoided by the possession of a GER
tifcate.
II is also advised that persons leav-
ing the city with children secure a
certificate from the Health Depart
ment, stating that they do not live IN
houses infected with infantilc paraly-
sis.
ceived from all parts of the country by
the Federal health service. asking
what was to be done TO prevent the
spread of the epidemic.
Federal Test Station Here.
An office will be opened in Room 425
of the Federal Building, Park Row, IN
when CnliQItn WIN dlt " ito'c wv
city in automobiles, or by other ways
than on the railroads. will be exam
ined. Federal surgeons will not watch
boats leaving New York. Precaution-
ary measures against the spread of pa
raiysis by passengers will be left to
health officials at the places the boats
touch.
II was announced yesterday that
every large medical laboratory in New
York will soon be used for research
work TO determine, if possible, the
ways in which infantile paralysis is
carried.
Commissioner Emerson, Deputy
Health Commissioner Billings and Dr..
Simon Blatteis, of the Health Depart
ment. Yesterday morning made a tour
of the infected districts OF Brooklyn
and visited several children i'll with
infantile paralysis who had been al
lowed TO remain in their homes. In oil
but one case il was found that the
rules OF the Health Department, requir-
ing a private physician in attendance,
individual nursing, a separate room for
the patient and screens IN the windows,
had been observed. In the case where
the rules were not being observed the