Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-03
MAKE PLANS To
CHECK EPIDEMIC
Discoverer OF Paralysis Bacteria Lee
lures ON Subject to TFi-City
Doctors.
MAY CLOSE DAVENPORT SCHOOLS
Medical Society Passes Resolutions to
Recommend Delay In Opening
FAN Work.

gator Tor tnp mayo I0uhuA4oA d M
| chester, Mimi.
| Dr. Rosenow is probably better
versed on the subject of the dreaded
| child plague than any other man in the
country II was he. last September,
who discovered the bacteria of infan-
| tile paraiysis-the subject puzziing
scientists for some years. DR.. Rose
now has made extensive Investigations
and will remain In Davenport fort
some time to assist in quelling the
/ plague.
Infantile paralysis, according to Or.
| Rosenow, usually starts from infection
| of the tonsils. On Investigations upon
animals, such as monkeys, he said, the
/ tonsils contained bacteria that wouio
| cause paralysis. The infection in the
/ tousiIs usually remains dormant but
may be excited by certain circum-
I stances
| THE greater majority Of the peo-
pie" the doctor declared "harbor par
alysis bacteria in low stage-there-
| fore, the disease is always open to
/ contagion.
| The lecturer advised that I'm some
cases removal OF the tonsils viii give
| immunity from the disease, and that
| whore an attack has already set In. the
/ operation Will sometimes give relief.
There is a presence Of infection In
| tonsils," he said. from which the pa
tient is continually absorbing bacteria.
/ I do not believe that an open wound
caused by an operation for tonsilitis
| will cause as much absorption as will
| pus pockets in the tonsils.
/ During the epidemic in New York
! city last year, on post norton exam
ination and also from the tonsils re-
moved the germ Of infantile paraly-
sis was isolated This later, when in
| jected into monkeys and rabbits pro-
/ duced typical paralysis, Stimulating
/ the same form of paralysis from which
the child died from which the culture
( was taken.
"Infantle paralysis is a uaisnomer
as the disease also attacks adults, as
/ yell as children and infants.
Ineylitis, meaning that the anterior
! cells in the spinal cord, which are
/ composed of the gray matter, are the
/ cells which the germ Of this disease
1 has seieetive affinity"
/ Climate Caused Epidemic.
( In speaking of the epidemic OF the
disease in Davenport Or. Rosenow
said that there was no evidence that
1t has been caused by contagion from
/ one person to another. The cases
( here" he said, have all been Isolated
! so they could not have come by con-
/ tact. Climatic conditions have been
/ extremely favOrable for increase OF
4 the disease and it is no more remark
able than attacks of rheumatism or
pneumonia. The explanation OF one
/ will be favorable to the other
There is little that can be done.
save that you get at the disease at the
/ earliest possible time and make dag
nosis Immediately. While it might do
c0.
| antine has little influence"
! DR. RosenOw mentioned a serum
! that is being investigated by the Mayo
4 foundation and which has been put to
use by himself 1t is too early a stage
/ he said, to tell to a certainly just how
I well the new serum works, but on in
/ EQUATIONS upon monkeys It has been
/ found 10 neutralize the disease.
NO bad results from administering
/ the serum have been discovered" he
/ claimed but many good ones have
! been found. Thus the results OBJ
1 tanned justify using the serum to its
fullest extent"
The scientist urged immediate
4 treatment, because no said, the longer
/ the attacks last, the more cells are
! killed, and when the cells die, their
/ functions stop and they cannot be re-
/ vived agaln-by massage or any other
treatment
Mentions Preventatives.
DR.. Rosenow gave a few health
hints which should do much toward
I keeping the average child immune
from the disease Keep the children
as we'll and healthy as possible. he
warned. and do not let them eat
| green fruits. Gan answer to this
warning was found when a child died
from paralysis after eating green
apples ia Davenport a short time ago.
/ II there are any cavities fin the teeth
/ he says, have them attended to at
once and have the teeth cleaned and
polished being careful that there rs
no tartar on them Gargie the throat
/ daily and wash the teeth at least two
times day
I DO not take the children on long
/ train rides during the hot weather,
nor allow them TO become fatigued
( de also advised that they be kept
from moving picture houses In hot
/ weather. Careful compliance with
/ these warnings may help to check the
( epidemic" he said for it is now
slightly on the increase"
/ After DR.. Rosenow had finished his
lecture there Vas an open discussion
among the doctors present They ar
g7led pro and con and discussed the
best way 70 treat the disease IN Dav-
EXPORT
! After careful consideration OF the
matter by ali present In which Dr.
/ RoseHow was asked his opinion, mo-
ton was offered by DR. f. 0. Ficke
! that the Scott County Medical society
I recommend to the board Of education
that tile schools be kept closed for
week or two longer until the plague
/ Fig entirely stamped out Dr Rosen0W
was heartily in favor Of the motion
and ii was passed unauimuus}y. ace
/ tion probably viii be taken today
when file school board VIII decide
whether or not to keep the schools
closed
/ DR. w H. Hendlemann led the open
( discussion after Dr. Roseuow's talk
/ Or RendIemann gave resume Of
/ facts concerning the epidemic here
and went into detail as 70 signs Of
/ appearance Of infantile paralysis lie