Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-08-02
REPORT THIRTY CASES
State Board Of Health Issues Warn.
ing on DANCER of Spread of lnaan.
tile Paralysis.

| Richmond. Aug. 2-Thirty cases
of infantile paralysis were reported
to the State Board Of Health from
seven counties and one city during
the month OF July.
| Three case; have been reported
from the city Of Richmond. approx
imately % cases from Rockingham,
county, from Page, 2 from King
and Queer, 2 from Pittsylvania and
one each from Goochland and Rich
mond counties. Tie health authori-
ties OF Rappallannock county have re-
ported a number of cases." but rs
they have not been specific, exact in
formation will not be available until
the state Office. dispatched there has
filed his report
Acting OH The basis OK .his infor-
nation, the state board Of heath
today issued / bulletin of warning
and called upor physicians to report
Immediately, as required by law, all
cases of infartile paralysis.
"Absolute frankness regarding the
present situation" said Health Com
missioner Williams today, ''is neces-
sary to keep the people advised to
afford L basis for proper action and
to prevent the spread Of unfounded
rumors. Physicians owe it to the pub
tic as wei as to the law to report
Immediately al; cases that occur in
their practice and Immediately es-
| tablish quarantine. Evasion OF the
law, in eases of this sort, is crimi-
| nal and will be punished promptly
and effectively
s'Some of the cases that have been
| reported are probably of the sporad-
ic type and need rot cause serious
apprehension&. Other cases apparent
ly are OF the epidemic type and may
be respcnsibI" for the future spread
Of the disease. All cases must be
treated as though they We're of the
greatest danger, for only in this way
c.n proper precautions be taken.
i'i.r s..us.ticss has ..ots IS
sumcd proportions that make it nee
asSarv to give public warning
against travc' in all paris of the
State, but it is serious enough to
Justify us III saying that children
should not enter o. leave Rocking
ham county. j. may be necessary to
add Page ami Rappahannock to this
.;st If so. public notice will be given.
The board is taking steps to con-
ira the disease, if possible, to the
present area Of infection and Is
working in cooperation with the
United States Public Health Service
If It becomes necessary, we shall ask
the government to detail us addition
/ n officers to assist the state force IN
diagnosis anl quarantine. For the
| present. the most important measures
II prevention are. first, the isolation
If all cases and, secondly, the SAM
tation Of our towns, cities and rural
districts. To this end, the board has
written AN urgent appeal to the
rouncils and boards of supervisors
and will rigidly exercise all the
powers at its command.
"rhc best advice we can give 10
,arents in the infected districts is
to keep small children from contact
with other children, and, as far as
nossible. from contact with all per-
sons. The more carefully this is done.
where the surroundings are sanitary
the less chance there is that the child
| will become infected.
"While these precautions must. be
taken, it is OILY fair to say tnat de-
spite the number of cases reported
during July the total number thus 1at
for the year is only sixty-eisht. This
is less than the number reported TO
the corresponding date in 1916. we
oupht. therefore, to be extremely Wig
liant bul should not become panic
stricken or be deceived by false 'ru-
mnrs. If physicians will obey the law
and report Immediately all cases that
occur in their practice. the board
will give full publicity, without en-
barrassinc. Individuals, and will keep
the people Of Virginia fully advised
as TO every development.