Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-01

ernor Frank o. Lowden in assumins
office at Springfield was the endorse
ment of this program in which botl
the Governor and Mrs. Lowden Ia
manifested the keenest interest. Thi.
interest is shown by the fact that In,
governor will personally open at Ieas
one OF the conferences and will keeI
in touch with all that are held.
In each Of the 2S communities the
program will consist Of clinical con
ference with physicians TO be held
both morning and afternoon TO which
the members of the medical profes
sion are invited TO bring the children
who have suffered from infantile
paralysis and who, as a result. have
become paralyzed or crippled. In the
evening public meeting viii be held
III which the attention of the peopIe
+ will be called TO the fact that Illinois
mas every reason to anticipate a seri-
Gus epidemic OF intantile paralysis dur.
ing 1917, that this may he prevented
or its extent relacel by q broad
campaign of education, while the pitt.
ful after-eifects Of the disease may
he minimized by early scientific trl.
ment.
The clinical meetings will be held
under the auspices of the county
medical societies Of the various COM
munities, while the mayors and health
officers are cooperating to make the
public meetings distinctly successful.
The State Board OF Health has the
name OF every physician who attend
ed case OF infantila paralysis dur
ing the past year and personal let
tiers have been sent to such physi-
clans asking their cooperation in
these community conferences The
response has been more than crafty
ing, while the disposition OF mayors.
health officers and county societies
to encourage the work indicates
clearly the general recognition OF its
importance. The campaign. Incl
dentally, has the strong endorsement
Of the most prominent orthopedic sur
ge0ns of the Middle West. who de.
elared that without newer and better
methods Of treatment much Of the
suffering and disability following in
the wake of infantile paralysis may be
overcome.
One Of the pathetic features OF this
campaign has been the large MN.
number Of letters received by the
State Board OF Health from persons
who are crippled or paralyzel from
infantile paralysis suffered in years
past They write to inquire if they
too may avail themselves of these
clinical conferences, and while their
chances of recovery are not as bright
as in the more recent cases. it is be- (
lieved that scientific tire hnent. even
with these Of long standing, viii no.
ce without beneficial result.
In Chicago the treatment OF suf-
ferc~s from poliomyelitis will be left
to an organization recently formed and
headed By Dr.. Henry Bascom Thomas
and Or. Ludwig Hektoen, but the
State Board Of Health will interest it.
self in the residents Of Cook county
outside of Chicago a clinical confer
ence for these patients to be held in
Chicago from March 9Th to 18th.
La Sale County is the only one in
which more than one conference will t
be held. On February IS three day
will be held at la Sale, /
reaching parts of La Sale, Bureau. +
Putnam Counties having twent7-one
cases, while another conference viii
20 held in Ottawa on March 2 coy
ring another section of La Sale
County in which eighteen cases have
occurred.
The largest number Of cases in the
State is represented at the three day
Conference to be held in Streator, be
'!nnng March 3 covering the remainl-
7 OF La Sale county and Marshall,
livingston, Ford ard parts OF Grunly
nj Putnam counties There have
'eon fifty-six cases in this district