Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-10-06
CARE OF INFANTILE PARALYSIS
State Health Department Gives Warm
Against Dread Disease

The following bulletin was received
this week by the Herald from F. w.
Almond, medical advisor of. the Board
of Public Welfare, Boise, Idaho, who
asked that it be given space in the
Herald on account of the prevalence
of the disease called "infantile paral-
ysis" in the states of Washington,
and Oregon, especially in the state of
| Washington, which has resulted in
high mortality owing to the fact that
the public has not come to a realiza-
ton OF the seriousness of the disease
During the months of July and Au-
gust and thus far in September of
this year, infantile paralysis has been
epidemic in the states of Oregon and
Washington with numerous deaths re-
sulting therefrom and also in cases
that survive show paralysis of some
muscles.
AS Washington. Oregon and Idaho
are closely associated, it is only ma
tural that the disease should spread
into this state. This is borne out by
the fact that numerous cases have
been reported, mostly in the northern
part of the state but some also in the
central and southern part. For this
reason it is well for the people to
know something about the disease,
and especially the care of persons af-
flicted with it.
At present very little is known of
the causative agent, but it is supposed
TO be due to some micro-organism
causing general infection first, later
ON localizing in the spinal cord where
it attacks the nerve roots, causing
paralysis of the muscles supplied by
these nerves. 1t is a we'll known fact
that it is transmitted from one person
to another, but the manner of trans
mission is not known.
The disease starts in the same man
ner as any fever condition, may simu-
late ordinary intestional infection
which lasts for a day or perhaps only
short very few hours, followed by
paralysis, or loss of sensation, in
some part of the body This may
partly clear up and in some instances
1t clears up entirely. Other cases re-
suit in paralysis of one or more
groups of muscles for life. If there
is paralysis of the respiratory CEN
ter, death results.
The following precaution should be
taken in all cases of children showing
symptoms or feVer diseases
First: The sick child should be put
to bed in quiet darkened room and
physician called to diagnose the case.
In the meantime the bowels should
be cleaned out with a mild cathartic,
the throat gargled with a warm salt
water solution of one-half teaspoon
full or ordinary table salt to a glass
of hot water. This should be done
twice day. All excretions from the
body should be disinfected or burned.
especially handkerchiefs.
The patient should be kept as quiet
as possible in order to protect the
nervous system from becoming a focus
OF the infection. If the case is dag
nosed as "infanitle paralysis" Rose
nows serum which is obtained from
the Mayo Clinic, may be used at this
time. 1t must be used before the
paralysis has developed and even
when thus used. too much must not be
expected of it, as its value has not been
definitely determined, as yet. This
may be obtained from the Department
OF Public Welfare, Boise, Idaho, free
of charge.
Until the cold weather definitely
sets in, the well children should be
kept out of doors, but away from pub