The New York herald., 1922-12-30
MFANTLE PARALYSIS
is SPREAD BY FLEAS
Rats Also Contribute as in
the Case OF the Bubonic
Plague.
EPIDEMIC is FEARED
Scientists at Harvard Told
Recurrent Wave Is Due
This Year.
PARKS VALUED IN CASH
DR.. G. F. Kunz Tells Science
Meeting How They Give
Economic Returns.
PARKS VALUED IN CASH

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.. Dec. '29.--The be-
lief that infantile paralysis is spread
by rats and fieas, just as the bubonic
plague is spread. was expressed by
Prof. Charles T. Bruas of Harvard
University in an address before the
medical science section of the Ameri-
can Association for the Advancement
Of Science to-day. He SAID he feared
there may be another serious outbreak
in the United States soon, possibly
during 1923.
He said the theory was not def
nitely proved. but there was a mass
OF evidence tending to the conclusion
that rats and insects spread the dis
eaAe.
Epidemics of infantile paralysis, he
said. had been strildngfy intermittent.
with tendency to cxacerbation every
second or. more notably, every seventh
year. If this frequency rs repeated we
may soon expect another serious out
break in the United States, possibly dur
ing 1928, and IL such should come to
pass. IL seems very probable that a
world wide epidemic wave of poliomyeli-
tbs is under way. similar to the present
tropical epidemic OF plague which began
at about the same time.
Is a Summer Disease.
Practically all epidemics OF the dis
ease, he said. occur during the summer,
rising from a minimum In the early
spring to maximum during late sum-
mer and the seasonal incidence comedies
closely with that of the known insect
born diseases which become prevalent
during the summer, when insect life
hourishes.
Transmission of disease not only to
other people but also to animals and
Ash, with a potential influence on the
food industries, has to be considered by
the United States Public Health Service
in its attitude toward immigrants, Prof.
c. w. Stiles of that service, said. He
explained why Asiatic immigrants suf-
fering from Asiatic liver huke disease
are barred.
This disease, he said, had been known
since 1879. but the cure of only one case
appeared to be recorded. The disease
in Asia passed from man TO a snail.
then TO fishes. he said. Snails and fish
of closely related varieties existed In
this country and 1t was probable that if
introduced here the disease would be
transmitted to them.
He cited another disease in the United
States. contracted only by eating under
cooked fish. Fish dealers. ne pointed
out. often gave fish offal to farmers for
feeding to their stock and In this way
the disease might be transmitted &c
domestic animals and cause heavy loss.
Predetermined Acquired.
Dr. j. e. w. wallin. director of TIE
bureau Of special educatiop and pro-
fessor of clinical psychology. said that
a twelve year study Of $500 Juveniles Of
all grades of intelligence and the OBJ
servation Of thousands of parents of
mentally defective children had led TO
the conclusion that most cases OF feeble
mindedness, contrary to the generally
accepted view, could not be traced 10
feeblemindedness, insanity or epilepsy in
the ancestry
Feeblemindedness and subnornalty
might. he added, "be produced by many
agencies. environmental or hereditary,
acting separately or together" He said
he had reached the conclusion that
feeblemindedness or degeneracy could
not be wholly eradicated by means OF
colonization. sterilization or prevention
of mating of the feebleminded or de-
generate.
AS helpful measures. he said. injuries,
diseases and anything harmful 20 the
childs nervous system must be pre-
vented before and after birth and the
mental and physical powers must be
exercised and developed scientifically.
Forests Not Flood Cure.
Gen. Harry Taylor OF the Army
Engineer Corps. speaking on the prob
lem Of controlling floods Of the Missis-
sippi and Missouri rivers, said that re-
forestation of the water sheds would
not be practicable for this purpose. To
bring about a reduction OF one-half In
the flood discharge. he said, two square
miles of forest would be necessary for
every second foot OF reduction. or 400.
600 square miles OF forest along the
Missouri and 10000 square miles at
the headquarters OF the Mississippi.
Dr. George +. kunz. president of the
American Scenic and Historic Preserya-
tlon Society in an address on THE Eco
nomic Value OF Public Parks and
Reservations" said in part.
"As an illustration Of the economic
value of a great city park We may cite
Central Park. That great municipal
park contains 843 acres. Back In 1898.
when land was bought for the old Gro
ton Reservoir. II cost about s2.3f6 an
acre. Eighteen years later. in 1856,
land for the park cost about s6.s3S. an
Increase IN value OF about 900 per cent.
In 1893, the iakt purchase for the park
~cost about siS.147 an acre. an increase
Of Ts0 per cent. in twenty-five years.
Tho land for the whole park cost
s7.3s9.7e7. and IL carried on tho books
OF the Tax Department as now worth
1926, 900, 900. an Increase over thirty
fold 1900 per cent. IN value.
"The foregoing figures refer 70 the
land value OF Central Park Itself. The
Increase in the value Of the surround
ing property has been more than twice
that rate"