The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-08-24
INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Because of a fiare-up in infantile
paralysis throughout the countryg
parents are advised by DR.. r. H.
Riley, Director of the State Depart
ment of Health, to isolate children
on the appearance of suspicious ILL
ness and to send at once for the fam
lily doctor. Since the beginning of
the year the State Bureau OF Com
municable Diseases has been notified
of the occurrence Of ~ cases, over
half of which have been reported
during August. OF the total, IS
have occurred in Baltimore City and
the rest in the counties.
To prevent the spread of the all
ment, DR.. r. H. Riley, has sent a
letter to all physicians in Maryland,
directing their attention to the
Characteristic symptoms of infantile
paralysis in the different stages OF
the disease, and advising the use OF
serum prepared from the blood OF
persons who are recovering from it.
Physicians have also been informed
that through the aid of hospitals il
which cases are being treated, q
limited quantity of serum is avail
able, and their cooperation is asked
in securing blood from infantile
paralysis patients under their care.
"Infantile paralysis, DR.. Riley
said, sis especially likely to attack
very young children, but it is not
limited to this group. The cases
that have been reported to the De-
partment recently have included
growing girls and boys as well as
babies and young children. In the
serum, which is prepared from blood
drawn from the arm of person who
is recovering from the disease. The
patient does not suffer in any way
from the loss of the small quantity
of blood that is taken and it's prompt
use may be the means of saving the
life and preventing the Gripping OF
others.
when a case is found, every pos
sible care should be taken to pre-
vent the spread of the disease to
others. Here are some OF the most
essential precautions:
81. Separate the sick person
from other members of the family.
Allow no one in the room except
those necessary for attendance on
the patient.
hor RrnV hn
throat and intestines of the patient
should be disinfected before dispos-
ing of them. This is of the utmost
Importance because the germ or
whatever it is that causes infantile
paralysis is found in the secretions
from the nose. throat and lntestines
Of the person suffering from the di
sease The same substance has also
been discovered in similar discharges
from the nose, throat and intestines
If persons who have been exposed tc
The disease.
49, The room in which the patient
is cared for should be screened.
"A. Animals-pe dogs and cats
should be carefully excluded from
he persons who are ill and from the
places in which they are being cared
for.
SO. All dishes, knives, forks,
spoons and all clothing and bedding
used by the sick should be boiled be-
fore being used by other persons.
IS. Those in attendance upon the
sick must change their outer gar
ments and disinfect their hands be
lore handling anything that others
touch
'.The period of time elapsing be-
tween exposure to infantile paralysis
and the. appearance of the first
symptoms of the disease is not def
initely known. 1t varies from two
to fourteen days, with eight days as
the average"