Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-04
PARAL YS|S STRIKES
COUNTRY IN WAVE
PolicmyeIitis, While Not in
Epidemic Stage, Shows
Increase Over 1929.
By THOMAS r. HENRY.

A wave Of poliomyelitis, or infantile
paralysis, now is gripping the country,
reports to the Public Health Service
reveal. :.
While this dreaded communicable dis
ease, affecting the central nervous sys-
tenn in the spinal cord and possibly the
lower brain centers, has nowhere
reached the p rtions Of an epidemic,
It is occurring week after week at the
rate about four times that of last year
almost at the rate of the great out
break of 1927.
The beginning of the wave was first
noted in California in September, and
since then the malady has spread rather
generally over the country. Thus lar
the South Atlantic States have escaped
the increase, curious fact noted also
in the meningitis outbreak of last year,
which did not strike them until about
Q year after it started in the West.
Figures on Present Wave.
The past week brought slight drop
in the steadily rising curve, and Public
Health officials are waiting anX1ouSly
the next reports, to see whether def
mite change has set in for the better.
The progress for the country as whole
Is shown in the following incidence
figures:
AuRuSJ 0U, 06pOcUlUcI T1VS
September Is, 400; September 20. sos:
September 81, sos; october 4, CAT; Oc-
tcber IL, $50; October Is, $50, and Oc-
tober Is, 397. The corresponding f1g-
Sires for last year were 124, 145, l53, 1T,
143, 143, 14S, 131 and 104.
PoliomyelitiS, 1t was explained at the
Public Health Service, forms one of the
dreaded triology of communicable dis
eases attacking the central nervous sys-
tenn, together with cerebro-spinal men,
nights and encephalitis, or sleeping
sickness, which seem to rise in waves,
are difficult to diagnose in their early
stages. and are likely to leave serious
after effects. The fight Of the Federal
Government has consisted in spreading
as far as possible a standard diagnosis
worked out at the National Health In
stitute here. At the request of the
State Health Department, every prac-
ticing physician in Kansas recently was
supplied with these diagnosis instruc-
tons.
The Public Health Service also is
advising the treatment of patients with
convalescent serum, prepared from the
blood of persons who have recovered,
which is not a specific cure, but If
given early may check further progress
of the disease or render 1t much less
serious.
DIAGNOSIS DifncultieS.
The difficulty of early diagnosis, 1t
Is explained, lies in the fact that there
are two stages in the progress of the
disease. The first is that of vague and
non-specific symptoms of general in
fecticn, whose coming may be either
insidious or acute. These consist Of
fever, headache, increase in white |
blood corpuseles and possibly vomiting |
and commissions, which would be COM |
mon to many infections. The phySi- |
clan would have no reason to suspect |
poliomyelitiS unless there was an cpl |
denic in the neighborhood. There may |
be one or more remissions which make |
it appear that the patient has been
cured and throw the physician on his
guard.
The next stage, as described by Sur
geon j. p. Leaks of the National Health
Institute, is the meningeal when the
Infection attacks the meninges, or mer--
branes surrounding the central nervous
system, and thence passes into the
anterior horns of the spinal cord. where
are located the nerves Of control Of the
limbs and body This results in the
paralysis, which is the most character
1stic feature of the disease. The infec-
ton may proceed to other parts of the
nervous system, even to paralyzing the
muscles used in breathing, which re-
suits IN death. The early symptoms Of
the meningeal infection are pain in |
bending of the spine, increased sensi- |
tiveness and increased reflex responses. |
Paralysis may come simultaneously |
with this stage, although it is by no
means a certain accompaniment Of the
disease.
Transmission Unknown.
While the disease Is communicable, |
the method Of its transmission Is un-
known, although it is believed to enter |
the system through the nose. The re-
sponsible agent is believed to be another |
Of the fllterable viruses, the minuetest |
Of all living things, compared with /
which microscopic organisms are literal |
giants. Such vfruses seem to vary in |
malignancy from time to time. This |
one has special affinity for the ner-
vous system, attacking especially the |
lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord |
The cases actually reported are nearly |
all those in which some degree Of |
paralysis already has appeared, al
though in some localities these actually |
may be In minority. There is danger |
confusing the disease in its early |
stages with both cerebro-spinal menin- |
gifts and encephalitis, all three of these |
diseases being responsible for reports Of |
mysterious epidemics" from isolated |
communities where they are likely to