Evening star., 1935-08-01
Cumming Declares ConcIave
Will Not Be Paralysis
Menace.
ANNOUNCEMENT MADE
AFTER LENGTHY PARLEY
Preparations for Encampment Go
Ahead-Boys From Epi.
demic Areas Barred.

SWllR again UOudy lUllUWlIlB ucCl-
sion last night that the present In
fantile paralysis situation does not
justify cancellation orders.
The decision was announced by
Surg. Gen. Hugh S. Cumming on be-
half of a conference of Federal and
local health officials, officers of the
District government and Boy Scout
leaders, following a 4l2-hour discus
sion, which ended shortly after pm.
yesterday.
No Need for Fear.
The surgeon general. acting as
spokesman for the gathering, an
that in view Of the unusually
thorough sanitary precautions taken
for the environment Of the boys at
the Boy Scout camp and for the
conditions of their travelling from
their homes to the jamboree and back
again." and because of the high health
standards of the Scouts themselves,
there is no reason to believe that the
presence of rs 900 Scouts expected at
this jamboree will have any effect
upon the incidence and spread OF
poliomyelitis in Washington or the
neighboring States or among the
Scouts themselves"
It was announced that Boy Scout
delegations will not be brought mere
from areas in which infantile paraly-
sis is epidemic at this time. This VIII
bar Scouts from North Carolina ard
majority of the Southern counties
Of Virginia.
Discussing the prevalence OF the
disease in North Carolina and South
ern Virginia, the surgeon general ex-
planned that past experience and
movements of epidemics of poliomye-
litis and the manner of the spread of
the present epidemic give no special
cause for apprehension of its spread
into the metropolitan population OF
Washington"
Nothing Abnormal Now.
Four cases of infantile paralysis
were reported to the District Health
Department during the past week,
and from July Is through yesterday
10 cases were reported here, accord
ing to information placed before the
conference. There have been l9 cases
here since January / and four deaths
from the disease during that period.
There is nothing abnormal in the
condition now.
Records considered by the confer
ence show that Virginia has reported
304 cases of infantile paralysis since
May /, and that there we're 20 new
cases in the State Tuesday and &c
more cases yesterday. North Carolina
reported a total of ASS cases between
May / and July 90. During the week
ending July % North Carolina report
ed So new cases and Virginia IS new
cases. Maryland has reported two
cases, one in Dorchester County and
one in Wicomico County.
"In Washington and vicinity and
through the country traffic by all de-
vices of conveyance and by people of
all ages is unrestricted and of enor-
nous amount and vastly in excess of
the movement to attend the jam
boree," the surgeon general said in the
conference statement.
THE conference was impressed with
the fact that the daily movement of
adults and children in and out of
Washington exceeds by thousands the
total number of boys expected to at
tend the Boy Scout camp on August
81, and it is further to be noted that
the susceptibility to poliomyelitis of
the Boy Scouts is probably less than
many of such travellers.
Cites History Of Disease.
"The natural history Of poliomyelitis
for the last 80 years in this country
gives no evidence in the East and
West and wherever the disease has
prevailed in epidemic form that the
assembly of $4,000 healthy boys of Il
years and over can be expected tc
have any effect upon either the de-
velopment of additional cases of the
disease in Washington or vicinity OF
W CduSC 1AiNA CdoSo AAASAASAANN
among the boys themselves.
"It is very clear to the members OF
the conference that such sanitary
conditions as have been provided fol
the Boy Scouts by officers and tech.
nical advisers have produced condi.
tions in transit and will provide con.
ditions at the Boy Scout camp prob.
ably superior to those which have beer
created for any boys or men in camp:
in American experience. Those Scout
troops coming to Washington from
distant cities and States will be actu.
ally accompanied by physicians from
the time they start until they return
to their homes.
Boys already enlisted for the camT
from the few areas where poliomyeliti.
Is locally epidemic in the month o1
August will not attend the jamboree
"The separation of the boys ir
sleeping quarters, at meals. In genera
meetings and throughout the jamboret
provides greater protection agains1
such diseases as poliomyelitis thar
would obtain under any other condi'
tions in the gatherings of youth"
The surgeon general indicated tha
the opinions he expressed ARE shared
in by those who have been for man!
years familiar with the manifestation
of poliomyelitis in this country ant
are known nationally for their sount
opinions upon this disease"
Five Gases Imported.
OF the 10 infantile paralysis case
reported in Washington since Januar!
/, five have been importation" O
persons who developed the disease out
side the District and were brought her
for hospital treatment. Three OF thes
cases came from Virginia and two from
Maryland. Three other adult cases
one Of a woman who died. developer
following automobile trips through In