The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-01-10
POLIOPHOBIA AND POLIOMYELITIS

| FOLAOM ELl1IS
 In a recent tabulation of the cases admitted to g large rnetro- politan hospital for communicable diseases 1t was found that 1,591 patients had been sent to the hos- pital presumably ill of cerebrospinal meningitis, and 1,227 of these really had meningitis; the other 364 did not. In the same period 4,980 pa- tients were admitted presumably i'll of diphtheria, and of these 3,850 actually had diphtheria. No less than 9,2O4 out of 9,605 patients ad- mitted presumably i'll of scarlet fever actually had scarlet fever.
 Of 264 patients presumaply i'll of smallpox, 197 actually had smallpox. Of 52 presumably i'll with en- cephalitis ("sleeping sickness") 30 had 1t.
 Only 35 of 53 patients sent in with typhoid fever" had typhoid fever. These figures are no reflection on the diagnostic skill of physicians in private practice, nor do they indi- cate any superior skill or wisdom Of physicians on hospital staffs. Bear in mind that the doctor in private practice sees the patient in the early stage of the illness, before conclusive signs or symptoms de- velop, and therefore has to be guided by his experience and ljudg- ment. Later when the illness is fully developed, the diagnosis is more a matter of routine, machin- cry, tests which any bright stu dent, nurse or ufiice boy can make.
 These observations apply at any rate to such diseases as diphtheria and typhoid fever, for which there are specific laboratory tests. They do not apply so much to infantile paralysis, acute anterior poliomye- litis. The nature and cause of this disease is still undetermined, and there is no positive test-the diag- nosis is still matter of the physi- clans opinion in any case. Hence 1t is not remarkable that of 440 patients sent into the hospital pre- sumably i'll of poliomyelitis only 225 actually had the disease. To my mind it is rather astonishing that many more patients were not admitted on false alarm of infan- tile paralysis. The popular fear of this disease tends to prevent exer- else of the best judgment of the private practitioner. Therefore he sends the patient to the hospital on suspicion rather than risk unjust criticism for failing 10 recognize the nature of the illness early.
 There is no paralysis at all in ap- proximately three out of four cases of illness reported as infantile para lyis, according to Dr. Josephine B Neal of the New York city health department.
 In any case where there is req son to suspect poliomyelitis the best possible treatment is absolute rest in bed, and this is paramount to say iny that 1t is harmful to move the patient to a hospital or anywhere else if bed and medical cere be availble at home.
 As to serums, the large experience Ql DLlyOAClhklD AAA btAN 3VSW 1OAh SPs demic failed to show that serum treatment was of definite value.
 Five hundred cases taken as they came were treated with convalescent serum in the early stages; five hundrerd others cases, selected as they came were treated without such serum. No benefit was ob- served from the serum. How ever, this doesnot deter the pub- licity huntres from rushing into Ire newspapers every season with a wonderful new serum for poliom- yelitis.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Stoop Shoulders = At the age of g was extre- ly stoop shouldered. What helped me most was walking with some- thing balanced on top of my head.