Evening star., 1941-09-09
School Opening Delay
Unnecessary, Health
Officials Decide
InfontiIe Paralysis Threot
Believed Beyond Peck
In District Area
Health officials Of the District and

Health officials Of the District and
nearby Maryland and Virginia areas
agreed at a conference today that
there would be no necessity to post
pone the opening of schools in this
area because of infantile paralysis.
The decision was reached at a
conference held in the Office of Dis
trict Health Officer George c. Ruh-
land. 1t was generally agreed, Dr.
Rutland told reporters later. that
the infantile paralysis threat had
passed its peak and that there would
be no reason to postpone the open
ing of schools or to close schools
already under way.
DR.. Ruhland explained that the
District has had 81 cases of polio
myelitis this year, Is of them in
August. This is approximately only
one-third as many as were recorded
in the District during the same
period in 1885, the Districts peak
year for the disease.
Seven of the thirty-five cases have
been reported since September l.,
but DR.. Rutland said all the health
officials were of the opinion that
the number would drop sharply dur
ing the remainder of September and
October The public schools here
open September %.
Appeal Made to Parents.
At the same time, the conferees,
DR.. Rutland said. urged that a
strong appeal be made to parents
to exercise the greatest caution in
safeguarding the health of their
children.
Dr. Rutland said it was urged that
parents examine their children
closely for symptoms of colds and
other respiratory ills before send
ing them off to school. He said this
check should be made every day as
part of a regular parental routine.
Attending the conference were DIR.
v. L. Ellicott, health officer of Mont
gomery County; DIR. Ralph Beach,
ley, health officer of Arlington
County; DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger.
assistant District health officer; DR..
James G. Cumming, head of the di-
vision of communicable diseases of
the District, and representatives of
the United States Public Health
Service, the District Medical So
ciety and the Medical Chirurgical
Society.
Falls Church Rolls Up.
Enrolment at public schools in
Falls Church, Va, had increased
when classes began today because of
the dropping of tuition requirements
for Fairfax County residents, while
registration at the opening of some
nearby Maryland schools yesterday
showed a decrease, attributed to
anxious parents taking precautions
against infantile paralysis.
While no figures were obtainable
before the schools close today, the
Jefferson High School and the
Madison Elementary School in Falls
Church noted large increase in the
number of Fairfax County students
on their rolls, it was announced.
The situation has arisen because
of an agreement between town and
county officials reached during the
summer recess whereby students of
each jurisdiction may attend schools
of the other without the payment of
tuition. The move was expected to
increase the attendance in Falls
Church schools because of the num-
Der Of families living near that town
In Fairfax County.
In Laurel, Md, where the opening
of schools was postponed from last
Monday until September q because
of seven cases Of poliomyelitis, the
Town Council last night asked for
q voluntary quarantine Of children
Of school age until the institutions
open.