Evening star., 1941-09-07
lnfanti|e Paralysis
Wont Delay Opening
OF Nearby Schools
Only Laurel, Nd, With
Seven Reported Stricken,
To Set Term Back

Public health officials In areas
near Washington said yesterday
they saw no reason to postpone
opening of schools tomorrow be-
cause of the increase in infantile
paralysis cases. but in Laurel, Md
school opening was delayed two
weeks because seven cases were re-
ported there.
Current localized outbreaks do not
forecast a nationwide epidemic of
poliomeylitis, the Census Bureau
said yesterday. Its records show the
disease usually reaches its peak in
August and September. If it fol-
lows the seasonal pattern of past
years. the number of new cases
should decrease from now on, the
bureau said.
Postponement of the Laurel school
opening was ordered by Prince
Georges County education officials
as q precautionary measure, against
the advice of DR.. J. M. Byers,
county health officer. who said he
thought nothing would be gained
by the move. The Board OF Edu-
cation acted, however, after a mass
meeting yesterday attended by near
ly 100 parents.
All other schools in Prince Georges
County are to open tomorrow as
scheduled.
ID, C. Situation Not Alarming"
b in, DiQfriNf SS
nothing to become alarmed about, "
DR.. James G.. Cummings, in charge
of the epidemiology division of the
District of Columbia Health De-
partment. said.
There have been 36 cases report
ed this year. Is in August, 6 so far
In September and 5 prior to Aug
ust /, he said. The situation is not
serious when one considers Wash
ingtons population growth, DR..
Cummings declared,
DR.. Byers said II cases Of polio
myelitis have been reported IN
Prince Georges County, since
Thursday, l of them being In Laurel
and 2 in Hyattsville.
Arlington County Wa0 schools
will open tomorrow, and those in
Alexandria, Va. opened Wednesday
and will resume meeting tomorrow.
The disease has barely touched
the Virginia areas.
Five Cases in Montgomery.
A conference was held in Rock
vile. Md. yesterday by DR.. V. l.:
Elicott, health officer, and School
Supt. Edwin w. Broome. and it was
agreed that the five cases OF lnfan-
tile paralysis so far reported IN
MONTGOMERY County were not Sc
rious enough to delay tomorrow's
school opening.
DR.. Elicott said the county has
the same infantile paralysis rate
as the State as a whole, and open
ing of schools should be an aoVan,
tage rather than risk IN controi
of the disease, because the children
could be more closely supervised.
This was included in the reasons
Or. Byers gave as opposing the post
ponement of the opening OF Laurei
schools. when he spoke at yester-
days mass meeting.
The citizens of Laurel, however.
named a committee to appear before
the Mavor and Town Council to-
morrow night to ask for proclama-
ton of a general quarantine Tor all
children of Is years of age or young
er to prohibit them from congregat-
Ing in public places.
Appeal for Cooperation.
Both health officers appealed 10
parents and teachers for co-opera-
ton in reporting symptoms of the
disease, such as slight fever, pain,
sore throat, appearance of head
cold fatigue and irritability.
Parents were urged to call their
family physicians at the earliest
moment the disease is suspected.
Children should be isolated as much
as possible from groups Of adults
who might be carriers of the disease.
Last year, physicians reported
e,795 cases and 1,026 deaths from
infantile paralysis. or about eight
deaths per 100000 population of
the United States, the Census Bu-
reau said Though the 1910 figures
represented a 80 per cent increase
over the 1889 totals, they were far
short of the all-time high of 27 1863
cases and 7,130 deaths recorded in
1886. New York City alone reported
2,407 deaths that year-double the
entire national total for 1910.
According to estimates of the Gen.
sus Bureau, for every person fatally
stricken with infantile paralysis this
year, Is will be killed in motor ac-
cidents. Ordinarily, the disease
causes fewer deaths than either
typhoid fever, whooping cough,