Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-08-22
TONSu OPERATION
DANGEROUS WHEN
PARALYSIS NEAR
posrPONE OFERATION Is VAIN.
ING ISSUED BY LIE M
suRANCI COMPANY

ING ISSUED BY LIE M
sURANCE COMPANY
Don't have your youngsters toosils
..ken out when there IS infantale
n.ralysis around-hes two to -four
ttmes As likely TO catch It aftef
r,crnt tonstllectomy. according to .
-.Jnins issued By the medical depart
n,cnt Of Northwestern National Lie
Insurance O..
records of many hundreds Of cases
Of polio treated In hospitals IN such
crnters as Toronto and Boston, show =
much higher frequency Of the 'brlbAr.
or deadler form Of polio, and q much
higher fatality rate, among patients
Mo had had their tonsils removed,
the report points out.
Peak in August
The open season for infantile paral-
ysis outbreaks extends from June to
November, with the peak number Of
cases usually reached In August.
Therefore the rather common parental
policy of having the children's tonsils
out In August, so as to be ready for
school," is risky If there are any
cases Of polio in the vicinity, the re-
stances the operation should be post
poned, unless the tonsils are so dis
eased or otherwise abnormal that the
need for immediate removal IS urgent.
In general. such comparative rec
ords as are available indicate a high
er susceptibility to infantile paralysis
among children without their tonshs,
than among those with tonsils intact,
the report states, which suggests that
tonsils have definite protective rune.
ton. and should not be removed Just
on the principle that the child will
be better off without them"-but
should only be removed II actually dis
eased or otherwise abnormal and there
fore handicap to health.
Children two years old are the age
group most frequently stricken by In
fantile paralysis, the report states.
Susceptibility to polio infection drops
off sharply above four years Of age.
However, some adults are stricken In
every epidemic.
Contrary to popular belief, infantile
paralysis Is not essentially a disease
Of congested city areas. In the 1887
epidemic In Ontario. Canada, cases
were widely distributed In rural areas
as well as in Toronto. In the 1910
1912 epidemic in Sweden. there were
more cases Of polio" per thousand
Of population In the rural districts
than In the cities. So taking the chill
dren to the country for the summer
Is far from sure safeguard against
tnfantile paralysis.
Epidemics Vary
Different epidemics vary tremen-
dously in the proportion Of severe
eases The bulbar type Of polio" Is
the most dangerous, because paralysis
Of the breathing apparatus often re-
suits. It is the bulbar type to which
greater susceptibility Is shown by re-
cent tonsillectomy cases.
OF 41s cases Of tnfantile paralysis
recorded in infants and children's
hospitals In Boston, pit were spinal
cases and 131 were bulbar cases. Only
tx percent Of the spinal polio cases
had had tonsillectomies within 30
days preceding their attack, but Is
percent of the bulbar cases had had
tonsillectomies within 20 days prior
to the onset Of their polio symptoms.
From 7 to 10 days is the commonly
accepted incubation period for infan-
tile paralysis.
Records of several hundred cases In
the Toronto epidemic Of 1887 show
that the bulbar type Of polio was
approximately "a times as frequent
among patients whose tonsils had been
removed, as among those who still had
their tonsils. The death rate was four
times as high among the group whose
tonsils had been removed some time
in the past.
Although much IS still to be learned
about infantile paralysis, 1t Is def
initely known to be q virus form Of
infection. Polio infection most fire.
quently occurs, medical science be-
ueves, through the respiratory tract,
although there is now considerable
evidence that it can also be trans
mitted by food or drink
Symptoms Of Polio
Symptoms Of an attack Of polio"
commonly include headache, vomiting,
pains In limbs, and rising temperature.
However, these symptoms are not al
ways present, and furthermore these
particular symptoms do not necessar-
ily mean polio; therefore, the only
safe rule is to call physician prompt
" II the child becomes III. II the
physician suspects polio, he IS likely
to recommend that the spinal fluid be
examined to make sure. This Is
simple procedure In competent hands
and Is highly desirable safety meas
ue; prompt cooperation Of parents
With the physician can make a great
difference tn the child's chances for
complete recovery, the report suggests.
Modern methods Of treatment, In
cfudtnR hvdrOtherapy and MASSAGE
are getting complete cures in numer-
Gus cases. and q steady advance IN
understanding Of this disease suggests
that It may soon be brought under
control.
The vast majority Of polio cases are
treated at home, although severe cases
are best treated at . hospital. Strict
isolation Of the patient IS recommend
Cd because factors controlling the
Transmission Of the infection to others
are sttu 20 little known.
AZ complete rest d absolutely essen
tai, the patient should be kent in bed