The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-05-06
FACES ON
 INEANIILE PARALYSIS A l ]
Health Authorities Say No Cause for Alarm in
 Outbreak Here.

There is no cause for alarm about the four recent cases of infantile paralysis reported in Southeast Al aska, according to statement of Dr. Courtney Smith, Assistant Ter Commissioner of Health. <
 A report on the disease, issued today by pr. Smith, is as follows:
 "In view of the recent occurrence in Southeast Alaska of four cases of infantile paralysis, one of which re- suited m g. death, a review of the important features sof the disease, appears advisable. 4a
 .,aOf the four cases reported in the past two weeks, three occurred in children iii. the < community of Haines, one aged ? years, one 4 years, and one 6 years. while the fourth case, which occurred in ,,Ju- f1eau, was a man age 28 and this one resulted ir | fatality Tn the three chfldten ghe disease was sx- trerneiy mild, so fnild In fact that the attending physicihns were lhssi- tant to make b diagnosis in two of quite well and one the way sto com them. These childrei are at 'preSeht plete recovery, and acc6r ding to re- ports will not be left with any degree Of paralysis whatsoever, The case which occurred Tn Jtineau is oiie which occurs much less fre- quently in thht the respiratory nerve centers were Involved, while m 1ie more common cases the nervous system is involved only to the extent of causing some degree of paralysis to either the feet or hands. or tlie muscle groups of the legs or aims. {
 "There appears to be no reason for great alarm in the two com in which this disease has occurred, for in the history of the occurrence of fnfantile paralysis the ordinary Incidence win average about ten cases per hundred thou- sand population each year. Records of the Territorial Department of Health disclose that in the past eight years there have been about 27 known cases reported, which would average about three a year, which is less than the average in the States. One cannot lose sight of the fact. however, that there is always the Likelihood of a serious epidemic of infantile paralysis breaking out, and the Health De- partment physicians, hospitals and the public itself should be aware of such a possibility and be prepared to meet such an emergency. 's'
 About the disease itself 1.-the or ganism which Is thought to cause this disease is a specific virus. The source of the infection and the method by which it is transmitted from one person to another is through discharges from the nose and throat of infected persons and carriers. The virus enters the brain by way of the nerves which end in the nasal passages. The ineu- bation period is most commonly between seven and IA days, al- though there have been instances when cases will develop symptoms even up to three weeks after the contact with the infected person. The occurrence of secondary cases is an unusual feature of the di- sease in that very commonly a case will occur in family In which there are several children who have been in the closest sort of family contact all through the incubation period of the disease and often all through the entire period of sickness of the individu- al. and still no other eases occur In that family group
 Tt has also been noted in epi- demic occurrences of the disease in large cities, that one case may break out in one area of the city md the second case occurring will ,e in the very opposite portion of hat city, even miles away, an d with no possible history of a con act between the individuals coming tick. In the four cases which have occurred recently there has been no history of contacts between the in-. and no secondary cases known to have ,developed in the antilles of ahy of these persons. { Another interesting feature of he disease is that many people Ire known to have had ninfaritNe in mild form and in act so mild that the sillness was classified as a bad cold or a mild ,ase of inflaeHsA. These persons Ire fortunate in 'thas' following this infection no paralysis occurs and the individual so in- ected '1ias developed an immunity Q that any future contacts will lot cause disease to occur in this individual.
 "A few things to remember about paralysis are:
 '1. That infantile paralysis may ,e very mild disease and the pa