Evening star., 1944-08-24
Nine NewCas
OF PoIio.Listed
In 24.Hours
1otoI in District, ll3;
Officials Declare Rise
No Cause for Alarm

Nine new cases of infantile
paralysis developed in the last
"a hours, according to the Health
Department, bringing the total
number of cases since July / to
lib, a record for the Metropoli-
tap Area.
OF the nine cases, six were from
nearby counties, and three were
from Washington. Four were taken
to Gallinger Hospital and five to
Children's Hospital.
The cases originating within tho
city reached 10 while the nearby
cases brought here totaled 43.
Nmety-nine additional beds were
set up in Gallinger Hospital to take
care of victims from the Metropoli-
tan Area. This was done to relieve
the overtaxed facilities at Chill
dren's Hospital which until now
has cared only for polio cases from
outside the District. Previously Gall
linger cared only for District
patients.
Officials Not Alarmed.
Health Department officials con-
tinued to take the position that this
was not alarming" No plans were
made for postponing the opening
OF schools nor to close swimming
pools.
One swimming pool in the city
at Columbia Country Club-closed
today. Officials insisted the action
was taken due to a shortage Of
chlorine and not because of poliomy-
elitis.
The public pools of the city are
open, Recreation Department ofi-
cials said. Additional chlorine Is
used in the water, it was empha-
sized, to give added protection.
There has been some drop in at.
tendance at pools.
Wide difference of opinion still
appears to exist in medical circles
on precautions to be taken against
polio.
No Way to Stop Spread.
Attempts to stop the spread of
the virus by closing places where
people congregate have been
uniformly unsuccessful" declares
the latest bulletin from the Ma
tional Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis which reached the Dis
trict Chapter today The resulting
disturbance to community life is a
disadvantage. Today there is no
way by which the spread of infantile
paralysis can be completely stopped"
The National Foundation for In
fantile paralysis says do not swim
In polluted water" A group of doc
tors at Childrens Hospital recently
warned against swimming in public
pools.
The doctors at Childrens Hospital
continue to advocate boiling drinking
water for children. But the Health
Department insists the city water
supply is safe.
There is no difference of opinion,
however, that among the necessary
precautions are avoidance of fatigue,
and observance of strict personal
cleanliness. especially in recon-
mending frequent washing of the
hands.
Virginia Has 81 Cases.
Polio cases in Virginia have
reached 311, according to the State
Health Department at Richmond.
No plans have been made to post
pone opening of Virginia schools,
according to DR.. I. C. Riggin, State
health commissioner.
In Maryland health authorities in.
sisted the outbreak was not yet an
epidemic. Baltimore city has "a
cases so far this month, bringing
the total for the year to 46, of which
6 have, been fatalities.
Eighteen cases have been reported
in Baltimore County since January
l, and there have been four deaths.
Anne Arundel County reported 10
cases since August /, bringing the
total to 18 since JULY /.