Evening star., 1944-08-27
Paralysis Cases
In Metropolitan
Area Reach 127
Washington Girl, 10,
And Two Maryland
Children Stricken

AuCC uIOIc cases OF l0la0Llle
paralysis reported yesterday to the
Health Department raised to lat
the number In the Metropolitan
area since July /. Seventy -eight
cases are from the District and -
from nearby communities.
Most recently diagnosed. cases
were q 13-month-old child from Sill
yer Spring, q 2-year-old boy from
Hyattsville, both at Children's Hos
pital, and q 10-year-old girl from
the Southwest section of the city at
Gallinger Hospital.
Children's Hospital announced
yesterday that private families had
donated three more Emerson ma
chines~ increasing the number at
the hospital to five. The Emerson
machine Is device used for steam
ing and wringing out hot woolen
cloths used in the Kenney treat
ment Of infantle paralysis.
John j. Anderson, assistant super
intendent, expressed the deep ap-
probation" of hospital authorities
for the response to the appeal for
the machines.
Nurses Urgently Needed.
To relieve the overworked stats
at Gallinger and Children's Hos
pitals the District Red Cross Nurse
Recruitment Service has issued an
urgent appeal for Is registered
nurses to help care for polio vic
Tins in the District. A special ope-
rator will be on the Red Cross
switchboard today Republic
8300-to receive calls from recruits.
A Red Cross spokesman said yes
terday the response to a similar ap-
peal made last Sunday had been
very Disappointing" The Red
Cross pointed out in making the
new appeal that the polio epidemic
is becoming increasingly serious in
Washington. and the services of
trained nurses are desperately
needed during this emergency"
Reports persisted last night that
Sister Elizabeth Kenny. founder of
the Kenny method of treating pa
ralysis patients with the hot-pack
and muscular manipulation system,
may visit Washington soon.
Information reached DR.. George
c. Rutland, District health officer,
that she had planned to come to
the Capital yesterday. but was de-
layed by lack of travel priorities.
8 New Cases in Virginia.
An Associated Press dispatch re-
ported eight new cases of polio in
Virginia yesterday. Among them
was a 5-month-old baby girl in the
city Of Roanoke, probably the
States youngest patient during the
present outbreak.
The new victims brought the
state total to 335, with 202 reported
this month. Sixty-four of Virgin
las 100 counties have been hit since
June !. e
Opening Of Martinsville and Hen
ry County public schools, set for
September S and 6, have been de-
ferred until September 18, it was
announced yesterday.
Schools in Alexandria and Airing
ton and Fairfax Counties in Virginia
and in Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties, Maryland, how
ever, will open on schedule, officials
said.
Virginia health officials said the
decreased number Of cases within
the past few days was no indica-
ton that the sweep of the disease
Is decreasing. The sudden cool
weather may be credited with be-
ing responsible in part for the
smaller number of cases reported,
however, they said.
In Roanoke authorities have in
augurated system to prevent chill
dren from playing in large groups.
Two policewomen are assigned to
maintain personal contact with chill
dren and discourage them from con-
gregating on the streets, passenger
stations and other places.