Evening star., 1944-09-02
Clinic on Paralysis
Held by Sister Kenny
And Hospital Staffs


bers of Children's and Freedmen's &
Hospitals today as the Health De-
partment announced another case,
bringing the total in the Metropoli-
tan area since July l to 1853.
At tn. same time Children's Hos
pital authorities disclosed that a
new treatment involving ultraviolet
irradiation of the patients blood had
improved the condition Of four pa
tients perceptibly within "a to AZ
hours.
While the irradiation treatment is
not cure. DR.. Frederick G. Burke,
resident physician at Children's, said
today it has been found to help
children in acute stages of bulbar
infantile paralysis.
Affects Brain.
Bulbar infantile paralysis attacks
the lower rear portion of the brain
and affects the throat reflexes, he
said.
Administered by DR.. G. J. P. Bar
ger of the physical therapy section
at Georgetown University Hospital
the blood is withdrawn from the
patients arm through a needle and
tube, given an ultraviolet ray bath
to increase ability to fight off infec-
tion and returned to the vein
through the needle. Three of the
patients treated are doing remark
ably well' and one is among con-
valescents now at home, DR.. Burke
said.
Though little reserach has so far
been done on the treatment, Dr..
Burke said, results seemed to in
dicate 1t should be given further
trial
Arlington Boy Stricken.
The l58th case is an 8-year-old
boy from Arlington, diagnosed at
Children's Hospital. OF the total
cases in this area, 81 are from the
District and 81 from nearby COM
munities.
Following the conference with
doctors at Children's and Freed
mems, Sister Kenny is scheduled to
broadcast at 4:45 pm. over Station
VOL. After an open forum at s
pm. in the presidential room of the
Statler Hotel, she will broadcast
again with DR.. George c. Rutland,
District health officer, and DR.. R. c.
Williams. assistant surgeon general
of the United States, over Station
WWDC at 8:45 pm.
Yesterday Sister Kenny demon
strated her method before an over
flow crowd of doctors, internes and
nurses at Gallinger Hospital A
loudspeaker carried her voice to
crowd gathered outside the door.
Second Demonstration.
Sister Kenny demonstrated her
method again this morning to a
group OF doctors, nurses and medi-
cal students-many of them in uni
form-in packed conference room
at Children's Hospital. Afterward
she toured the wards with DR..
Joseph Wall. chief of staff, and DR..
Richard Codd, resident physician.
One patient at the demonstration
a 12-year-old boy, WINGED with pain
as Sister Kenny arched his back and
manipulated his legs. Afterward
she explained treatment of muscles
should not begin until after pain
has largely subsidized.
A doctor inquired If it is neces-
sary to roast" all polio cases with
hot packs. no matter what the de-
gree OF their paralysis. Sister Ken
ny replied that no patient need be
roasted at any time.
Running Fire of Comment.
As each patient was brought in.
Sister Kenny pointed out where
paralysis had struck and how she
would manipulate each portion of
the body "to free the muscles" She
also kept up running fire of COM
ment describing her years of
struggle for recognition and the
kicks in the face" administered to
her from time to time by the medi-
cal profession.
Recognition by doctors is neces-
sary because they are the only ones
qualified to carry out her theories,
she explained. This recognition has
been slowed by hastily formed opin-
ions of her methods as reported
widely in the press and medical
journals, she said Some day, she
concluded. doctors would regret that
they either ignored her method or
tried to combine it with existing
theories of complete rest and en-
casing the patient in splints. Her
method is not reconcilable with the
present most widely used medical
treatment. she said.
She is particularly opposed to
spllntS, she said, because they OBJ
literate' the patients memory of
how he used to walk and give him
the impression his leg is all one
piece instead of divided into sew
eral joints. The memory of move
ment should never be removed, she
said.
Speaking at a dinner in her
honor at the Statler Hotel. attended
ny physicians and others interested
in preventing paralysis. last night she
she told of her first encounted with
the disease in the bush country of
Australia. The nearest doctor was 100
miles away, she said, and her lack
OF training in the accepted treat
ment probably helped her hit upon
the new concept. Otherwise, she
said. she might have followed the
Old standard of putting the crippled
bodies in splints and braces.
Work in Minneapolis.
Her work in Minneapolis during
the last four years was suficient
evidence OF the effectiveness of the
system, she declared. A crippled
children's school there. with a nor
NAL enrolment of never less than
100 pupils and annual entry of 20
to 80 children, has had no enroll
ments since she took charge Of
treatments in that city, she said.
Lack Of pupils has closed two class
rooms and resulted in a reduction in
the faculty by two members.
Living proof Of the worthiness of
her method was offered last hight
at the Statler by Miss Betty Ire
CLOWN. 10. Of $500 @ street NV.
AHicc