Evening star., 1944-07-27
Strict Controls
To Fight Polio
Here Advocated

uVu ~ NV VvO1VU
Disinfectine Buses,
Streeteors Among
Rutland Proposals
Stricter control of sanitation
IN restaurants and disinfectine
of handles and other contact
points" in buses and Streetcar:
were proposed today by District
Health Officer George C. Rub.
land among several new steps tt
help control the spread of in.
fantile paralysis in Washington
and the Metropolitan Area.
DR.. Rutland made his recon-,
mendations and opened up ths
whole question of efforts in thi.
area to check the northward spreac
of polio, at a conference of Fed.
eral, local and nearby area health
officers and officials.
Out of the closed meeting at the
New Municipal Building, it was ex-
pected that several specific steps
would emerge as part of a new pro-
gram to protect this area.
Infantile paralysis is about as un-
certain as a German flying bomb as
to where it will strike, according to
one of the conferees, Dr.. Charles
Armstrong, representing the United
States Public Health Service. The
epidemic of polio which is preceding
northward from North Carolina. DR.
Armstrong said, is creeping into
Virginia and the District of Colum-
bia but now is striking its heaviest
blows in Kentucky.
lad. C. Cases Reported.
The epidemic so far has shown
an increase of about 30 per cent
nationally over 1943, DR.. Armstrong
said. In the District. DR.. Ruhlano
told the conference, the disease has
increased from II cases during 1874;
to IA cases so far this year.
Science so far does not know how
the virus of infantile paralysis en-.
ters the human body, DR.. Armstrong
said in an interview prior to the
conference.
Asked if a quarantine OF all mem.
bers of family where the disease
has struck would be effective ir
preventing its spread, DR.. Arm.
strong said he thought 1t was tot
late now to inaugurate such {
system
The drug prostigmine, which Il
being used in Children's Hospita
on some cases. Is effective in relax.
ing the muscle spasm, DR.. Arm
strong said. but experience else
where indicated it cannot be con,
sidered a specific cure There is NJ
specific cure for infantile paralysi!
as yet. he said.
D. c. May Get Funds.
Possibility that Washington may
get some money from the Nationa
Foundation for Infantile ParalySi.
arose today as it was learned thai
representatives of the foundation:
District chapter were in attendance
at the conference, and a grant OF
funds had been awarded recently
to the State of Virginia.
Judge Fay Bentley Of Juvenile
Court represented the District chap
ter of the foundation in her capa-
city as chapter chairman, while 8
physician from the chapter at the
conference was DR.. Edward Larkin
The War Production Board vol
unteered to send representative ir
the person of DR.. Joseph B. Burt
chief of the Surgical and Accessory
Health Supplies Section, Office o1
Civilian Requirements, WPB. Health
officers were present from Mont.
gomery and Prince Georges Coun-
ties in Maryland, and from Airing.
ton County and the city of Alex
andria in Virginia. Doctors repre-
sented both the District Medica
Society and the Medico- Chirurgica
Society, the colored organiza ton.
The latest case reported in this
area is that of Warren C. Summers
of 1920 Osborn drive. Silver Spring
Md, who is at the Suburban Hos
pital, Bethesda His case is not
counted in the District figures since
ne is hospitalized outside of Wash
ington. His condition was said te
be satisfactory"
In Virginia efforts Of State health
officials in fighting the outbreak
were aided by fund of $27,5OO au.
thorized by Basil OConnor presi.
dent of the National Foundation fol
Infantile Paralysis.
Five New Cases Reported.
Five additional poliomyelitis cases
Yesterday and seven today brought
the Virginia total for the year tt
ia, or 108 cases since June |.
Three of the new cases were from
Roanoke City where a total of l:
have been reported. Eight case.
have been reported in Roanoke
County. Sixteen polio cases are
being cared for In the isolation ware
at the Roanoke Hospital where three
deaths have been reported to date
The life saving crew has six iror
lungs at its disposal.
One of the cases reported yester-
day came from Grayson County ane
the other from Botetourt County
DR.. H. H. Henderson, assistant direc.
tor OF the Bureau of Commune able
Diseases, said. Two of the Roanoke
victims were boys, aged 2 and IL
and the third was a 7-year-old girl
The case from Grayson County was
a 3-year-old boy.