Evening star., 1944-09-11
Soldier, 80, Dies
Of Po|io; New
Cases Reported
Medical Experts
Oppose Victims Move
To Kenny Institute

A 30-year-old Army corporal died
OF infantile paralysis at Walter Reed
Hospital yesterday and eight new
cases developed in the Metropolitan
Area over the week end.
This brought the number Of
deaths In the area to 13, and the
number of cases to 205, since July l..
The latest death was that OF
Corp. Joseph r. Person, assigned to
the central dental laboratory at the
hospital. He lived at 844 jefferson
street NV. and is survived by his
mother. Mrs. Daisy D. Carpar, Dem
yer, Colo.
Seven Girls Stricken.
Seven new cases were admitted to
Childrens Hospital, and one to
Gallinger Hospital. The Children's
Hospital cases. all girls, included a
5-year-old and a 4-year- -old from
the northeast section, a 9-year -old
from Greenbelt, a 6-year-old from
Alexandria, 3-year-old and a g.
year-old from Arlington and a A.
year-old from the Alexandria area.
The Gallinger case was a 26-year-
old housewife from Greenbelt.
A plan to send several polio pa
tients from District hospitals to
the Kenny Institute at Minneapolis
met with opposition today from
doctors at the Health Department,
Gallinger and Children's Hospitals.
Facilities Believed Adequate.
Reporting that several doctors and
technicians in Washington had been
trained at Minneapolis in the meth
cd OF treating polio as evolved by
Sister Elizabeth Kenny, representa-
tives of the medical profession in
dioated they felt that the facilities
and treatment available here were
adequate.
DR.. George C. Rutland, District
health officer, emphasized that the
Health Department had authority
to prevent transfer of any cases still
under quarantine and would strong
ly urge that patients remain in the
city. He added that parents We're
entirely free to take or send their
convalescent children to Minneap-
oils provided they signed a state
ment releasing both the hospitals
and the Health Department from re-
sponsibility.
Referring to plan, understood to
be privately financed, for sending
many patients to Minneapolis, DR..
Rutland said. TT is not yerv prac-
tical."
Doctor Shortage Cited.
IT must emphajcally insist" he
said, that our practice regarding
infantile paralysis here is both
competent and adequate" DR.. Ruh-
land said the District was so short
Of doctors and nurses that he could
not think of sending any away from
the Health Department or District
institutions to accompany a group
Of patients going to the Kenny In
stitute.
Spokesmen for Gallinger and
Children's Hospitals joined DR.. Ruh-
land in emphasizing that treatment
here is adequate. DR.. Daniel L.
Seckinger, acting superintendent at
Gallinger, also emphasized that this
hospital was receiving great help
from the District Chapter of the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis.
DR.. P. A. McLendon, chairman of
the special committee on polio at
Children's Hospital said he felt the
suggestion to take patients out Of
Washington was IAN insult to the
local medical profession and local
facilities"
DR.. Lewis K Sweet, chief medical
officer in pediatrics at Gallinger
Hospital said he had been asked to
supply the names of patients capa-
BILE of making the trip, but he could
not recommend to any parent that
their children 60. Il can see no ad-
vantage of sending any of our pa
tients out to the Kenny Clinic" he
declared.