Evening star., 1944-07-14
; Maryland Victims
OF Polio in HospitaI;;
Fourth Case Feared
No Connection Seen
By RuhIond With
Epidemic in South

have been brought from nearby
Mary land to Children's Hospital
and 7-year-old colored boy from
Washington is under observation
there for possible infection, 1t was
revealed by Miss Matte Gibson,
hospital superintendent.
Meanwhile. the Public Health
Service reported there was a slight
increase in the number of polio
myelitis cases throughout the Ma
ton so far this year. with the. infec-
ton centering mostly in the South,
the Middle Atlantic and South Gen.
trail States.
The number of cases as reported
to the PHS rose from 1929 during
the period last year through July 8
to 1884 for the same period this
year.
Explaining the four children at
Children's Hospital here have been
isolated and given special care, Miss
Gibson said: 1--WE are preparing to
take care. of the situation here. If
there is any further trouble, in view
OF the fact that we are in the line of
travel from North Carolina, where
the disease seems to be centering."
I'VE have set up special isolation
protection" the hospital superin-
tendent said, 80 as not to endanger
any of the other little patients here,
or any other children who may
come to the institution"
Three Cases Definite.
The three cases diagnosed def
nitely as polio, and the one under
observation as a possible case, are
being given special care, according
to the resident physician in charge,
but none Of them has come to the
stage where the advanced treatment
is necessary.
The Sister Kenny treatment is
given 10 the cases when required,
he explained. This includes the use
of hot congresses, towels and blan-
kets and re-education of the mus
cles.
During the previous epidemic a
few years ago Childrens Hospital
took care of about 70 cases, Miss
Gibson recalled.
Last year polio centered in Texas,
California and Oklahoma, the Pub
lie Health Service said.
The best method of avoiding in
faction in areas where the disease
Is epidemic, the service added, is to
avoid unnecessary contacts such as
crowds and to beware of too-strenu-
Gus exercise and over-heating.
North Carolina Hardest Hit.
North Carolina was the State
hardest hit in the current outbreak.
with 29l cases reported by the State
Health Board >nce the beginning
Iof June. Emergency hospital CEN
ters have been set up, with more
than 100 volunteer Red Cross nurses
helping care for the victims.
In South Carolina, only four
active cases were reported at present
and only eight since January l..
-Four new cases in Kentucky
brought the, total there to 1873, with
three OF the new ones in jefferson
(Louisville) County.
Since the beginning of the year
Louisville has reported 70 cases, with
~ in New Orleans. The slight In
crease in the disease there was at
trlbuted by DR.. John M. whitney.
health department head, to a war
time population gain.
Florida reported l3 current polio
cases, with absolutely no cause for
alarm" the State Health Depart
ment said.
Georgia noted five cases SO far
this month, with six others during
June.
No Cause for Alarm.
After a conference of Health De-
partment officers this morning
Health Oficer George C. Rutland
said there appears to be no connec-
ton between the polio cases in the
Washington area and the outbreak
in North Carolina.
AT tnlS moment, there Is no cause
for apprehension, but we are watch
ing the situation carefully" DR..
Rutland declared.
The department said, for the in
formation of those contemplat ting
travelling southwark, that Virginia
cases are occurring in small num-
bers in the southern counties ad-
jacent to North Carolina. The out
break in North Carolina, the de-
partment said, is concentrated in
the west-central area of the State.
The department promised to keep
the public informed on the develop
ment Of any future polio cases in
this area, and pointed out that of
the six polio cases in District hos
pitals since January /, only two were
Of local origin and they occurred In
February.