Evening star., 1944-10-26
Children S Hospital
Bans Throat Surgery
Again, Due 10 Polio

The continued persistence of in
fantile paralysis in the Metropolitan
Area, and the presence of nearly 100
poliomyelitis patients in its wards,
has caused Children's Hospital to
resume its ban on tonsillectomies.
Some emergency tonsil operations
had been performed there recently,
it was learned from officials, but yes
terday the ban was imposed again.
throughout the summer, the institu-
ton had prohibited tonsillectomies
because of the danger of polio to
convalescent patients. The policy
generally was adopted by hospitals
and surgeons throughout the city.
Health Officer George c. Rutland
in a letter dated October 10, sug-
gested that because of the pro
gressive decline" in the disease,
tonsillectomies and other respira-
tory operations might begin again
on October 20, provided there was
no severe epidemic of acute respira-
tory diseases" at the time.
Episcopal to Continue Operations.
Episcopal Ear, Eye and Throat
Hospital resumed such operations
Monday and will continue them, ac-
cording to DR.. E. G. Breeding, chief
surgeon. He pointed out that there
were no polio cases as Episcopal, and
that the staff saw no reason for con-
tinuing the ban.
The number of cases in the Metro
politan Area reported to the Health
Department since July today stood
at 1923, of which 1877 originated in
the District.
There have been IA deaths. of
which the most recent was Ken
meth Stine, q, colored, of 2214
Nicholson street Sc. Deaths of
persons over 20 this year have been
greater than in outbreaks in the
past, according to DR.. Carl C. Dauer
OF the Heath Department.
The action by Children's Hos
pital preceded symposium on
poliomyelitis by the Medical Society
last night, when the dangers of
polio following tonsillectomies dur
ing an epidemic were stressed by
the two principal speakers. They
were Dr. Howard A. Howe of Johns
Hopkins University and DR.. John
A. Toomey of Cleveland City Hos
pital, acting director of pediatrics
at the university hospitals there.
Sister Kenny Method Contested.
DR.. Toomey contested Sister Eliza
beth Kenny's concept" of infantile
paralysis as an original infection
of the muscles and muscle sheath.
but declared: Il don't decry Sister
Kenny as an accomplished anat-
omist; we can certainly use some of
her methods, such as hot packs,
physical therapy and re-education
of the muscles" No one treatment
should be used for all cases, how
ever, he said.
DR.. Rutland spoke of his associ-
alton with Sister Kenny, whom he
introduced at a recent meeting in
the Medical Society auditorium
where she showed a motion picture
of her concept" of the disease. She
admitted she did not know the pa
thology of the disease, he said, but
her treatment has something def
nitely to the good" he added. He
repeated statement he made at
the Sister Kenny meeting that the
medical profession should examine
all things and retain what is good"
Treatment Is Reviewed.
DR.. Joseph S. Wall, DR.. P. A. Nc
Lendon and DR.. Richard H. Todd of
Children's Hospital reviewed the
treatment given there. Chairman
of the Polio Committee of the hos
pital, DR.. McLendon, said it was felt
there was good" in both the So
called orthodox treatment and in
the Sister Kenny method, so pa
tients had been given a little of
both" Sooner or later, extreme
differences of opinion on polio, he
thought, would "be brought to a
happy medium"
DR.. Val L. Ellicott, health officer
OF Montgomery County, expressed
appreciation for the care given chill
dren from that section at both Gal
linger and Children's Hospitals
Others who spoke included DR.. John
H. Mcleod of Children's Hospital,
DR.. William Ballinger, who pre-
sided; DR.. j. G. Cumming of the
Health Department and Wilmer j.
Waller, chairman of the District
Finance Committee, who presented
Treasury Department certificates to
several doctors who had taken ac-
tive part IN the Fifth War Loan
campaign.