The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1949-04-26
No Polio Outbreak
Here, George Allen
Warren Declares
Nervousness n n d
apprehension On
Part Of Public
Only One Case
OF Polio Now In
Key Wesl; Need OF
Trained Nurse Seen

The recent single case of polio
in Key West has created some
nervousness and apprehension,
and threre is no foundation for
the alarm that one case has set up.
George Allen Warren, acting
director of the Monroe County
Health Clinic, made this state
ment today regarding the rumors
of an outbreak of many numbers
of polio cases.
Il have talked with doctors and
to the Monroe County, Hospital
heads, and they agree with me
In saying that there is no foun-
dation in fact for reports of a
large number of polio cases in
Key West, said Warren.
Key West is well supplied
with able physicians and has
rood hospitals. The heads of our
Polio Foundation are well known
for 1ntiring energy and sincere
efforts.
1.-THE Monroe County Health
Clinic is well filled with guidance
booklets. necessary information
and assistance However, this
emergency has shown very clear
" that the advice of the Nation
al Foundation FOR Public Health
Nursing and Joint Orthopedic
Nursing Advisory Service should
he taken into consideration inn
mediately
Quoting from this service:
1.-The extensive outbreaks of
poliomyelitis during the past few
years have demonstrated the
need for nurses prepared to teach
and to garry out new and COM
pick types of treatment. 1t is not
possible or necessary for every
nurse in the community to have
postgraduate course in this
field of nursing. However, every
community should have at least
one hospital and one public
health nurse with preparation
which will enable them to assume
leadership in teaching other
nurses. Hospital head nurses and
supervisors are best prepared
for this service if they have COM
pleted a university program of
study in orthopedic nursing
which includes supervised clint
cal practice in the care of large
numbers of poliomyelitis patients
in all stages of the disease.
Key West recently had
short course for volunteers.
Again we offer a quotation from
the same source:
Preparation for professional
nurses in care of poliomyelitis
patients should. of course, al
ways precede the training of
volunteers in any community"
This is obvious and the only
thing that was lacking in our
community was professional
nurse for polio cases. We should
have permanently a professional
nurse trained in the case of po-
Ito, and who will be able to teach
and to take charge in any future
emergency"
Warren also revealed that the
Polio Foundation has reemploy
ed Mrs. E. G.. Olgerd, physiothe-
rapist, formerly with the Hospit-
al for Special Surgery, New York
for IS years.
an the meantime. we were
lucky to be able to secure the
services Of a former nurse and Il
very busy mother herself, Mrs.
Kay Anderson, who took over
the polio case at County Hospital
and thus relieved the tension.
said Warren. .......
we hope Key West may soon
have a trained nurse. and several
experienced volunteers"
DR.. William J. Peoples, La
Grange, Georgia, who was re-
Gently appointed director of the
Monroe County Health Clinic. Is
expected to arrive here May or