Milford chronicle., 1949-10-14
THE NATIONAL PoLIO PICTURE

Up to the first of October, 49, IA cases
of poliOmyelitis had been reported through
out the United States this year. Last year
there were 27,908, then a record. This years
epidemic is therefore the worst the country
has ever known. By the end of the year the
number of cases probably will reach 10000.
For the first time since July 80 there have
been fewer than 1000 new cases a week. The
epidemic is therefore waning. Despite such
statistics, polio is not a common disease. If
1t frightens every mother, it is because it is
popularity called "infantile paralysis" Adults
may be stricken as well as children. 1t is
also supposed that polio invariably cripples.
Yet thousands have contracted it and never
knew it. For every recognized case there are
at least a hundred cases that are not recog-
niZed. Why should polio flare up in summer
and die down in the cool months? Nobody
knows. But even in dead of winter the virus
may strike. 1t has been kept at freezing tenn
perature for months without loss of potency.
Flies, and insects in general may be the trans
mitters of the virus. Yet the evidence that
flies carry the virus directly to human beings
is none too strong. That flies cOntaminate
dishes and food with the virus is highly prob
able. Moist heat, massage, early gentle eX-
erclse are the only means of restoring pO-
tential polio cripples to normal life and of
helping the stricken to adjust themselves to
their handicap. Sister Kenny developed these
old procedures. She has done much good, but
doctors do not accept her explanation of why
she succeeds. In her opinion polio is primar-
ily9agGisease of the nluseleg beeause:it affects
only the peripheral muscles, but the doctors
say that brain and spinal cord are damaged
and that autOpSieS prove it. There is no ques-
tiOn that polio is a disease of the central ner-
Vous SYSTEM Polio is caused by virus. How
the Virus infectS is only partially known.
Years ago it was demonstrated that it enters
the body by way of the nose, travels along the
olfactory nerves and so reaches those parts
of the brain and central nervous system that
control the muscles. Because it has been
found in sewage it is certain that it can enter
the body with food that we eat. The most
serious form of polio is called "bulbar polio
myelitis' because it damages the bulb at the
base of the brain. Bulbar pOliOmyelitis ac-
counts for most of the deaths. About six
cases out of hundred are of the bulbar type
There is not just one polio virus, but many
polio viruses. For this reason it is difficult
to prepare a vaccine which will protect chill
dren and adults against at least three types
of virus that are known to attack man. Mon
keys can be immunized by vaccine prepared
from one human type of ViruS-but only one.
A few drugs have been discovered that will
protect monkeys against polio, but none that
will protect man. Now that DIR. John F.
Enders of Harvard has discovered a way of
cultivating a pOlia virus in test tubes the
prospect of developing vaccine which can
be used with good effect in epidemics is
brighter than ever. Eventually some method
of controlling the disease will be discovered,
but for the present mothers must watch their
children for any early symptoms.