Evening star., 1951-11-30

Accepfed Remedies,
Improved Treatments
To Get More Publicity
Persons who deal in public
health ought to make sure the
public knows about any good
for mans ailments and at
the same time caution against
treatments, the Asso-
citation Of State and Territorial
Health Officers decided yesterday.
In one action, the group urged
the Public Health Service to clear
up the confusion existing over the
relationship between medicinal in
jections and infantile paralysis.
The association declared that
there is no existing scientific proof
Of the value of injections in pre-
venting polio, but added that the
procedure "is worthy Of further
study" and recommended inten-
sified research.
Public Should Be Told.
However, the group warned, the
public should be told just what
the status is in that field well in
advance of tthe next polio season.
In another action recognizing
the value of proved remedies, the
group voted to urge it's members
to conduct more intensive pro-
motional and educational pro-
grams designed to bring the
benefits of water f1uoridation to
all communities as soon as pos
sible" to curb tooth decay.
The associations four-day con-
vention ended yesterday afternoon
at the Federal Security Agency.
In a series of recommendations,
the association urged: The Pub
lie Health Service to continue its
watch on malaria cases and it's
control program; pointed out that
some returning Korean veterans
have this disease and may trans
NIT it to the civilian population,
if mosquitoes that bite these vic
TINS later bite non-infected per-
sons.
Prevention Treatment Given.
The conference was told by 1t.
Col. Donald S. Myers OF the Army
Surgeon Generals Office that serv-
icemen returning from Korea re-
ceive preventive treatment for
malaria. He said there probably
is a greater number of cases Of
incipient malaria, where the dis
ease has not yet developed, than
there are clinical cases.
DR.. Justin Andrews of the
Public Services Communicable
Disease Center at Atlanta, Ca,
declared that the bulk of the new
cases OF malaria have a strain
similar to the Dutch" type,
which takes as high as 800 days
to develop. compared with l3 days
for the usual type. Several hun
dred Korean veterans have the
disease, but some seek relief from
private physicians after they
have been released from the serv-
ice, he explained.
Malaria cases should be re-
ported promptly and given ade-
quate medical treatment, he said.
DR.. Andrews recalled that $50
million has been spent on malaria
control in recent years by the
States and the Federal Govern
ment jointly. Accordingly, he
pointed out. the Nation has been
comparatively free of malaria and
said it would be disastrous to
have it reinfected, due to the Ko-
rean returnees.
New Drugs Promising.
DR.. G. R. Coatney of the Ma
tional Institute of Health, Bethes-
da. Md, said the use of the new
drugs primaquin and pamaquin
offer hope that very high per-
centage of malaria cases will be
cured. He said experiments are
under way with various drugs to
attack the malaria problem. He
cautioned that cases must be fol-
lowed up to see if the cure is
permanent.
DR.. Leonard A. Scheele. surgeon
general of the Public Health
Service, told the conference that
action by the National Production
Authority in making new alloca-
t1ons of metals makes possible
many new starts on hospital con-
struction.
In other actions the associatio,
urged the Public Health Service
and other interested groups to
study improved methods to i'm
munize adults against diphtheria:
pointed up the need for poultry
ana rabbit inspections to curb dis
ease; advocated that studies be
carried out to determine the most
efficient method to treat garbage
used to feed swine to keep down
disease in the animals; urged that
the Children's Bureau intensity
efforts to aid State agencies in de-
veloping health programs for day
care OF children whose mothers
have to work; that added work be
done to improve care of the aged
and that the needs for meeting the
serious shortage Of hospital beds
be recognized