Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-12-28
Polio Drug ALLEGATION
Is Causing Headaches
lin Medical Circles
By John McKeIwoy


Gamma globulin, tested and
found to be the best temporary
preventative of paralytic polio. to-
day is causing headaches" in
medical circles.
The headaches stem from the
difficult, emotion-packed problem
of gamma globulin's ALLEGATION
this summer-where, when and to
who nit will be given.
A flock of agencies are wrestling
with the problem. Meeting from
time to time under sponsorship of
the Office of Defense Mobilization
have been drug manufacturers,
the Red Cross, the Polio Founda-
ton, United States Public Health
Service and the National Research
Council.
It was learned yesterday that q
subcommittee of the Committee on
Health Resources probably will be
established to tackle the job of
allocating gamma globulin. It
would be under auspices of the
Office Of Defense Mobilization be-
cause of the scarce" and public
property" aspects of the blood
fraction.
Formidable Undertaking.
The Red Cross recently accepted
the job of collecting gamma
|globulin at the request Of the
Office of Defense Mobilization. It
has described the job as a "for-
|midable" undertaking since no
large quantities Of gamma globulin
are available.
The total processing facilities
OF the Nation are limited, a Red
Cross official said, but manufac-
turers have been asked to work
at full capacity to stockpile the
fluid. It has been estimated that
about one pint of blood is used
in the average dose of gamma
globulin in the treatment of polio.
E. Roland Hartman, president
Of the American Red Cross, has
announced that, Estimates based
on past experience indicate that
polio may strike in epidemic pro-
portion in at least $50 counties
next summer" If so, he pre-
dicted, at least 2 million children
may be exposed to the disease.
Since gamma globulin is also
needed for the modification of
measles and in the prevention of
infectious hepatitis," Mr.. Harri-
man said, there will be of ne
cesSity a shortage of the serum at
the height of the polio season."
Fights Paralytic Effects.
Gamma globulin in tests con-
Quoted on $1,000 children this
summer in three States was said
to be effective only against the
paralytic effects of polio. The "ef-
fectiveness" lasted only four to
five weeks. There was no lasting"
effect as found in vaccines against
other diseases.
Gamma globulin, up to this
time, has been available. Its use
has been extensive in the treat
ment of measles and hepatitis.
Whether its use in polio will cut
the present supply of gamma
globulin for its use in these
diseases is still another aspect of
the problem.
There still is much to be learned
about the spread of the strange
crippler. And a knotty problem
the ALLEGATION board" will have
to deal with is where to concen-
trate the supply of gamma globu-
lin on hand since it is only effec-
tive before the disease strikes.
"The more you talk about this
thing" one doctor said, "the worse
it gets"
One manufacturer of gamma
globulin said it would take at
least 10 months to double his
plants normal output.
Questioned at a recent meeting
on gamma globulin, he said it
would be bad business risk be-
cause long lasting vaccine for
polio might be developed any time
and knock out the increased
market for gamma globulin.
Yet. the manufacturer added, his
firm and others would have to-
double their plant capacity to fur
nish enough gamma globulin for
polio treatment.
DR.. Sam Gibson, associate di-
rector of the Red Cross blood pro-
gram. said he believes the Red
Cross could furnish enough gamma
globulin for the minimum" needs
OF the country so long as it is
wisely doled out.