Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-11
Officials Warn
Of Polio Peril
In Potomac Here
Say Paralysis Virus
Turks in Streams
Fed by D. c. Sewage

Two District officials warned
today that the polio virus is pres
ent in Washington sewage and
in the polluted streams of the
area.
DR.. Daniel l.. Seckinger, Dis
trict health director, said the
polio virus first was found in
sewage in Charleston, S. c. He
said it definitely is present in
sewage of cities where cases are
prevalent.
DR.. Seckinger said raw sewage
bubbles into the Potomac near
Washington, and adjacent to a
yacht club. He said that where
contaminated water may come in
contact with human beings, there
is a definite health menace.
While authorities do not know
the exact relationship between
pollution and the spread of polio,
he said, they do consider pollu-
ton a danger.
Urges Treatment Speedup.
Harold A. Kemp, District direc-
tor OF sanitary engineering, also
warned that the virus is in Dis
trict sewage, and urged speed in
constructing adequate treatment
facilities in the Metropolitan
area.
Mr.. Kemp warned local govern
ing bodies that they should con-
slider the conditions serious.
Mr.. Kemp said that according
to articles appearing in the
American Journal of Public
Health. the polio virus is known
to be present in the sewers and
streams of localities where polio
Is prevalent.
Where the disease exists" he
sadi. I'VE know that the virus is
passed on into the sewers, and
thus into the streams"
Role Of Polluted Water.
Citing authorities on preventa-
tive medicine and hygiene, Mr..
Kemp said that while the prin-
cipal means of spread of the polio
virus is by personal contact, the
role of polluted water and flies
as carriers cannot be discounted.
He said that bananas that were
exposed to flies produced polio in
chimpanzees, but added that it Is
doubted that flies, under natural
conditions. constitute a threat Of
practical Importance.
However" Mr.. Kemp said, I'VE
must take every precaution and
do everything possible to clean up
our streams at more rapid rate"
Mr.. Kemp, a former commission
chairman. praised the organization
for its logical approach to pollu-
ton abatement. He said one fac
tor in the. commissions success
has been that it has not asked the
impossible.
1.-THE commission, Mr.. Kemp
said, has not expected munich
palities nor industry to do the i'm
possible in abating pollution. It
has gone along with them, urging
progress where progress can be
achieved"
Completion in 1860 Seen.
Mr.. Kemp said the District plant
will not be finally completed to
give total treatment before 1860.
He urged, therefore, that the
Virginia communities speed plans
for abatement facilities to take the
load off the Potomac River in the
Washington area until the District
plant is completed.
Following talks today by Ralph
E. Thurman, superintendent of the
District disposal plant, and Maui
rice LeBosquet of the Public
Health Service on domestic and
industrial waste treatment prob
lens. commission committees were
holding regular meetings this aft
ernoon. A reunion and dinner is
on the program for this evening.
To Receive Report.
Tomorrow the commission is ex-
pected to receive a preliminary re-
port from a committee set up to
study plans for treatment facilities
in the Washington Metropolitan
area.
The committee was instructed to
investigate the work in progress
in the area, and to report If pres
ent plans appear adequate and II
construction is progressing rapidly
to meet the dangers from
pollution.
The annual sessions will close
after State delegations have
members to the executive
committee, and the election Of
k~~S.