Evening star., 1953-11-09
By the Assoeiated Pres.


ATLANTA, Nov. Gamma
globulin, first used widely last |
summer in an attempt to ward
off the crippling effects OF
polio, may actually have pre-
vented some persons from de-
veloping paralytic polio at all.
Some scientists working on a
Nationwide survey to measure
the effectiveness of gamma
globulin think as many as 800 |
cases may have been pre-
vented-but they don't expect to
be able to prove it.
However, said DR.. Alexander
d. Langmuir, one of the key
specialists in the survey:
I'VE confidently expect that |
the survey will give the first con-
elusive answer to the question |
whether or not gamma globulin,
If given in the week just before |
a person comes down with
paralytic attack of polio, actual |
ly modif1es the paralysis"
If it were established that |
gamma globulin can prevent |
Gripping, he said, "it would be
extremely important from the
public health standpoint-almost
as important, in fact, as actual
ly preventing paralytic polio"
Hopes for Other Findings.
The Public Health Services
communicable disease center in
Atlanta, headquarters of the
evaluation work, hopes for other
important findings also when in
formation is collected about
gamma globulin injections given
$4,000 children in % epidemic
areas.
DR.. Langmuir said the survey
is expected to:
|. Point to leads that might
suggest improved methods for
predicting polio epidemics in
specific areas.
2. Provide some indication
whether it is possible Ito set up
program of mass immunization
with gamma globulin in a given
epidemic area in time to be eff
fective."
3. Determine the value of CIV
ing gamma gIobulin to house
hold and other contacts of es-
tablished polio cases.
4. Provide guidance in allo-
eating and distributing gamma
globulin for various uses.
5. Furnish the largest body of
consistently collected, standard
ized records ever obtained on
polio-data which may help us
in a better understanding of the
disease in general
Some of Handicaps.
Some OF the handicaps SCI
entistS face in drawing con-
clusions about gamma globulins
performance during this years
polio season, DR.. Langmuir said
in an interview, are:
/. Necessarily, the blood der
iivative was used under field
circumstances rather than the
carefully controlled laboratory
conditions which prevailed when
its value was first discovered.
2. The disease itself behaves
so unpredictably it is hard to tell
whether a dip in the number
of cases, recorded during the
season. might not have occurred
anyway.
Last April and May at the be-,
ginning of the polio season,
weekly totals were running
ahead of comparable weeks in
1952-and because 1852 was a
record year, some health officials
voiced concern. But, during June
and July, the weekly totals were
running about equal to last
years, thereafter they rapidly
fell below. The peak of this
years outbreak was reached in
mid-AuguSt, about a month ear
ller than in 1852.
At the time of the peak this
year there had been a total of
1878 cases, compared with 49,
$50 through mid-August in 1852.
Latest available figures show a
total of 30,730 cases as of Oc-
tober 81, compared with 50,249
for that span in 1852.
Patterns to Be Compared.
The pattern of epidemics in
which gamma globulin was used
will be compared with those of
earlier years in the same area,
Dr.. Langmuir said,
He cited another possible in
dication-in general, where mass
shots of gamma glObulin were
administered to young children,
subsequent cases developed in
greater proportion among older
persons-but he said such
Shift had occasionally been go
served during epidemics before
the days of gamma globulin.
Here's how the researchers ex-
pect tC get conclusive evidence
o" whether gamma globulin ac-
tually lessons a paralytic attack:
Experts on evaluating the
power and functions of muscles
are studying number of people
who came down with a paralytic
attack within a week after re-
celvlng gamma globulin in mass
injection programs. These same
people are being examined so
days later to see if the paralysis
leSsened in the meantime.
These cases are then being
compared under similar cir