The Wrangell sentinel., 1954-09-10
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERISCOPE
Polio
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Polio
 With three cases of infantile par alysls now reported at M'rangell Institute it becomes obvious that somebody in the ! erritorial Depart ment of Health and the Alaska Ma tlye Service missed the boat, as the saying goes, in handling the cur rent polio problem in the infected areas of Westward Alaska. As re- suit the residents of the Wrangekl area and perhaps all of Southeast Alaska become exposed to what might become a serious health men ace.
 Despite a vigorous protest by. Wrangeils local health officer, Dr. John 0. Bangeman, children were transported from the infected area of Seward to Wrangen Institute. The first case at the Institute was a youngster from Seward.
 For weeks there had been polio cases in the Westward. Seward wasI reported to have some 50-odd. And chorage's toll was 93 at last rel port and several had been reported in Palmer. This was known to the general public and certainly it would be to the health officers long before it was necessary to transport children to Wrangell Institute for the fall school term.
 Why precautionary steps were not taken to isolate the disease in the areas which unfortunately had be- come infected is one of those $64 questions that uneasy parents of children in this area are naturally asking.
 IL is true that since the disease was discovered at the Institute ac- tion has been taken 10 stop further transfers from infected areas until such time as the situation has been cleared up.
 Why it wasn't done in the first place. or until it was too late, is one of those mysteries that probab- ly only Dr. c. Earl Albrecht. Terri torial Commissioner of Health, and William Olson. Director of the AL aska Native Service. can explain.
 Being something of a professional incompetent, having been so declar- ed by Harry Truman, it strikes us that it might be well for Earl and Bill to look up the word and see if it applies to the obvious misman- agement of the polio problem in the Westward.
 Politics
 While polio dominates the cur rent scene in some Alaska areas, | politics was breaking out all overi the place. The first was a serious matter. The latter could be unless the voters use their customary acu- men a.lu select qualified candidates at the forthcoming election on Oc- tober 12
 Among the first candidates to swing through Wrangell was Dora NJ. Sweeney of Juneau this week. a House candidate on the Democratic ticket Dora was putting up post CTS, passing out cards and. as she put it, going up this side of the street and down the other" Her slogan was vote for a winner Oo- tober 12." Glancing over the prim- ary vote. one could conclude that Mrs. Sweeney might have a point there.
 Actually, Dora wasn't the very first candidate to show around. Rep. Fred Eastaugh of Juneau, seeking reelection on the RepubH- can ticket. was in town recently, but, of course, he was conducting al legislative hearing and not primar- fly campaigning as the boys and girls know it. Then, too, there was Bob Ellis of Ketchikan. Democratic candidate for Senator. Bob, who is really suburban resident of Wran- gell, was looking over ..those geese" Of his well known Ellis Air Line. To say he was overlooking the occasional mention of his candidacy would he pure exaggeration.
 But the word first" should ap- ply to the Senator at Wrangell's hub corner - Jim Nolan, who, for tunately, Is with us all the time, and virtually never campaigning too busy disbursing drugs and dia- peTs at his drug store and Den c Swee g. The Senator is a candidate for reelection on, as ever, the the Democratic - Jefferson, Jack son and Nolan - ticket.
 New Address
 Starting next week. all mail can be addressed to this reporter at 'mOo9c haven, somewhere on the Stikile.'
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