Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-01-14
Poliomyelitis AffIicts
Few Primitive People
Dreod Aiiment Apparently
Is q Disease Of Civilization
by Themos Z. Henry

The dreaded poliomyelitis appears 10
be essentially disease Of civilization.
There are no epidemics among prim-
tive peoples living under conditions Of
great Nth and suualor. 1t was reported
TO the International Polionyelitis Con-
ference In Rome last fan by DR.. j. n.
S. Gear Of johannesburg, South Africa.
He has studied the natural Occurrences
Of antibodies In the blood to the three
major known strains Of the polio virus
among South African Bantus. Alaskan
Eskifnos, natives of Guam, and other
national groups in various stages Of civ
ilization. These studies show that in
primitive, unsanitary communities all
three strains are common. But 80 per
cent of children under six are immune
to Type and most of them to Types
I and 2. There are no epidemics be-
cause nearly everybody acquires the
antihodieS In infancy. When the disease
occurs 1t Is apt to be very early In life,
before the immunity has been built up.
Immunity Comes Late.
In more advanced communities
throughout the world. according to the
report, sanitation reduces the natural
exposure to immunizing amounts Of
the virus and the age Of exposure and
acquired immunity is much later than
among primitive people. With large
numbers thus lacking early immunity,
epidemics that may strike many adults
are possible.
Even in the United States. however.
1t Is known that very considerable
immunity has been built up in the
blood of majority of adults and It
used to be said that almost everybody
has had polio" This meant that many
thousands had suffered slight attacks
perhaps only day or SO in duration
and mistaken for slight cold or some
equally innocuous ailment. Still such
an attack presumably conferred life
immunity against the same type Of
virus.
The eagle, symbol Of the United
States, also was the overall symbol Of
the Iroquois republic, the League Of
Six Nations in New York State, which
preceded 1t.
Each Of the six tribes was made up
of clans. Each clan had It's particular
totem animal. such as deer, wolf or
turtle. But above all these was the
eagle. totem animal Of the Iroquois
people as a whole.
This is revealed by DR.. william N.
Fenton. director of the New York State
Museum at Albany, in q report just
issued by the Smithsonian Institution.
The symbol of the Iroquois confed-
eracy. DR.. Fenton points out. was the
great tree Of peace" on the topmost
branch of which perched the symbolic
eagle, looking in all directions for ape
preaching foes. The symbolism was
extended to wearing an eagle feather
in the headdress of q warrior The
feather, like the eagle from which it
came, was supposed to look in all d.
rections.
Eagle Described.
Describing the position of eagles In
Iroquois mythology DR.. Fenton saysi
Even above the bald eagle is the dew
eagle None. or very few exceptionally
favored, has seen one of these super
natural creatures. The present-day
Senecas call them cloud dwellers' or
sthey of the vapors.'sgs ss sY@F sss
T "They are the greatest and highest
Of all the creatures OF the air. Dew
eagle collects pool Of dew In the hol-
low Of his back and when the rain.
brings fail in their duty Of watering
the earth he Tits his wings and the
mists descend to refresh the crops.
"He watches over the Iroquois and
In time Of great trouble descends to
earth. His wings will revive q person
who already has approached his grave.
He is so tremendous that his wings
obscure the sun and In landing his
talons plough great burrows in the
earth, leaving ravnes."