Milford chronicle., 1955-12-30
Year Brings LifeSavers
To Children
RI AlIon D. RlakesIee
Associated Press Science Report


Associated Press Science RepOrtGy
Parents in 1855 received the
weapons to prevent polio and rheu-
matte fever-twO major killers and
cripplers of tEeir children.
The Salk polio vaccine worked
safely and effectively against par
aIytic polio. BY years end, it was
socially Judged so percent or more
effective in preventing paralytic
polio. even when children had re-
ceived only one shot. Authorities
Expressed confidence the full course
q three shots would shoot the per-
centage up much more.
This verdict was based upon
careful detective work to learn
exactly what happened last sum-
mer TO more than s million COM
/ pared with those not vaccinated
The detective work weeded out re-
gported" polio which later was found
to be some ether illness, pinned
down whether paralysis actually
resulted from polio illness.
The program stumbled and. sput-
1 tered over tragic misfortunes in
the spring. But safety standards
Immediately we're tightened, and
not since May had any vaccination
been associated with causing q
case of polio. Production problems
were solved which, experts pre-
dicted, would make an increasing
supply of vaccine available before
the 1856 polio season.
But equally or more important
was the weapon to conquer and
prevent rheumatic fever. This
disease undoubtedly had killed and
crippled more children than polio.
Polio attracted more attention
partly because il struck in terror
izing epidemics and left obvious
Gripping in its wake.
Rheumatic fever equally insidi-
Gus, brought sieges of fever, ach-
ing Joints and-too often and too
tragically damage to the valves
and muscle of the heart. Heart
crippled children died by thous-
ands from this killer, or too often
lived shortened, sheltered lives.
Medical detectives found rheu-
matte fever was somehow triggered
off by attacks Of certain "strep"
germs, especially the kind causing
strep sore throat A few weeks
after the strep infection, 3 to
per cent of children, and some
times adults, developed rheumatic
fever. One attack made the child
more susceptible to future and
more damaging sieges of the fever
The weapon for prevention was
antibiotics, especially penicillin
or sulfa drugs, to knock out the
strep infection quickly.
Even the FIRST attack Of rbeu-
matte fever could usually be pre-
vented by alertness to detect and
knock out strep infections.
The American Heart Association
launching just such a campaign
in 1855, listed these as danger sig
mails of strep infection.
Did the sore throat come on
suddenly? Does it hurt most when
the child swallows? Does it hurt
below the angle of the jaw when
you press your fingers there gent
/ ly? Are glands there swollen? Does
he have a fever col to 104 espe-
cially). Does he have headache
Is he nauseated or has he vOmited
Has he been exposed to anyone
with scarlet fever or sore throati
Children also will benefit from
research reporting much improved
results in combating nephrosis, a
severe kidney disease, through
combined use of the hormones
ACTH and cortisone.
Children will benefit in time from
research advancing the goal OF
controlling tile common cold; from
new drugs for epilepsy; an i'm
proved vaccine against mumps
intensified research to find causes
/ and treatments for muscular dys-
trophy. cerebral palsy, and mental
/ illnesses.
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