Evening star., 1955-05-18
Serum Delay
Halls Virginia
Polio Clinics
State Told to Cancel
Next Week S Shots
Indefinitely

Local health officers in Vir-
ginia today were advised to can
eel all second-shot vaccine clinics
scheduled to get under way by
next week.
State Health Commissioner
Mack I. Shanholtz telegraphed
health officers here to stand by
for further notice before re-
scheduling clinics. He said he
made the decision after a tele-
phone conversation with the
Public Health Service here.
Explanation for the delay, ac-
cording to DR.. Shanholtz, was
the double-check of vaccine
patches now under way by a
team Of scientists fro mthe Ma
tional Institutes of Health. The
check, the doctor said. has caused
unavoidable delay in shipping Of
the vaccine to Virginia for a
second dose for first and second
graders in the free incubation
program.
DR.. Shanholtz said he was still
in the dark as to when vaccine
for second shots would arrive.
Rural Schools Close Soon
BY the end of the next week
some Of Virginia's rural area
schools will be closing. This will
create dif11culties-if the vaccine
has not arrived-in administer
ing the second shot to those
children on vacation who re-
ceived first shots.
Yesterday, Virginia doctors
and the State Health Depart
ment said they were determined
to give second shots Of the vac
cine If the vaccine arrives after
the closure of schools.
Next week had been scheduled
as the start of second shots in
the Metropolitan area. Also
without word as to the arrival
OF their second shot supplies are
health departments in the Dis
trict, Prince Georges and Mont
gomery Counties.
Left Over Serum
In Fairfax. however, DR.. Har-
old Kennedy. the county's health
officer, planned second round
shots Of a small number Of chill
dren in private and parochial
schools. He said the vaccine
used would be that left over
from the county's flrst-round
shots some four weeks ago. It
is manufactured by the Eli Lily
Co., one of the drug firms
cleared by Public Health Service
investigators.
President Eisenhower reported
at his news conference today
that official information this
morning showed the supply of
vaccine on hand or in sight was
sufficient to take care of the
National Foundation for In
fantile Paralysis program of
caring free of charge for all
children in the first and second
grades.
His comment was in response
to questions as to whether the
supply was adequate. He said
that If the first and second round
Of inoculations could not be COM
pleted before the end of school
terms, arrangements probably
could be made for inoculations
during the children's summer
vacations.
No Word From Wyeth
Meanwhile, there was no word
from investigators at Wyeth
laboratories in Philadelphia. This
is the company which furnished
vaccine used in the District and
Maryland.
Throughout the area it was
generally conceded that the ar
rival Of vaccine probably would
come after many or all of the
schools in the Metropolitan Area
would be closed.
Yesterday the administrations
new polio vaccination program
gained quick bipartisan support
in Congress. But Senator Wayne
Morse, Democrat, Of Oregon,
blasted Secretary of Welfare
Hobby's handling of Salk vac
cine and declared she ought to
be fired for gross incompe-
tency."
Senator H. Alexander Smith,
Republican, Of New Jersey, in
troduced a bill carrying out a
proposal made by Mrs. Hobby
and Endorsed by President Ell
Senhower that the Federal Gov
ernment put up $28 million to
make sure no child goes without
the vaccine for lack of money.
Senator Hill, Democrat, of
Alabama, announced he would
sponsor the appropriation, too,
and said there is absolutely no
question" Congress will quickly
approve it.
In the House Percy Priest.
Democrat, of Tennessee, chair
man Of the Commerce Commit
tee. put his name to a similar
bill.
Remon Begins Second