Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-13
Pleas for Polio Vaccine
Pour |nonD. C.Doctors
Purents Told
Not toActi in
Undue Haste
BY JOHN McKELWAY

A plea for patience and a calm
approach to the impact of a sud-
denly available and effective
weapon against polio, was
sounded today by the medical
profession.
Many physicians, particularly
those whose practices deal large
ly with children, are being bonn
barded with requests from par
ents for the vaccine.
It was the eye of a critical
profession that turned to examine
reports that the vaccine is APP
parently effective. For days to
come. doctors will attempt to
move slowly and surely, trying
to answer some of the questions
still UP in the air after yester-
days heartening announcement.
Doctors have been placed in
an unusual position: They know
little more than the public does
about the vaccine.
The big questions still are:
How much vaccine will be avail
able for private use and when2
Patience Urged
The District Medical Society
urged that there be no undue
haste" on the part of the public
in trying to get the vaccine. The
society pointed out that the
incidence of polio has been low
in this area for a long time.
Parents were advised not to
swamp physicians with vaccine
requests at the moment.
DR.. George Maksim, chairman
of the society's Public Health
Committee, said that as plans
now stand the District Health
Department will follow DR..
Jonas Salk's suggested pattern
of two shots within four weeks.
with wait of seven months be-
tween the second and third shot.
DR.. Maksim said private physi-
clans probably will follow the
same procedure under certain
priorities. While plans have not
been f1nalized, pre-school chill
dren would be eligible first, preg-
nant women second and school
children other than those in the
free vaccination program, last.
Vaccine to Arrive Soon
The doctor said the Health
Department has been notified
by the Polio Foundation that its
shipment of the vaccine will
arrive shortly. No dates were
given. however.
A meeting of all health officials
concerned with the vaccinati
program has been set for
1880 pm. tomorrow at the
Health Department.
ut will take some time before
we can get squared away on the
problem" DR.. Preston A. Nc.
Tendon. president of the D. c.
Medical Society, said last night.
II hope everybody can remain
calm until we have something
definite to go on"
Some Skepticism
Some doctors described the
big announcement of yesterday
as "melodramatic." And there
are those somewhat skeptical as
to the high rate of effectiveness
attributed to the vaccine. But
any new advance in medicine
particularly those described in
clearcut terms as was yester-
day's-gets the same treatment.
Too often, in the history Of
medicine, great" discoveries
have not been exactly that.
The clearest part of the polio
picture today was that ship
ments of the vaccine had begun,
following the licensing OF the
vaccine yesterday by the Public
Health Service.
Some authorities felt the vac
cine would probably be dis
patched to the southern areas
OF the United States first. Polio
usually starts in force there be-
fore moving northward.
Locally, State Health Depart
ments of Virginia and Maryland
announced shipments OF the
vaccine would probably be in
the hands of local health off,
GERS by Monday--the starting
date of the three-shot vaccina-
ton program. The District ais
See VACCINE paoe AZ