The people's voice., 1955-05-27

scrubbed and squeezed ana squeeze
and scrubbed.
And then, 25 days later, the en-
tire program ground to dismal halt
Surgeon General Leonard A. Scheel,
ordered stop to mass innoculatior
programs across the nation.
Gone was the promise of his
boss, Oveta Culp Hobby, that every
child in the nation aged 1 to 9 would
be immunized by August 1. Gone
was the White House hope that ''vol-
untary cooperation" of drug firms
and doctors would assure fast and
fair distribution of the vaccine.
By mid-May, few cities had
their anti-polio program back on the
track. But DR.. Scheele told the SEN
ate Labor committee, May 16, eve
can't get the full-scale immunization
program we'd like until late fall or
early winter"
Why? Why are millions of par
ents and their children doomed to
sweat out another polio season?
What went wrong? Who goofed?
DR.. Salk wasn't at fault. Nothing
has dimmed the eminence of his dis
covery, financed by National Founda-
tion for Infantile Paralysis and it's
March of Dimes money. But beyond
him are the vast problems of pro-
duction, distribution, and the shots
themselves.
production is monopolized by
six drug firms. They alone were Sc
lected and licensed by Mrs. Hobby's
Public Health Service to make the
vaccine. These are Eli Lilly, Parke
Davis, Cutter, Allied, Wyeth, and /
Merck. Seventy-four children con-
,racted polio after one shot of anti
polio vaccine. Sixty-six were para
yzed. Five died. Of the IA, SO had
erum from Cutter Laboratories,
Berkeley, Calf. Was Cutter vaccine
aulty? Or did these children have
'olio before they got their shots?
70 one knows. But use of Cutter
erum was suspended.
RECORD NOT GOOD
Cutter Laboratories was criminally
rosecuted in 1949 and fined 5000
or inadequate sterilization of glu-
ose solutions. Nine other times,
'ood & Drug Administration has
lied civil suits against Cutter and
eized its products.
Public Health Service is respon-
sible for inspecting the safety of all
serums. 1t is starved for funds.
Mrs. Hobby herself urged Congress
not to vote funds for part of its
inspection program in 1858. Con- 7
gress overruled her, voted to re-
store most of the cuts she request !
ed.
On Mrs. Hobby's belated recon- :
endation, May 16, President Eisen- +
over asked So million for Public :
ealth Service, saying it "must have z
1ery facility, including additional :,
nds and personnel, to insure maxi
um precautions" a.
2.-Distribution is still confused z
ational Foundation for Infantile /,
ralysis now has first call on what 10
ccine is produced, though enough fe
'um for 650,000 shots has already
ked into commercial channels. The wi
will give three shots to ",
cry first and second grade child liy
the nation. After that, the Presi- an
1t and Mrs. Hobby would rely on co
at they call voluntary" pro- fa
m. he
This program would be vigorously
orced," the President said, to see Ca
t vaccine sales outside authorized Co
g prescription channels are pro- so,
tied. FDA, whose funds have also sn,
n whitfield away, would do the Ka
orcing, he said. He asked for more bv
ds but didn't specify how much. Tar
1rs. Hobby also recommended that =.
voluntary" distribution reach oG
children aged 5 to 8 before anyone -.
gets the shots. - 1lee
he would allocate the entire out =,
among the states so as to reach WI WI
these children who haven't had -
shots. She said she would "direct" see.
ALLEGATION, but at the same time , pes
cized demands of numerous leg 1uil
,ors for government ALLEGATION. pul
IS FUNDS TO AID STATES nit
PROGRAM