Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-28
Schoo|sAwait
New Vaccine
BeforeC|osinq
Some Supplies
For Second Shot
Due Next Week
BY JOHN McKELWAY

With much of the production
difficulties apparently ironed
out, the Salk vaccine appeared
today to be heading toward its
toughest test yet.
1t was still anybody's guess
how many parents - confused
and worried after the entire
program was halted--would let
their children show up for the
second. and important. inocula-
ton once supplies started roll
ing again.
Added to that factor was the
chance that the school inocula-
ton program would be injured
because schools would be closed
and vacations underway before
the vaccine arrived.
First and second graders were
picked for free inoculations this
year, not only because of the
high incidence Of polio in their
age group, but because of their
accessibility at school clinics.
Polio Picture Improves
But generally, the polio picture
was definitely better. Surgeon
General Leonard A. Scheele, in
a burst of optimism. said late
yesterday that the program may
yet reach its immediate goal
completion of second shots of the
Salk vaccine for 8 million school
children. II not before the close
of schools, he indicated, at least
before the real start of the peak
of the polio season in late Au-
gust.
DR.. Scheele said at news
conference it appeared quite
certain" that some vaccine sup
plies-held back for nearly three
weeks for extra safety checks
would be released next week. The
surgeon general said the Public
Health Services approval OF
further supplies would follow
progressively thereafter"
Earlier, DR.. Scheele had told
the House Commerce Committee
he was Every optimistic" now
and that he expects the inocula-
tons to "go forward rapidly"
after the new vaccine is released.
Stricter Tests Accepted
The break-through in the
tangled program came when six
vaccine manufacturers accepted
tighter production and testing
procedures. It cleared the way
for resumption of the mass i'm
munization of first and second
graders-a program in which the
National Foundation for Infan-
tile Paralysis is picking up the
tab.
The revised safety standards,
highly technical in nature, were
described by DR.. James Shan
non, associate director of the
National Institutes of Health, as
providing more heat to kill any
live virus, and for more fire.
quent testing, more sensitive
testing" than has been the re-
quirement up to now.
The additional safeguards, DR..
Shannon said. should not add
very much to production time
after they have been applied.
The vaccine expected to be
cleared next week would in
clude supplies already distributed
and frozen" when NEGOTIATIONS
were halted.
Involved are lots made by the
Pitman-Moore Co., Zionsville,
Ind, and Wyeth Inc, Marietta,
Pa. Lots from two other max
ers-Parke, Davis & Co., Detroit,
and Eli Lilly & Co., indianapolis
had been recleared earlier.
Some of the frozen" vaccine
could. presumably, be applied to
those children who missed the
scheduled first round of shots in
the school program. A number
of these children are still await
ing first shots in Maryland and
the District. Both territories
were supplied by Wyeth.
DR.. Scheele said yesterday his
technical advisers who make
clearance recommendation were
impressed by Pitman-Moore and
Wyeth production and testing
records and by reports on the
excellent condition of their
See VACCINE, Page ALI