Evening star., 1955-05-22

Il favor, personally, legisla-
tion giving the President author
Today in Medicine Tells Of Pressures on
Officiols. Pose Ala
ity and power to use in that
field. The President should have
discretionary powers. particular
ly to assure equitable 'distribu-
ton Of the vaccine"
At the same time Senator Lis
ter Hill of Alabama, chairman
Of the Senate Committee on La
Dor and Public Welfare charged
with handling such legislation,
predicted that Congress would
enact a standby powers law.
Middle Ground Taken
The two Democratic leaders
took their stand on middle
ground in the tangled contro-
versy. On the one hand, they
were bucking the administration,
which insists vaccine distribu-
ton should be on a purely volun-
tary basis.
On the other hand, they were
opposing the demands of a num-
ber Of Senators-Republican as
well as Democratic-for manda-
tory controls which would compel
the Federal Government to move
in and take over control and
distribution of the Salk product.
Senator Hills committee will
meet tomorrow to consider q
number of bills dealing with the
anti-polio vaccine program. The
Alabaman has introduced the
administrations proposal, auth
orizing the expenditure of $28
million to pay for incubation
Of children whose parents cannot
afford the payments. He also
has a Standby controls bill.
Senator Ives, Republican, Of
New York. and Senator Morse,
Democrat, of Oregon, both have
mandatory" bills before the
committee.
Senator LANCER, Republican.
of North Dakota, also has a bill
providing for Government pay
ment of the anti-polio shots.
PHS Meeting Tomorrow
Meanwhile. the Public Health
Service called a meeting for to-
morrow to review findings of the
team of experts which has been
inspecting vaccine manufacture
ing processes during the past
two weeks.
The meeting, to be held at the
National Institutes of Health in
Bethesda. will be attended by
PHS consultant-scientists, NH
staff experts and technical men
from the six pharmaceutical
firms licensed to manufacture
Llle Oak pTOUuCL.
Consultant scientists invited to
attend, Surgeon General Leonard
Scheele said, include DR.. Thomas
Francis. jr.. University of Mich
igan: DR.. w. Med. Harmon.
University of Pittsburgh; DR..
David Bodian, Johns Hopkins
University, and DR.. Joseph Ma
del, Walter Reed Army Medical
Center.
A health service announcement
Of the meeting said recommen-
dations of the group will "be
advisory" 1t added:
Announcement of the Sur
geon Generals decision will be
made as soon as possible, con-
sistent with careful considera-
tIop Of the recommendations BY
the staff of the Public Health
Service"
New Requirements Likely
Manufacturers repeatedly have
been told. in connection with the
Monday conference. that new
requirements may be applied
from now on to all vaccine IL
censed by the Government.
In any event, second-shot
school programs, originally
scheduled for tomorrow in the
Metropolitan Area, were post
poned for the time being. II
new safety checks are to be en-
ployed, it seemed certain, ac-
cording to some sources, that the
vaccine would not arrive before
the close Of school. This would
mean that health officers and
school officials would have to re-
schedule clinics for some time
this summer.
Both Majority Leader johnson
and Chairman Hill declared that
prompt action would be sought
in the Senate committee and in
the Senate itself on the pro-
posed legislation on the vaccine
DrOblem