Evening star., 1962-09-17

ly TO the Terry announcement.
Dr.. Donald s. Thorn, county
medical society polio chairman,
said:
"The Fairfax County Medi-
cal Society today Sunday de-
cided to postpone its entire Sa-
bin oral polio inmunization
program. The step was taken
because the doctors believed
their objective Of reaching q
high percentage Of the popula-
ton could not be accomplished
in the face Of recent publicity
casting doubt on the safety of
the vaccine. At least 80 per
cent participation is necessary
in order to eliminate the reser-
voir of polio virus in the intes-
tinal systems even of persons
who have completed SaIk i'm
munization in recommended
fashion.
Only Postponed
"It was emphasized that the
program is not cancelled but
only postponed until the reser-
vations now existing in the
minds of some authorities as to
the safety Of the Sabin vac
cine are cleared up. They hope
that present adverse opinions
viii be resolved by spring so the
program can 60 forward with
vigor in time to eliminate from
our area all sources of polio for
the summer of 1853"
DIR. Thorn noted that wide
spread use Of the Salk serum
has resulted in a high num-
Der of immune individuals In
Fairfax.
The Fairfax decision was
taken at q meeting yesterday
Of the society's polio commit
tee and the statement on
postponement was authorized
by DR.. Joseph Provenzano of
Annandale. president Of the
group. Fairfax had planned to
accumulate $4,000 doses for
its residents as well as those
of the cities Of Fairfax and
Falls Church.
Meanwhile. q meeting was
called today of all Washington
area public health officials to
discuss courses of action. DR..
Daniel L. Finucane. co-ordi-
nator Of the area program,
declined to comment on what
might happen.
DR.. Murray Grant, Prince
Georges County health officer,
said he could see no reason to
delay administering Of Types
I and II in October and No
vember and pointed out that
Type III is not scheduled to
be given until January. BY that
time, he said. there would be
a lot more information avail
able.
DR.. Fred Heath. acting di-
rector Of public health for the
District, declared: "All factors
will have to ne evaluated be-
fore q decision can be made. I
have no firm decision as of
this moment" +" He said the Dis
trict has ordered 100000 doses
Of Type / vaccine. which are
scheduled to be issued starting
at noon October 2.
The situation came to a head
last week when Canadian off
cials halted Type III vaccine
programs because four cases of
polio cropped UP among the
4 million persons who took
the pills. The special advisory
committee meeting was swiftly
called BY the Public Health
Service.
This was the reaction around
the United States to the recon-
mendation that adults refrain
from taking Type III:
The executive council Of the
Medical Society Of North Caro-
lima voted to postpone its State
wide mass immunization with
8 million doses scheduled to
start in November until the
complete safety Of all three
types for all age groups is es-
tablished.
Hats Type III Use
The State Health Department
Of West Virginia planned to
recommend today that all use
Of Type III vaccine for adults
be halted temporarily in line
with the Terry recommended
ton.
Michigan-No immediate re-