A DREADED SCOURGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1916, Page 3

A DREADED SCOURGE.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN AMERICA. The latest American files show that the epidemic of infantile paralysis is acutely concerning the public mind Nine years ago, the New York Times recalls, there were 2500 cases of infantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis, in the city, and the Jeath-rate was only 5 per cent. In this year's epidemic, in 037 cases, the rate was about 21 per cent. This journal adds, further, that it is quite probable that the end of the. epidemic will not be seen until the beginning of October. Rules to stop the spread of the disease, issued by Health Commissioner Haven Emerson, of New York City, have been posted as follows: "Parents.—See that your children avoid indoor gatherings. "Apartment and Tenement House Owners.—See that enough cans are provided to seal every scrap of garbage. Houses where there has been infantile paralysis should be renovated the moment placards are removed. This means repainting or revarnishing, rcpapering, and scrubbing woodwork with hot water and washing-soda. "Janitors.—See that no rubbish or garbage is exposed to flies, and that premines are kept scrupulously clean. j '•Hospitals.— Report suspected cases for immediate diagnois after isolating t! "in. They will be removed." The lack of extra information increases the dread of the disease, and on this point the Boston Transcript observes: "The menace of the disease is inc 'ased by the lack of complete knowi 'edge—both of the methods by which > the virus of infantile paralysis is transmitted and of the best positive methods ' /or treating it—under which medical science still labois. In efforts to restrict the spread of the disease a knowledge of. the method of transmission has first importance, of course. On this score the doctors have at least the hypothesis set up by Dr. Phillip A. E. Sheppard. who lias made a special study of the disease since 190!). Ho asserts that infantile paralysis is carried by a species of stable-fly, a biting fly, known as Stomoxys calicitrans (Linnc), basing his helief, for one reason, on the fact that the occurrence .of the disease in epidemic form is nearly identical with the life incidence of tin's fly. Infantile paralysis, in its epidemic form, has never appeared to any great extent until some time in May,' one month after this particular stable-fly has begun to appear in abundance. Although the hypothesis has been challenged, this reason, and a number of others, keep Dr. Sheppard still convinced to-day of its acceptability, pending disproof."