Show o I SECRETS OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS Rats and Fleas Are Said to Spread Infantile Paralysis I nr nY DR 11 HI A. A B. B JI M. r. r A. A M. M D. D Johns Hopkins j University rho virus or ultra ultra isible microbe which causes Infantile paralysis has been discovered disco b by Dr Simon Flexner of oC tho the Rockefeller In In This virus Irus has been definitely located not only fn In n the system of or children chil I I dren dren- and others ill with this terrible disease but also in unaffected person persons wh who act as carriers of oC this childhood scourge It has line al also o been proved pro that this virus remains alive all and Infectious for many months This indicates that children are arc more likely to get bet the disease indirectly than by actual contact contact con con- tact with those sick Dr Mark MarIo W r Richardson of oC Boston is 15 convinced that t the rat and anti Its bo bosom om companion the rodent loving flea have ha I much to do with the spread of oC tho the malady In this he confirms the re results re- re sulta of or m my own researches A co In Point The Tho epidemic of oC Infantile tile paralysis p corresponds so closel closely with that of oC one ono other flea Cle ed od bubonic bubonic plague that plague that Dr Dt Richardson JOn by analogy analog reasons that It too mu must t he be so BO scattered The In Infective In- In O aK agent thus seems to be spread b by third persons who carr carry Infected fleas or even by rats Cases of or infantile paralysis which oc occurred occurred occurred oc- oc In one Baltimore apartment house houtH In a a. fashionable suburb followed the 1 visit Isit lt of or a n woman and anti her child chila who vho were not of ot tho the ame neighbor hood Several children who ho played with woolly fur Cur toys after the two visitors left all fell tell ill III with Infantile paralysis This seems to strengthen Dr deductions Dr Richardson sees a p parallel In ITS tho plague in India where people of or different tilt dif ferent forent castes never neer nS associate with each 0 other Ui e r. r Other tHrong Strong Indication Tn mIte ROUP of or this of human humn I Contact lie he sa says s 's plague spreads from Crom caste to caste The explanation In the end Is Ig simple Although personal a as association Is forbidden the houses front front- log oftentimes on oh different street street- have adjacent l back yards over o wh which Ich rats travel freely The capacity of the rat to spread disease has been known n since Aris Arts The eld cid coin with an image Image Image-if Apollo the thc god o of ot pestilence ha has CI arat u C rat at his lila feet Modern science clonce h has u uon on only in the tho last generation realize I that the safest place in a plague epidemic epi demic is a t pla plague ue hospital Accor According itt to Dr Haven Emerson t f firmer health commissioner of or New ew York the RaCe 1 place for tor a child during durin the litis hitis epidemic was in a childs child's hospital where here victims of ot infantile paralysis al' al are treated All the foregoing facts seem to bo be good proof that rats and fleas leas pia play a avery avery very definite part In the transmission of oC I infantile ii fan tile paralysis Precautions against these dangerous pests pest at least should be mado made In iii order to err crr on the safe side and take no chanc chances s ever eyer |