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Show . Conquest and Containment A 75 per cent, increase in cases of measles in 1958, as reported re-ported by the National Office of Vital Statistics, once more points up the fact that when we speak of having "conquered" many of the age-old epidemic diseases, we might more accurately accu-rately say we have "contained" them, according to a reminder from the Health News Institute. The menace is still with us, says HNI. The fact that we no longer have tragic outbreaks ,with high infant and child mortality figures, is due to the vigilance with which we exert public health measures, the wide use of vaccines, and the miracle drugs which have come into spectacular supply in the last dozen years. The real miracle, perhaps, is that epidemics don't recur " '"' more frequently. For example, only 220 deaths were attributed to infantile paralysis in 1957. Yet 40,000,000 Americans within the recommended age group still haven't had their polio shots. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical manufacturers who undertook the crash production program which brought polio vaccine into abundant supply are watching the life-saving vaccine deteriorate on their shelves. Why not be safe instead of sorry? |
