Show Polio No Longer illa l jar n Says Polio has ceased to be a significant pUblic health pro pro- blem problem In the United States it Is row each euch persons person's re- re responsibility to keep the di dl- dl sease In check said J C Haws chairman of Uintah County Chapter of the Na- Na National National Foundation Only new cases of par par- paralytic paralytic polio were reported in 1961 1961 This is a rate of less than 5 cases per million lotion as compared with an estimated yearly average of cases per million persons persons In the period Immediately preceding the advent of the Salk vaccine from 1949 to 1954 said Basil OConnor O'Connor president of the National Foundation This 97 percent reduction In paralysIs the annual toll of Is Mr OConnor O'Connor declared Is a tribute to the Salk vaccine cine and to the millions wh whose se support of the March of preventive Dimes made this prevent prevent- ive possible If f paralytic polio had persisted at Its 54 1949 pre vaccine level there would have been at least more paralytic cases In the past seven years than the number actually report report- reported ed Instead Mr OConnor O'Connor said the general level of paralytic polio has been re- re reduced to that of typhoid fever er diphtheria and other once rampant diseases This has resulted In preventing at least polio deaths and an estimated saving of million In polio medical care and personal income losses In Inthe inthe the year seven period that the Salk vaccine has been avail avaU available able Even more significant said Mr OConnor O'Connor is the fact that all polio ollo whether paralytic or not including so- so called unspecified cases calles al al- al also so has been reduced by 97 percent due to the use of the Salk vaccine And all this has occurred despite the fact that in the age group 0 to 59 total log ing million 38 percent of the total group received no Salk vaccine at all In these circumstances the efficiency of the Salk vaccine is eliminating the polio virus from the community in this county Is proven If the facts are recognized and the sub sub- I sect is considered from n a I point of view There Is nu no reason to doubt that all allI I public health officers at all government levels will con con- consider consider sider the matter In a scientifIc Ie Ic way I In welcoming the elimina tion of polio as a serious pub lie health problem Mr OConnor O'Connor stressed the fact that to maintain the present I condition with respect to polio brought about by the I Use of the Salk vaccine newborn new new- newborn born children should of I course be vaccinated As to others of our citizens who have not yet been vaccinated It is 18 purely a personal matter as to whether or not they still stillI I wish to run the risk of being paralyzed by the disease I With the elimInation of polio pallo as a public health problem lem The National Foundation has now turned its attention to the conquest of the mysteries lies ies of other crippling diseases I as birth defects and ar- ar arI arthritis while continuing to I care calC for thousands who be- be became became came victims of paralytic polio before the advent of the Salk vaccine |