Show e THE pHE HE biggest story in the country today revolves around the distribution distribution dis- dis of ot the Salk vaccine for polio Mails of ot Congressmen and Senators on Capitol Hill are crammed crammed crammed cram cram- med with inquiries and with criticism criticism criticism cism of ot the Government handling and lack of handling of ot this all important important important im im- im- im vaccine which may mean the difference between life and death for countless children as well as ns adults Newspapers radio and television stations continue to g give ge e the results re re- suIts of inoculations daily dally and will continue continue to do so for weeks to come Some states have deferred inoculation of children awaiting some some word from some authority ty because the production of the vaccine in one commercial laboratory laboratory labora labora- tory or possibly mo more e than one has been faulty The issue goes back to one per- per aon son lon Mrs Oveta Culp Gulp Hobby Secretary Secretary Sec- Sec of ot the Department of Health I I Education and Welfare who deI de- de I spite the advice of the Surgeon General of the Office of Public Health Service failed to assume responsibility for tor control of ot this I distribution of the vaccine T e Here again is involved the issue of so called socialized medicine Mrs Hobby carrying out the fetish of the Eisenhower Administration for private initiative and private responsibility instead of government government govern govern- ment responsibility for nationwide distribution of this newly discovered discovered discovered ered cure or prevention for dread polio took the stand that private lab laboratories shoulder the The result has been little short of disastrous Pressure grew so so that President Eisenhower while upholding the stand of his Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- Secretary tary of Health Education and Wel Wel- fare that private distribution was the best method was forced to guaran guarantee ee that no child would go without the vaccine whether he could p pay y for it or not This means he will have to go to Congress for funds for governmental purchase and distribution of the vaccine for forit forit forit it goes without saying that thousands thousands thousands thou thou- sands of families in low income brackets where th the vaccine is needed worst will be unable to pay for the Inoculation out of their own pockets Now the American Medical Association Association Association As As- has stepped into the picture pic pic- ture tre tre in favor of voluntary formula for distribution and inoculation as opposed to any Federal pro pro- gram But the Congress is now flooded with a half dozen bills calling calling calling call call- ing for some measure of federal control and appropriation of funds for those who cannot pay on their own Surgeon General Leonard Leonald has now adopted the Eisenhower Eisenhower Ei El line of private responsibility responsibility or of State responsibility Meanwhile the Congress may adopt some sort of stand-by stand control while the National Foundation for Infantile Infantile tile Paralysis makes a study of the vaccines now being produced by private laboratories The National Foundation through its march of dimes program throughout the past twenty years is mainly responsible for or raising the money paying for forthe forthe the he years of research which resulted resulted resulted re- re re re- in the Salk vaccines vaccine ne t r Unfortunately this polio vaccine will get into politics cs Elections have been een won or lost on lesser issues The he handling of the whole program by y the Administration of President Eisenhower leaves much to be desired desired desired de de- de- de sired and is cons considered dered in inmany many high places as inept and bungling |