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Show ; MARCH OF DIMES 30,000 Men, Women, Children Stricken With Polio During 1950 Polio struck again in 1950. For the third consecutive year, infantile paralysis went on a rampage across the nation, striking more than 30,000 men, women and children. Only once before in 1949 had polio attacked with greater violence. The toll of that tragic year was still being counted as the fresh onslaught began. Hospitals and clinics were still crowded with polio patients from previous epidemics who were depending upon March of Dimes aid for continuing treatment. Then, on top of this staggering load, came the new cases. Dozens, at first. Then hundreds. Then thousands and more thousands, as the epidemic swept the country from California to New VTork and from Texas to Alaska. Before 1950 was over, March of Dimes funds had assisted in some measure more than 54,000 polio victims vic-tims of this and other years at a cost of $20,000,000. And that wasn't enough. The National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis, for the second year, was forced to operate at a deficit. ' Polio played no favorites in 1950. Every section of the country suffered suf-fered heavy attacks. Texas, the battleground of major epidemics for six of the last eight years, was hit harder than ever before. Vir-, Vir-, ginia, with a long record of light incidence, suddenly found itself the focal point of a raging epidemic. Maryland and Iowa watched their case records climb to unprecedented unprecedent-ed heights. But, whether records were broken or not, it was evident that the entire nation still was being be-ing battered by a polio wave higher high-er than any in our previous experience. experi-ence. Three Black Years The last three years have been the three blackest polio years in the nation's history. Cumulative incidence in-cidence for this period reached the monstrous total of 100,000 cases almost as many as the entire case load for the preceding ten years. Fortunately, wherever polio hit, a chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis Paral-ysis was on the spot, ready to help the patient, his family, and the entire community, as necessary. Tour local chapter was the first line of defense , against the disease. Its chief weapon was money money contributed by the American people to the annual March of Dimes. March of Dimes Money, administered admin-istered by 2,822 national foundation chapters serving the entire nation, has paid bills for patient care totalling S47,00U,UUU during .tne last . two years. Under the. pressure of successive epidemics 873 chapters - in 45 states were broke by mid- " ,October of 1950 and had to turn, to their national office for financial assistance. Before, the year was over, national foundation headquarters head-quarters had sent out more than $7,500,000 in supplementary aid to these hard-hit areas. March of Dimes money paid hospital hos-pital bills for thousands of families who could not meet the high cost of poUo care unaided. Four out of every five of the stricken needed 'and received financial assistance from the national foundation and its chapters. March of Dimes money paid for nursing care, physical therapy, transportation, wheelchairs, braces and crutches wherever necessary. Help was given to all who need it, without regard to age, race, creed or color. $94 Million Spent March of Dimes money paid salaries, sal-aries, travel expenses and main- tenance of more than 1,600 desperately des-perately needed nurses recruited for the national foundation by the Red Cross for emergency service in high-incidence areas in 37 states. Other personnel furnished on the same basis included more than 100 physical therapists and approxi-mately approxi-mately 120 nursing consultants. March of Dimes money shipped more than SI, 000, 000 "orth of iron lungs, hot pack machines and other vital equipment equip-ment on spot notice from seven equipment depots strategically located throughout the nation. Up to mid-October these depots had rushed into epidemic zones 521 respirators, 299 hot pack machines, more than 200 cribs and beds, and a heavy volume of miscellaneous hospital supplies sup-plies and equipment. Bills for polio patient care alone have consumed more than S94.000,-000 S94.000,-000 in March of Dimes funds since the national foundation Was established estab-lished in 1938. Almost two-thirds of this money has been spent during the three years 1948 through 1950 Of all the money spent in the con--stant battle against infantile paralysis, par-alysis, the largest part is spent on patient care. Four out of five cases need financial ascistance, the national foundation reports. |
