The occurrence of infantile paralysis in Massachusetts in 1908 : reported for the Massachusetts State Board of Health / by Robert W. Lovett and Herbert C. Emerson.

  • Robert W. Lovett
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The occurrence of infantile paralysis in Massachusetts in 1908 : reported for the Massachusetts State Board of Health / by Robert W. Lovett and Herbert C. Emerson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Symptoms Accompanying Attack. Pain, more or less marked, 62 cases; pain, little or none, 7 cases; fever, 63 cases; constipation, 47 cases; diarrhoea, 2 cases; nausea and vomiting, 43 cases; retraction of head, 35 cases; retention of urine, 23 cases; incontinence of urine, 1 case; brain symptoms, 13 cases; stiffness of neck, 6 cases; stiffness of spine, 7 cases. Onset. The onset in 65 cases was sudden and in 4 cases it was delayed, extending over several days. Complicating Symptoms. In 1 case a marked urticaria was an initial symptom; in 2 cases intense pain in the stomach was noted, also, as an initial symptom; in 5 cases a complicating tonsilitis was present; in 1 case a severe nose bleed took place; an extremely offensive breath was noted once; double vision occurred once as did also marked disturbance of speech. The early symptoms in 1 case were thought to he due to swollen glands, which had been present for a year, and in another case to a rheumatic condition. In 2 cases stumbling of the child while walking and playing was one of the first symptoms noted. Diagnoses made. In 1 case no diagnosis whatever was made; in 2 cases a diagnosis of typhoid fever was made, and the following diagnoses of single cases: digestive disturbance, heat stroke, cerebro-spinal meningitis, rheumatism. Recovery. Excluding the 6 abortive cases, 58 cases were examined in this regard about nine months after the illness. Six cases appeared to have com- pletely recovered from the paralysis. Six others appeared to have re- covered, but of these, 5 were infants and could not be satisfactorily examined, while the other was sick at the time of examination. These 6 cases were classed as apparent recovery. Forty-two cases had partially recovered from paralysis, while 4 cases had shown but very slight im- provement since the attack. Deaths. There were 5 fatal cases, 1 of which made a partial recovery and died two months later of broncho-pneumonia. The length of the illness in
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