INFANTILE PARALYSIS
Infantile paralysis is a serious disease of the spinal cord which comes on very suddenly and is associated with vomiting, pain in the legs, and a high temperature. After these symptoms have lasted a day or two the paralysis is discovered. There may be convulsions. The paralysis is progressive, and the wasting of the muscles increases until by the end of a couple of months one limb is considerably shorter than the other. Sometimes the baby goes to bed at night in apparent good health and wakes up in the morning paralyzed.
In this disease the attention of the best physician in your community should be called to the case at once, for there are being developed in our large research laboratories special vaccines for this condition as well as for spinal meningitis. But what is done must be done very, very early, so let there be no delay in calling in medical counsel.
There are other forms of spinal paralysis which, associated with tuberculosis of the spine and other spinal diseases, result in loss of power to one or more groups of muscles. The only treatment that can be given in the home is to keep all of the paralytic portions of the body very warm by external heat, care being taken to avoid burning, and secure medical advice. Often, later in the course of the disease, by the aid of crutches and braces, the child can be taught to go to school and to get around the house about his little duties.
The slight facial paralysis which is so often seen in babies that have been delivered with forceps, usually clears up in a few days or at the latest in a few weeks or months.