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127
REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AS TO
THE OCCURRENCE OF EIGHT CASES OF POLIOMYELITIS
IN THE BOROUGH OF HACKNEY DURING
THE THREE WEEKS ENDED 28th JUNE, 1913.
To the Chairman and Members
of the Public Health Committee.
Gentlemen,
I beg to report herewith the circumstances connected with the
occurrence of the above-mentioned cases of poliomyelitis.
General Remarks.—Poliomyelitis is a disease of the nervous
system, attacking chiefly young children, and due to an inflammation
of the grey matter of the spinal cord, especially its anterior
horns. The inflammation is set up, it is believed, by some organism,
which has not yet been either isolated or identified, but which is
believed to belong to the group of ultra-microscopic organisms.
The disease is more prevalent in summer than in winter, and
it does not appear to have any special relation with insanitary
surroundings.
The disease sets in usually with an attack of feverishness
with pains of certain limbs or of the body generally. Other
symptoms supervene indicating implication of the nervous system,
especially when the brain is involved in the morbid process.
Shortly after the appearance of these symptoms, certain muscles
of the body are found to be paralysed. If the brain or coverings
of the brain are affected, the case may resemble tubercular
meningitis or cerebro-spinal fever. The disease is extremely fatal,
the mortality amounting from 10 to 12 per cent, of the cases
attacked.
The paralysis of the muscles leaves the patient more or less
crippled; more than half of those attacked by the disease being
crippled for life.