15-Year-Old Boy Under Treatment And Observation At Hub Hospital
(National Library of Medicine, Public Domain).
The 15-year-old Norwood boy who was stricken last week with infantile paralysis, the first case in Norwood this year, is reported to be ill with “non-paralytic polio,” according to information received yesterday by the local Board of Health from the Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, where the boy is now a patient.
Hospital authorities stated that no paralysis had set in but that, the victim would be kept at the hospital for several weeks for treatment and observation
The Communicable Disease Division of the State Department of Public Health disclosed that up until yesterday 36 cases of polio had been reported from scattered points throughout the state. Worcester was the only community reporting more than one case, there being four in that city.
The State Division stated that of the 36 cases reported so far, only ten were accompanied by paralysis of the victim
Dr. Roy Feemster of the State Department of Public Health called attention to an incorrect report from Washington dated August 4th which stated that there were 27 cases of polio in Massachusetts during July. Actually, he said, there were only nine cases in the state for the month. August has shown a definite upswing in the number of polio cases, but the total is still below last year. On the first five days of the month, seven cases were reported, by Monday of this week there were five, more, and eight more were reported Tuesday. Up until late afternoon yesterday, however, only one more case was listed.
The State Department stated that symptoms of polio are quite varied, and offered the advice that any child who becomes ill should be watched closely. It was pointed out that a great many people unquestionably come down with, polio and that satisfactory recovery is made without the disease ever being recognized as such.
The local Health Department yesterday reported that Norwood was enjoying a very healthy summer with no noticeable outbreak of any disease. Last year, Norwood had two polio cases, compared to the one reported to date.
(All articles originally appeared in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)