This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.

This is. Another chapter in the story of a county brought to you by the New York State Department of Health and produced by the state radio. Today. Health Commissioner. Looked out the window of his office and saw that the Rambler cross the street was. Only a weather no vacation in sight health commissioner. Talking about. The county hospital decided to open a diagnostic for suspected cases that's right you know we had a conference last week that was one of the things jested by the State Department of Health and I thought it was such a good idea and I passed it on to Dr Science at the hospital you seem very concerned about. The current course you never can be too sure but you can be on your guard now you don't wait until the enemy is in sight before you build your trenches that's a good strategy Mr medical as well as military. By late June first cases began to be reported. The middle of July. And by August the epidemic was severe. Got. Somebody been writing. Oh I'm so mad I could I could when I could but I won't do that I want to have you seen the letter to the editor and. Oh just listen to this it's from Tom Bradley the head of the Defense Association very capable health commissioner has evidently decided to relax in this. We would have. A higher nature if it were not for the fact that the children of this community falling like flies befall that branch carriage of childhood and from time around us must be obvious even to our health commissioner that the polio epidemic in this county has reached the stage of genuine emergency What is the veil. So far as we can see may we suggest to the good doctor that mouthing precious little optimism is not the way to fight. When you want action we must have actually. Been expecting you know Dr Ben I thought that the newspaper would bring you may I ask Mr Bradley just what you hope to gain by writing that letter I think that's obvious I want to see just what you mean by action I mean all of it merely sitting around waiting for your to give every child in the community Well let's talk about that point first. Even in the most severe epidemic not more than three children in a thousand will come down with a disease that adds up to a lot of hit yes yes it does but there's some something else to remember all the three in a thousand who are hit two will recover completely Are you trying to say that the disease isn't Sherry not at all it is serious if only one child in ten thousand were crippled IT WOULD BE SERIOUS OH MY point is this the way to fight polio is not by fear but by facts act or fact isn't it a fact that you have done almost nothing concrete I haven't checked what was the movie I'll just have to get why having to close the school playground I haven't suggested that be done because we have no reliable evidence that action of that kind will cut down the incidence of the disease now it's been tried time and time again in other communities and it's done no good oh no something's got to be done something is being done a great deal but it's being done without scare headlines in the blowing of trumpets we've opened a diagnostic ward in the county hospital obviously being nurse staff is on overtime duty and they're trying to contact every parent in the county and give them the facts about polio want facts you keep talking about facts but here are some of the facts fact one polio is caused by a germ called a virus back to many youngsters probably get polio but in so mild a form that it actually seems to be nothing more than a little cold fact three once these youngsters get a mild attack they probably build up some degree of immunity to the disease and are not likely to get it again in fact for the polio virus is so widespread that it is practically impossible for a child to avoid contact with it because so many persons who carry the disease cannot be identified nice lady. In fact five the best way to protect the child against polio is to educate the parents of the child tell them the few simple things we know are helpful in lessening the danger from the disease a lot think well the things our nurses are telling the parents here are a few samples Mr BRADLEY You might find them interesting in the presence of a polio epidemic in the community children should have bed rest even for what may seem to be a minor ailment but why are sounds like I'm not sense to me the reason is simple enough Mr Bradley there's evidence that suggests that too much activity may aggravate a non paralytic attack of polio to the point where it brings on actual paralysis and crippling Here's another point at a time like this tonsils should not be removed because children who have had a recent tonsilectomy somehow seem to be more liable to contract severe form of the disease when I watch a parent supposed to do a parent supposed to call a doctor the very first sign of illness and he sees to it that his child doesn't go in for too much exercise or or do anything that might produce chilling effect so why don't you close the playground if you've been to one of the school playgrounds lately Mr Bentley Wyatt Oh well if you had been you would know that all competitive sports that require great physical effort have been eliminated the supervisors have been keeping the youngsters occupied with things like well like arts and crafts and nature study and games that can be played without a great deal of running around and you think this is a map that you think this will stop the epidemic Oh no I don't I think the precautions may hold a number of cases down a bit that's all we can hope to do now that maybe I'm not for you but it's not enough for me I don't know what I've done I've shipped my kids away got him out of town they're up my mother on her farm and they're going to stay there until this thing over. Just where is this far near Windsor mail. For five cases come from the thing I'm not worried my kids are being kept under wraps not even going up. And they're going to stay put until it was or they have to that's what I call taking action. It was the hottest August in years and county sweltered as the cases of polio slowly increased people grew restless and they began to take up Bradley's clam up or actually. Get. To the ladies if you please. May I say first of all that I'm glad to see so many of you present here Mr Bradley called to tell me that you many wanted me to talk with you I. Know that so many but. I'm sorry if we don't have enough chairs Elder very discriminate represents all the parents of the county and we're here to find out just what you're going to do about this epidemic if you want to do anything at all I think you know very well just what our program is Mr Bradley Now we've already instituted every sound question we know our doctors are nurses all the health and medical facilities of the county have been matched to meet the emergency What more can we do. Stay at home. So I am not feeling like I'm sorry. Oh yes yes he's here it's for you Miss Bradley Oh OK Oh oh mother. I see. Sounds like maybe a cold or something I would. Let him stay out in the sun. Mr BRADLEY What about what you say talk about what's wrong with your son just a cold or something you call the doctor I know would you ask your mother just what's wrong with the boy. Mother. Complaining. I see. You got a little fever little headache call the doctor please Mr BRADLEY Well. Maybe you better call the doctor. And let me know what he said there's. Nothing to worry about. What's the difference call the doctor. Comes. Make the time now I can't tell you how grateful I am calling in the middle of the night the way I did after all this happened all that's OK look at one of our especially quick ambulances was available can I see him please. Dr Miller this Mr Bradley the boy's father. Oh how easy will it be all right I don't know yet no one can tell but we'll see that he gets the very best OK Can I talk to the boy and I just get Mr Bradley he's too excited from the trip let's get him comfortable first I'll go in with him. They're like I don't know what to say I did what I thought was best simply keep away and now there are some things we can't run away from completely and this is what I'm now it's true that many things about polio or I know there are many things we do know and we're learning more every day Bill is going to get the best care the very best that modern medical science can you. Just freight. And a pair of. Course but we mustn't let fear. Running away. The answer is standing up and battling this thing in the open using the weapons that science has given us fear will never be but facts. With all the cases began to decline by October the epidemic was over and young Bill Bradley was coming along he would walk again play again he was coming. In buildings many miles separated from the Empire county hospital workers what tirelessly attacking the problem of polio accumulating knowledge that will someday erase the fear of polio from the hearts of parents someday perhaps. The all. All. Vote. The bag back for around. For Gore work forward for the. Poor forward.