Poliomyeletis- 1935

To put a human face on Monday's posting about the 1935 Polio outbreak, here is another entry from that same session of the Board of Supervisors . . .

IN RE: AUTHORITY FOR PURCHASE OF ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE FOR CRIPPLED CHILD, EDMUND CAUTHORNE, COLORED.

    The Clerk exhibited a letter from office of Dr. Riggan, State Department of Health stating that it was necessary to purchase a steel brace for this child at a price of approximately $40.00. The Chairman of the Board, upon motion duly made and seconded, was authorized to contact the authorities in Richmond, and secure such an appliance at minimum cost, and report his action to the next meeting of the Board.

 To put that in perspective, the Sheriff's monthly salary in 1935 was $83.33

Some information on Infantile Paralysis in Depression Era Virginia . . .

  "To summarize,in 1935 up to November 1, 674 cases of poliomyelitis, including 37 deaths, were reported to the State Department of Health. The disease reached almost every section of the state though it was unusually prevalent in only a few counties. It is remarkable how readily these cases, occurring mostly in a little over 2 months, separate into two distinct groups having marked differences. The paralytic cases, appearing first in the counties bordering on North Carolina and spreading along the routes of travel throughout the state, . . ."

-American Journal of Public Health, Feb., 1936

"Notice- Pursuant to authority of Section #1492, Code of Virginia, 1930 . . ."

                 MONDAY AUGUST 12TH 1935.

IN RE: RESOLUTION OF NEW KENT COUNTY BOARD  OF HEALTH, DATED AUG a. 2, 1935, WITH REFERENCE TO BAN ON PUBLIC MEETINGS DUE TO PREVALENCE OF INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN COUNTIES ADJOINING NEW KENT.

     The Clerk exhibited copy of resolution dated Aug. 2, 1935, as above, certified copy of which was mailed State Department pf Health on August 5, 1935, and stated that he had personally prepared in the office a number of copies of said resolution, and given them out for posting at places frequented by the public, and posted others personally at remote points. Upon proper motion duly made and seconded, the Clerk was directed to incorporate same in minutes of this meeting together with letter of acknowledgement from Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia, dated August 8, 1935, approving action taken. It was so ordered.

                                                           "N O T I C E

    Pursuant to authority of Section #1492, Code of Virginia, 1930, relating to County Boards of Health, a meeting of the County Board of Health, New Kent County, Virginia, was held on August 2, 1935, at Quinton, Virginia, at which meeting the following resolution was adopted by unanimous vote:

RESOLVED:- That inview of the prevalence of infantile paralysis in Counties adjoining New Kent, and the fact that this epidemic is found to follow main lines of highway travel and to be spread by group meetings:-

It is hereby ordered that all group meetings or gatherings together of people in New Kent County, Virginia, such as such meetings, protracted church meetings, dances, traveling circuses, entertainments of all kinds where people congregate in groups, and all similar meetings, are hereby prohibited from being held in in New Kent County during the month of August, 1935, and until further notice of this board.

It is further urged that all children under 16 years of age remain at home as far as possible for their own protection and the protection of other children in the community.

            BY ORDER
                NEW KENT COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH,
                By DR. M.H. EAMES,
                    Acting Secretary.

New Kent, Va.,

 August 2, 1935

            COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
            DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
                Richmond
                        August 8,1935

Mr. S.W.Lacy, Clerk,

New Kent County,

New Kent, Va.

Dear Mr. Lacy:

    I have your letter of August 5 containing copy of the resolutions passed by the New Kent County Board of Health. Owing to the peculiar circumstances in your county, I think this is a very good resolution.

 Assuring you of our cooperation at all times, I am,

            Yours very truly,
                E.L. McQUADE, M.D.
                Director of Rural Health