The Americas were declared
polio-free in 1994, due to effective vaccines, and it was hoped that the same
could be said for the world by 2018. But as October turned to November in 1949,
that infectious, crippling and sometimes deadly disease still was very much on
the mind of most Lucas Countyans.
No cases had been reported here
during 1947, but two Lucas County youngsters, Tommy Mays and Johnny Fisher,
were among the 1,247 affected statewide during 1948. Both survived, but
remained under treatment well into 1949. Three-year-old Eric Atha, of Chariton,
hospitalized at Blank Childrens Hospital in Des Moines on August 4, was the
first case of 1949.
Then everyone's attention turned to
Russell when The Chariton Leader carried this report on the front page of its
Nov. 1, 1949, edition under the headline, "Polio Strikes Russell
Vicinity."
FLASH: As
we go to press, another case has been tentatively diagnosed as polio in the
Russell community. It is that of John Boozell, 39, who was taken to Des Moines
just before noon today.
The first case to be reported was
that of Larry Turbot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hilton Turbot. He was taken to the
Blank Memorial Hospital in Des Moines Sunday.
Yesterday, two young girls were
stricken. They were the Brong sisters, Mary, 6, and Martha, 7, daughters of the
Rev. and Mrs. Donald Brong. The girls were taken to the Blank Memorial Hospital
last night. Their cases were said to be light.
Mrs. Clyde Milnes, chairman of the
Lucas County Infantile Paralysis Foundation, reports that her organization is
ready with every available resource and will do everything possible to stem the
outbreak and halt the spread of the disease. She is going to Russell this
afternoon to survey the situation.
A meeting of the Russell school
board was called this morning and school was dismissed for the week, the
children being sent home right after the meeting. Pending further developments
school is tentatively scheduled to reopen next Monday.
+++
The situation had not changed by
Thursday, Nov. 3, when The Herald-Patriot reported, "As far as can be
determined as we go to press today there is nothing new in the Russell polio
epidemic. To date four cases are reported. They are Larry Turbot, Mary and
Martha Brong and John Boozell. A couple of others are reported ill, but polio
is not indicated, advices say. All public meetings have been banned for the week
and schools closed until Monday in the Russell community."
The Leader of Nov. 8 was able to
report "Russell Back to Normal --- Information from Russell today is
that the situation is again normal after the polio scare of last week in which
four were sent to Des Moines for treatment. There are no new cases reported.
Schools opened as usual Monday morning and other public meetings are held as
necessary. Condition of the patients has not been determined."
+++
Of the four Russell cases, I believe
that Mary Brong and John Boozell were the most severely affected, handicapped
to an extent for the remainder of their lives. Mary's father, Donald Brong, was
pastor of Russell's First Baptist Church at the time.
Nine more cases of polio were
diagnosed in Lucas County during 1950, but nothing quite like the concentration
in and near Russell occurred again.
Introduction of the Salk, then
Sabin, vaccines eventually assured that polio was not among the various
diseases and disorders Lucas Countyans need worry about.
Posted by Frank D. Myers at 7:12 AM No comments:
Monday,
November 11, 2019
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