ACUTE POLIOMYELITIS. 307 



and Noguehi consider these cocci as contamination. Guinea-pigs, rabbits, 

 dogs, eats, and monkeys after receiving intravenous or intracerebral injec- 

 tions of tliis pleomorphous organism became paralyzed and developed lesions 

 in the central nervous system. 



The serum of horses immunized with suspensions of this organism has 

 specific antibodies, agglutinins and complement-deviating substances. 



This serum, according to Rosenow, seems to have protective and curative 

 power against the virus of poliomyelitis. 



Nuzum and Herzog also describe an organism similar to the one isolated 

 by Rosenow. 



There have been several theories advanced as to the mode in which the 

 virus of Poliomyelitis is spread. Our attention was called to this through 

 the great opportunity of studynig the epidemics occui-ring in Sweden, Nor- 

 way, Germany, Austria, France, England, United States, Russia, Switzer- 

 land, Italy, Spain, Holland, Australia, Cuba, and in an island in the South 

 Sea. The largest is that which is occurring at the present time in the United 

 States, especially the eastern part, with some 20,000 cases involved up to 

 September 30, 1916. There were 9,029 in New York City alone. In 1910 

 8,700; 1909, 2,300; 1907, 2,900 cases; and in Sweden in 1911 3,800, in 1905, 

 1,000 cases occurred. 



Some of the most discussed theories as to the manner in which Poliomye- 

 litis is suread are: (1) Contagious; (2) Insect-borne; (3) Dust-borne; (4) 

 Alimentary infection. Wiekman while investigating the Swedish epidemic 

 in 1905, noticing the occurrence of sporadic cases, epidemic groups, and the 

 abortive form, came to the conclusion that Poliomyelitis is a contagious 

 disease and is transmitted not only by contact with sick individuals but by 

 so-called healthy "carriers" and by persons having the abortive type of the 

 disease. Kling and Levaditi came to the same conclusions while studying 

 the ei^idemic in Sweden in 1911. Flexnor and Lewis expound the theory 

 that the infection occurs by way of the mucous membrane of the nose and 

 mouth and leaves the body in a like manner. These investigators were 

 able to demonstrate the presence of the virus of poliomyelitis on the mucous 

 membrane of the nose of monkeys which had been infected by an intra- 

 cranial inoculation. Vice versa, they could infect monkeys by applying the 

 virus on the unbroken mucous membrane of the nose. These experimenters 

 also were able to demonstrate that the secretions of the mouth, nose, throat, 

 and feces were virulent both from the sick and the diseased. During the 

 extensive epidemic in Sweden in 1911, Kling, Wernstadt, and Pettersson 

 not only came to the same conclusions but were able to demonstrate that in 

 some instances the secretions of healthy people were infective. Monkeys 

 can be infected therefore, not only with material from abortive cases where 

 no symptoms present themselves but also with secretions from some healthy 

 persons. The experimental demonstration of the presence of the virus in 

 the secretions of the nose and mouth shows the contagious character of the 



