Hare: A Study of Handicapped Children 13 



frequently from muscular paralysis which causes: (1) com- 

 plete paralysis of the leg with wasted bones and distorted 

 joints; (2) partial paralysis of the leg with the inability to 

 support the weight of the body; and (3) dislocations with 

 muscular contraction. The treatment of these cases should 

 be absolute rest in bed until all acute symptoms have subsided. 

 Later treatment for infantile paralysis consists in stimula- 

 tion of the motor tract by massage, electricity, application of 

 heat, etc., so that the muscle may be able to respond when 

 the nerve impulse is restored. In some cases surgery is used 

 in the transference of muscles and tendons, or the stiffening 

 of the joint. Plaster bandages and braces are also employed 

 for corrective and strengthening purposes. Remarkable cor- 

 rective results have been attained in cases where the par- 

 alyzed condition was not too extensive to permit of improve- 

 ment. Infantile paralysis is both an endemic and epidemic 

 disease. ''Endemic cases we have with us always, but epi- 

 demics occur only occasionally, a notable one having occurred 

 in the summer of 1916 in the United States."^ 



The eastern states suffered much more severely than the 

 West and Middle West. The Indiana State Board of Health 

 statistics for the summer of 1916 show that the ravages of 

 the disease were not as devastating in Indiana as in the East: 



MONTHS CASES DEATHS 



June 1 0 



July 25 5 



August 39 6 



September 64 14 



October 57 9 



8. Spastic Paralysis. Spastic paralysis is either congeni- 

 tal or acquired. Congenital cases are due to intra-uterine 

 hemorrhage which causes retardation of the growth of the 

 brain plus secondary changes in the spine. Such cases are 

 rare. Acquired spastic paralysis is due to a cerebral lesion 

 or ''affects children whose birth was assisted by forceps". 

 Spasm of the muscles, mental deficiency, and convulsions 

 are characteristic. "When both legs and both arms, or both 

 arms are paralyzed, the disease is called 'diplegia' ; when 

 both legs alone, 'paraplegia' ; when the arm and the leg on 

 the same side, 'hemiplegia' ; and when one member of the 



^ Quotation from Dr. John H. Oliver. 



