THE NOME NUGGET !
Published Monday; Wednesday and Friday by The
NOME PUBLISHING CO.
Nome. Alaska
Telephone: Main 125 P. O. Box 618
$1.50 PER MONTH $16.00 A YEAR
W. A. and EMILY BOUCHER.Editors
Entered as second class matter October 14. 1943, at the postoffice at
Nome, Alaska, under the Act of March 3, 1379.
Monday, January 21, 1946
FRUITFUL IDLENESS
(Anchorage Times)
There seems to have been some trouble recently at
the regional surplus property office in Denver because
one of the executives, with an annual salary of $6320, j
was said to have nothing to do. It was charged that he
had an office but no secretary, telephone or office mem
oranda.
Not knowing the qualifications of the executive in
question, we will attempt no comment on the case. But
we will say that such a setup might be a good thing.
One of the fundamental faults of bureaucracy is that |
it surrounds some of its best men with too many jang
ling telephones and too many secretaries bustling in and
out of the office with stacks of memoranda which de- \
mand immediate action. It doesn’t give the best men any
chance to think.
After all, Dr. Einstein has done some of his best work
in an office without phone, secretary or memoranda—
just a. table and some pencils and paper. Put the right
man in those surroundings, hand a “do not disturb” sign
on the door, and we might get quick and wise decisions j
on some of the country’s most pressing problems—prob
lems which will never be solved in an atmosphere of J
inter-departmental directives and telephoned invita-j
tions to lunch.
--■ ■ ■ —
INFANTILE PARALYSIS EXPENSIVE j
Infantile paralysis is one of the most expensive dis
eases known to medicine. Not only must many victims j
of past epidemics receive continuing care, but each
year’s outbreaks add new names to the steadily growing j
list. Hospitalization for a single patient costs more than
$2,500 a year. Some cases cost less, some much more,
depending on the severity of the attack.
Not only does the proper treatment of the disease in
its acute stage require constant skilled care of nurses
and physical therapists, and frequently expensive equip
ment, but care and treatment must often be continued
for months atferwards.
Few families can meet the cost of extended polio \
treatment. The Foundation has pledged that “no victim
of polio shall go untreated for lack of money, regard
less of age, race, creed or color.”
Through the March of Dimes, January 14-31, con
ducted by the National Foundation for Infantile Paraly
sis, treatment and care can be assured for all polio vie -1
tims, regardless of age, race, creed or color.
You can help fulfill this pledge by your contribution
to the March of Dimes, January 15-31. i
.
WHERE THE DIMES GO
Half of your contributions to the March of Dimes re
main with your local chapter of the National Founda
tion for Infantile Paralysis to be used for special equip
ment, hospitalization, transportation, and treatment and j
care of polio patients. The other half goes to the Na-1
tional Foundation for research, education and emer
gency aid during epidemics.
During the tight years of its existence the National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which conducts the
March of Dimes, January 14-31, has disbursed over
$8,000,000 for research and education, and over $2,000,
000 for emergency aid in epidemics. Epidemic aid sup
plements the expenditures of local chapters. In 1945
alone, local chapters disbursed close to $5,000,000 for
care and treatment of local poliomyelitis patients. One
half of all contributions to the annual March of Dimes
remains with the local chapters for this work.
Year-round services provided by the local chapters
Baltimore's "Miracle Boy" Walks Again
Five-year-old Roger Hawk, almost completely
paralyzed for eleven months, made so rapid and
complete a recovery within five weeks that he’s
called the “miracle boy’* of Kernan’s Hospital.
Stricken with infantile paralysis in August of
1944, just after he had been crowned “Supreme
King’’ of perfect health in a contest for Baltimore
youngsters, young Roger’s case was considered
almost hopeless.
Parents of the boy took the Polio Emergency
- —
Volunteers training course in polio care, sponsored
by the Maryland Chapter of The National Founda
tion for Infantile Paralysis, so that they could help
Roger in his fight back to health.
First photo shows Mrs. Hawk helping Roger
with his physical therapy exercises to strengthen
weakened muscles. Second photo, Roger shows
mother and dad that he really can walk again and p,
without crutches. Dad, incidentally, was also a
polio victim in his youth.
At Kernan’s Hospital, Baltimore,
they call Roger B. Hawk the Mir
acle Boy.
Roger recently took his first
steos without crutches, after a
siege of infantile paralysis that
kept his bed-ridden for 11 months.
Doctors at the hospital give
much of the credit for the boy’s
remarkable recovery to the devo
tion of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Roger L. Hawk.
When the lad was hospitalized
by the Maryland Chapter of the
National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis in August 1944, he was
almost completely paralyzed. He
was given the best of modern
medical care and treatment, but
progress was slow.
Roger’s parents went through
long, anxious months wishing
vainly that they might do some
thing to help. Then they learned
that if they took the Polio Emer
gency Volunteers training course
sponsored by the Maryland Chap
ter, they’d be permited to come in
to the hospital and themselves help
in the care of their child. Grate-1
fully and earnestly, the Hawks
;
'MAY M&*BE ABETTEB MAH THAN IW^!1
r-—tr-mm-1 — 11 1 i "V
U.N.O.
lIMWOt
mm
oi the National Foundation tor iniantile Paralyse, in
cooperation with local health authorities, include: hos
pitilization, transportation, care and treatment of polio
myelitis patients, purchase of respirators (iron lungs),
orthopedic appliances and other special equipment and
the payment of fees of doctors, nursep, physical thera
pists and other professional personnel.
went into training, instructed by
doctors and physical therapists.
They reported to the hospital
and went to work, Mr. Hawk by
night and Mrs. Hawk by day. Un
der the supervision of Roger’s doc
tor, they worked with nurses and
physical therapists, helping to give
the little boy his hot packs and ex
ercises. Perhaps the devoted care
of his parents, right there every j
day helping the hospital staff to '
care for him, gave small Roger an
extra incentive to recovery. In any
case, the boy began to respond to
treatment.
Roger continued to improve
steadily. Within five weeks, he
was able to stand and walk with
the aid of crutches. To the hospi
tal staff, it was a “miraculous” re
covery. •
The Hawks had proved adept
and conscientious in their share of
Roger’s treatment. After careful
consideration, and in view of Rog
er’s remarkably good recovery, 4
his doctor decided that the boy
might be permitted to return home
in his parents’ care. He could be
treated at home, with periodic
check-up and outpatient supervi
sion.
It worked out fine. Mr. Hawk,
day switchboard operator for a
cab company, gave his nights to
care and treatment of his small
son. Mrs. Hawk, night waitress in
a restaurant, had her days free to
devote to the child. Small Roger
has continued his progress, and is
now able to walk unaided .
The Hawks, about the happiest
parents in Baltimore today, credit
Kernan’s Hospital staff and the
Maryland Chapter of the National
Foundation with Roger’s recovery.
They are in turn credited with
their share in the "miracle.”
The year-round work of the Na
tional Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis and its Chapters in pro
viding care and treatment for in
fantile paralysis patients is sup
ported entirely by voluntary con
tributions to the annual March of
Dimes, January 14-31.