THE FRONTIERSMAN
Entered as second class matter on Oct. 21. 1947. at the post office a’
Palmer. Alaska, under the Act of March 3. 1879.
A. J. DeJulio-- Owner-Manager
Editor ...;—__Virginia Gallant
Subscription Rates . 50c a month, $5 a year
Mailed to all points in Alaska and the United States
Reporters—
Notebook
Robert Graham, son of Bruce
Graham of Palmer, left for New
Jersey this past Sunday follow
ing a 10-day Army leave which
he spent in the Valley. He expects
to leave shortly on a European
assignment.
Members of the Wasilla 4-H
Clover club appeared on Ruth
Briggs’ radio program over Sta
tion KENI on Tuesday of this
week. They were also presented
to the televison audience by Aud
rey Davie of TV Station KTVA.
Jim Harrison, son of Henry
Harrison, returned to the Vahey
recently with his wife and' two
children following his discharge
from the U. S. Navy- Harrison
who served the past four years
with the Navy, has resumed work
at the Evan-Jones Coal ' Mine
where he was employed prior
to his naval service.
Visiting at the Harrison home
are Mr. and Mrs. Roy Darnell
of Los Angeles, California, par
ents of Mrs. Jim Harrison.
Friends and acquaintances of
Don Irwin are happy to see him
up and around again.
Mrs. Betty Harrington is work
ing in H. J. Hodgson’s office at
the Agriculture Experiment Sta
tion. She is replacing Mrs. Pat
Weisenberger.
A1 V. Hagen of Palmer and
Tommy Bie of Seward are being
considered in Republican circles
for appointment to the Alaska
Development Board.
Jim Wilson, commissioner of
agriculture, is planning to attend
the Tanana Valley Fair in Fair
banks. The Department of Agri
culture will have exhibits at the
fair, which is being held August
5, 6, 7, and 8.
The annual meeting of the Ter
ritorial Loan Board will be held
in Fairbanks August 12 and 13.
Expecting to attend from Palmer
are Commissioner of Agriculture
Jim Wilson; Max Sherrod and
Richard Jones.
Susan and Patricia Harrington,
daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Ward
Harrington flew Outside this past
week-end. Following a visit at
Washington, D. C. the young girls
will go on to Pittsburgh, Pa. They
will visit their grandparents and
other relatives.
Hugh Johnson, Emil Ganschow,
Paul Martin, Charles Wilson, all
--■--- - -
HEALTH OFFICER
GIVES TIPS ON POLIO
Several parents have indicated
a wish to learn more about polio
myelitis. Through Dr. C. C. Bailey
Palmer health officer, the follow
ing questions and answers have
been obtained to help clarify
many thoughts about the disease.
What is it?
Poliomyelitis is a virus infec
tion.
What<are the sources of infection?
Throat and fecal discharges
from' known poliomylitis cases
are sources of infection. The po
liomyelitis virus may also be
found in the throat and fecal
discharges of persons not suffer
ing from a recognizable attack of
the disease.
How long is the incubation
period?
The incubation period is usual
ly from seven to 14 days.
What are the periods of com
municability?
It is believed that the period
of greatest communicability is
during the later part of the in
cubaton period and in the first
week of the acute illness.
Who is most susceptible to the
disease?
Children from one to 16 years
of age are most frequently at
tacked, the peak age incidence
varying in different parts of the
world.
How is immunity to infection ac
quired?
Susceptibility to infection is
general. Immunity is acquired by
infection which may have been
clinically inapparent. The dura
J tion of immunity is unknown but
- second attacks involving the same
type of virus have not been re
corded.
What is the mode of transmission?
Close association with infected
persons, with or without apparent
illness, is responsible for the ma
jority of the cases. Infections at
tributable to milk have been
It’s a fact money cannot buy
happiness, but it places the pos
sessor in an excellent bargaining
position.
i
of Palmer, and I. M. C. Ander
son of Anchorage have returned
from a week spent at Katmai
National Monument as guests of
i the National Park Service who
had requested a survey of agri
cultural prospects of the monu
ment area.
- - -- - - - - — -1
DO YOU HAVE
Polio Insurance
Our Lloyd’s dread disease policy covers
six dread diseases, including polio.
$10,000 coverage for everyone in the
family.
ONE YEAR $13.42
TWO YEARS $19.63
DROP IN AND ASK ABOUT THIS
TIMELY INSURANCE
rare. There has been no reliable
evidence of spread by insects,
water, food, or sewage.
How prevalent is the disease?
The infection is found through
out the world. It is most preval
ent in the summer and early fall.
Is quarantine necessary in polio
myelitis?
The value of quarantine during
epidemics has not been proved.
There are two many unrecogniz
ed infectious persons in the com
munity to make quarantine read
ily applicable.
Can poliomyelitis be prevented?
No. However avoiding fatique,
over-exertion and exposure to
new groups is indicated as a pre
cautionary measure. Innocula
tions of gamma globulin will be
given to all persons in this area
who have been exposed to polio
myelitis governed by rules and
regulations of the territorial de
partment of health.
How far has vaccine research
progressed?
There is no vaccine available
for mass immunization. Early in
1954 field trials will have been
conducted to determine the effec
tiveness of a trial vaccine to pro
tect children ; against paralytic
poliomyelitis.
Who are being vaccinated?
The vaccine will have been giv
en to school children of a specific
age group in the test areas dur
ing the non-epidemic period be
fore June 1, 1954. :
Who is conducting the vaccine
trials?
The vaccine validity study is a
project of the Natonal Foundation
of Infantile Paralysis. It is being
conducted in close cooperation
with state and county public
health officers, various medical
societies and school authorities.
The association of State and Ter
ritorial Health Officer appointed
a committee to advise with the
Natonal Foundaton in planning
the study.
Will gamma globulin be used next
year?
Yes. The amount which will be
available and the pattern of dis
tribution are not yet known.
The diagnosis of poliomyelitis
may be simple and obvious or ex
tremely difficult and obscure. In
the event that an individual de
velops an elevated temperature
during the polio season, he should
be kept relatively quiet until
his temperature has remained
normal for at least three or four
days instead of the customary one
day. This rule should be followed
, even though a physician may not
have been called. The patient that
has been placed at complete bed
rest as a result of this precaution
or by early diagnosis on the part
of the physician is likely to have
less involvement from poliomye
litis than one who is active dur
ing the early days of the disease.
If this procedure were carried out
many heartaches caused by un
necessary exposure of others and
by excessive activity during the
early period of the disease would
be obviated.
In many cases of poliomyelitis
hospitalization is unnecessary.
: Keeping the patient quietly in
| his own bed at home and avoid
^ ing the fatigue and nervous ten
sion incident to transportation
and to the first days in a hospital
are in line with the dictum that
rest, both physical and psycholo
gic, is the most important factor
in the early care of patients with
this frightening disease. Furth
ermore, to stay at home is natur
ally the patient’s preference and
usually that of the parents. Dan
ger of infection to the others in
the home is not appreciably in
creased, the patient already hav
ing exposed and possibly infected
all of his contacts for some days
before the diagnosis is suspect
ed. Suspects are usually kept at
home and not admitted to the
hospital.
Patients more definitely sick,
with fever, headache, a scratchy
throat, perhaps pain and stiff
ness in the neck, back and ex
tremities, but no recognizable
weakness, and who are consider
ed to be possible instances of po
iomyelitis without paralysis as
yet, might well be kept quietly
where * they are and carefully
watched for possible progression
of the infection. Even when some
weakness appears in an extremity
to make the diagnosis quite cer
tain, there is really nothing that
hospitals can do for mild paralytic
cases in the acute stage that good
homes cannot do. There are cer
tain diagnostic tests that can be
performed by the physcian that
may be helpful in making the
diagnosis, but all of these tests
can be performed in the home
as well as in the hospital.
Of course before a physcian
can feel justified in treating a
case in the home, adequate facil
ities of accommodation and per
sonnel must be available. On the
other hand, there are indications
of trouble, present or impending,
which when found in a sick per
Give your child this
Scientific Foot Care
at
KOSLOSKY’S DEPARTMENT STORE
B, C, D, E
WIDTHS
They absorb the spinal shock of children's first steps.
Growing feet need the special care that Culver Cubs
offer. Soft, pliable and have no side seams to rub and
chafe.
See the bouncy,
Air-Bubble
Cushion?
7hats why I walk
on Cuddle Cubs!
Koslosky's Dept. Store
son, demand his hospitalization
if it is in any way possible, and
of course preferably in a hospital
where there is real knowledge of
the proper care of poliomylitis.
Your family doctor is the best
judge as to whether or not home
or hospital care is preferred.
During the month of July two
cases of acute polomyelitis were
reported in the Palmer area.
The above information is a cur
rent review on acute poliomyelit
is and its present status in this
area.
WASILLA COMMUNITY
CALENDAR
MONDAY, AUGUST 9
VETERANS OF FOREIGN
WARS, Community Hall, 8 p m.
VFW AUXILIARY, Community
Hall, 8 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10
WASILLA GRANGE, Grange
Hut, 8 p.m.
HAPPY MAN
The man who lives within his
income lives without worry—and
a lot of other things.
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GOOD HEALTH
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OR GIVE YOU LESS
Exactly what the doctor*'
ordered, that is the mea
sure we use in our pre
scriptions. Accuracy is our.
law! !
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BERT'S DRUG STORE
Vi o *
“It’s the Water’
that makes
the difference
... the constant purity
and never-changing flavor of
Olympia Beer are made possible
by the perfect brewing water
from our famous artesian wells.
OlYMPtA BREWING CO.
Otympfe Wash* U. S. A.
RODEO * Sat., Aug.
PALMER FAIR GROUNDS 2:00 P.M.
7-- Sunday, Aug. 8
- Adults — $1.50 - Children under 12-75c