54–720

lornajarrettblanchard January 1, 1914

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard January 14, 2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–720 Bureau of the Census, US Dept. of Commerce. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 388.

–349 Nation. Smallman-Raynor, et al. Poliomyelitis: Emergency to Eradication. 2006, 150.[1]

–299 Nation. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. 1917, pp. 280-281.[2]

–33 CA. Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 388.

–25 CA, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 280 (56 cases, 46% death rate).

— 8 CO Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 388.

— 6 CT Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 388.

–2 CT, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 280 (11 cases, 18% death rate).

— 1 DC Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 389.

–34 IL, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p.280 (142 cases, 24% death rate)

–33 IN Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 389.

–28 IN, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 280 (58 cases, 48% death rate).

–16 IA, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (19 cases, 84% death rate).

–13 KS Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 389.

–13 KS, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (25 cases, 52% death rate).

–27 KY Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 389.

— 8 ME Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 389.

–10 MD Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–50 MA Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–45 MA. NYC Health Dept. A Monograph on The Epidemic of Poliomyelitis. 1917, p. 355.[3]

–34 MI Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–28 MI, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (49 cases, 57% death rate).

–15 MN Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–13 MN, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (19 cases, 68% death rate).

–38 MO Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

— 4 MT Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

— 9 NH Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–19 NJ Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 396.

–? NJ, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (32 cases, ? death rate).

–88 NY Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

–69 NY, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all…Aspects. p. 281 (224 cases, 31% death rate)

–34 NYC[4] Draper, G. Infantile Paralysis. NY, London: Appleton-Century, 1935, p. 20.[5]

–51 NC Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

–58 OH Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

–? OH, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (63 cases, ? death rate).

–65 PA Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

–65 PA. NYC Health Dept. A Monograph on The Epidemic of Poliomyelitis. 1917, p. 355.[6]

— 9 RI Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

— ? SC, July-Dec. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. p. 281 (21 cases, ? death rate).

— 5 UT Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 397.

–54 VT Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 404.

–53 VT, Jul-Dec. Caverly. “Epidemic Poliomyelitis…Epidemics of 1914…” 1916, p. 110.

–51 VT. Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all…Aspects. p. 281 (301 cases, 17% death rate)

–42 VA Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 404.

–11 WA Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 404.

–9 WA, Aug-Oct. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all…Aspects. p. 281 (21 cases, 42% death rate).

–20 WI Bureau of the Census. Mortality Statistics 1914. Table 6. p. 404.

–11 WI, Aug-Nov. Ruhräh. Poliomyelitis in all…Aspects. p. 281 (31 cases, 35% death rate).

–15 WI. NYC Health Dept. A Monograph on The Epidemic of Poliomyelitis. 1917, p. 353.[7]

Vermont

Caverly: “The epidemic of 1914, in the number of cases, as well as in mortality, was the severest that has ever occurred in the state. The epidemic began in the Village of Barton, the first cases occurring respectively on July 9, 18, and 22. The first cases occurred in the immediate neighborhood in Barton Village, where the last cases in the outbreak of 1913 occurred in the month of November. No other cases occurred in the state, as far as our records go, until the 30^th of July, when the first case occurred in Burlington. The earliest cases in Addison and Franklin Counties were respectively August 16 and August 14.

“The outbreak of 1914 was chiefly felt in the northern half of the state above the forty-fourth parallel of latitude. Nearly 90 per cent of the 306 cases of which we have reports, occurred north of this line, which passes through Middlebury and Bradford. Scattering cases only occurred in Rutland, Bennington, Windsor and Windham Counties….” (p. 98)

There were 306 reported cases. (p. 101)

Age Periods

4 and under 5-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 Over 40

116 83 74 16 12 3 [p. 101]

“The combined distribution of the cases in the various counties…was as follows:

Addison 31

Bennington 2

Caledonia 3

Chittenden 76

Franklin 35

Grand Isle 8

Lamoille 18

Orange 19

Orleans 55

Rutland 17

Washington 25

Windham 1

Windsor 14

Total 304 [pp. 101-102]

“In the fatal cases, death was due to respiratory failure. Most of these cases were of the ascending type of paralysis, all four extremities, or one or more of these being paralyzed frequently a day or two in advance of the respiratory symptoms. In 18 of these cases, all of the extremities were paralyzed prior to the respiratory paralysis; in 5, both arms; in 7, one arm and one or both legs; and in 9, the arm and leg on the same side of the body. Several of these cases showed paralysis of the muscles of deglutition and the neck….” (p. 103)

“A fact observed not infrequently, especially at Barton where such cases were of frequent occurrence in conjunction with paralyzed cases, was this—in visiting and examining a paralyzed case, one or more children in the family would be noted as not acting quite well. In questioning the parents of such children, it was learned that they had had acute febrile attacks, usually within ten days or two weeks, and had not fully recovered their strength.[8] The appearance of these children was very striking, as compared with others in the same family who had not had such symptoms. They were appreciably pale, weak and listless.

“That, in all the communities where this disease appeared, there was a large number of such cases of varying degrees of severity, who recovered without any noticeable paralysis, there can be no doubt. These so-called abortive cases are surely important features of all outbreaks of infantile paralysis. The early diagnosis and control of these must have undoubtedly an important bearing upon the prophylaxis of epidemic poliomyelitis….” (p. 104)

“The results of this outbreak of 1914, as determined by our reports dated from one to six months after the initial symptoms, were as follows:

Paralyzed cases…226

Died……………. 53

Fully recovered… 27 (Including those “not paralyzed”)” (p. 104)

“The symptoms presented by these cases during the initial stage of illness were quite regularly fever, vomiting, more or less pains in joints and extremities, not unusually constipation and retention of urine. Pain and tenderness along the spine were very frequently noted. In a few cases, as has been before stated, the first symptom that attracted attention was the paralysis.” (p. 105)

Distribution – Seasonal (p. 110)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

1 — —- —- 1 — 8 88 142 56 8 2

“The 1913 outbreak focused about Hardwick. The outbreak of 1914 is traceable directly to that of the previous year, in that it started where the 1913 outbreak ended, viz., Barton. A reference to the map will show the widespread prevalence of the disease in 1914 over the northern half of the state. It will be further noticed that there seemed to be two main foci, Barton and Burlington. Noticeable clusters also occur in and about Bristol, Barre, Waterville and St. Albans.” (p. 111)

“The river valleys, as well as the railroad and highways, in the northern half of the state run east and west as well as north and south, so that human intercourse and travel is far freer between the two sides of the state north of Burlington than south. This may explain, and without much doubt, does, the wide and comparatively even distribution of the cases over the northern half of Vermont.” (p. 112)

(Caverly, Charles S., M.D. “Epidemic Poliomyelitis: A Review of the Epidemics of 1914 and 1915.” Published in Bulletin of the Vermont State Board of Health,” Vol. 16, No. 4, 6-1-1916 and reprinted, beginning at p. 97 in: Vermont Department of Public Health. Infantile Paralysis in Vermont 1894-1922 – A Memorial to Charles S. Caverly, M.D. Burlington: State Department of Public Health, 1924.)

Sources

Bureau of the Census, U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Mortality Statistics 1914. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1916. Accessed 1-14-2024 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsushistorical/mortstatsh_1914.pdf

Caverly, Charles S., M.D. “Epidemic Poliomyelitis: A Review of the Epidemics of 1914 and 1915.” Published in Bulletin of the Vermont State Board of Health,” Vol. 16, No. 4, 6-1-1916 and reprinted, beginning at p. 97 in: Vermont Department of Public Health. Infantile Paralysis in Vermont 1894-1922 – A Memorial to Charles S. Caverly, M.D. Burlington: State Department of Public Health, 1924. Digitized by Internet Archive, 2013. Accessed 11-11-2013: https://archive.org/details/infantileparalys00cave

Draper, George, M.D. Infantile Paralysis. NY and London: D. Appleton-Century Co., Inc., 1935.

New York City Department of Health. A Monograph on The Epidemic of Poliomyelitis (Infantile Paralysis) in New York City in 1916. NY: Dept. of Health, 1917. Google Digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=yDnQAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22a+monograph+on+the+epidemic%22&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Ruhräh, John, M.D. and Erwin E. Mayer, M.D. Poliomyelitis in all its Aspects. Philadelphia and NY: Lea & Febiger, 1917. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=ejxZDia7-_kC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Smallman-Raynor, R. R., A. D. Cliff, B. Trevelyan, C. Nettleton, S. Sneddon. Poliomyelitis: Emergency to Eradication – A World Geography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.

For national statistics see:

United States Public Health Service, Treasury Department (C. H. Lavinder, A. W. Freeman, and W. H. Frost). Epidemiologic Studies of Poliomyelitis in New York City and the North Eastern United States During The Year 1916 (Public Health Bulletin No. 91, July, 1918, 340 pages). Washington: U.S. Public Health Service (GPO), 1918. Google digitized at:

http://books.google.com/books?id=CH4CAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Also: http://books.google.com/books?id=pI8dIjkMyI4C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

For further reading:

Caverly, Charles S., President, Vermont State Board of Health. “Poliomyelitis (Infantile Paralysis). A preliminary note on the epidemic in Vermont during the summer and fall of 1914.” October 23, 1914.

Landon, J. F., and L. W. Smith. Poliomyelitis: A Handbook for Physicians and Medical Students based on a Study of the 1931 Epidemic in New York City. With a Section on Orthopedic Care of the Disease, by Garry de N. Hough, Jr. NY: Macmillan, 1934.

[1] Cites: R. B. Low. “A short account of the epidemiology of acute anterior poliomyelitis in recent years.” Forty-Fifth Annual Report of the Local Government Board, 1915-16. Supplement Containing the Report of the Medical Officer for 1915-16. London: HMSO, 1917, pp. 63-72.

[2] It is to be noted that Ruhräh does not provide the death rate in four states. If we assume the minimum death rate recorded (18% in Vermont) to these States we would get 2 deaths for MD, 6 for NJ, 11 for OH, and 4 for SC, for 21 additional deaths, or a total of 320. Thus Ruhräh and Smallman-Raynor seem to be in consonance.

[3] Cites correspondence with Massachusetts State Board of Health, and notes this is our of 151 reported cases.

[4] Notes there were 129 cases out of 5,136,706 population. Draws from Landon and Smith 1934 report.

[5] Cites, on p. 19, a “New York City report on epidemic poliomyelitis in 1931.” The bibliography indicates this is a reference to J. F. Landon and L. W. Smith. Poliomyelitis…A Study of the 1931 Epidemic in New York City. 1934.

[6] Cites correspondence with Pennsylvania State Board of Health, and notes this was out of 113 reported cases.

[7] Cites correspondence with Wisconsin State Board of Health, and notes that this is out of 31 cases.

[8] For the most part, such cases of what was called abortive poliomyelitis (stopped prior to paralysis), were not included in the tally of cases, which tended to reflect paralytic cases.