WORLD POLIO AWARENESS
Early in the 20th century polio (poliomyelitis) became the world's most feared disease. Children were most susceptible but adults were also infected. Polioyelitis is inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord. An acute viral disease characterized by fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, and often stiffness of the neck and back. There may also be subsequent atrophy of groups of muscles ending in contraction and permanent deformity, or death.
Travel Sign
a country road in Virginia USA | circa 1950s
In the early 1900s, the east coast of the United States reported over 27,000 cases and 6,000 deaths just within New York City. Worldwide outbreaks of Polio were more severe during the summer months closing theatres, swimming pools, beaches and most public meeting and gathering places.

A heroine in medical history, Sister Elizabeth Kenny was a Australian born nurse and health administrator who was also known as the Polio nurse. She dedicated her life to those suffering from polio and developed a science-based method of physical therapy to help with the pain and suffering while mobilizing limbs, chest, neck and back to keep the good muscles in shape.

Sister Kenny traveled around the world teaching her proven methods to numerous health institutions and universities. Her United States visit included a meeting with President Franklin D Roosevelt, who had polio and confined to a wheel chair. Rumor has it they had a splendid visit.

Sister Kenney was a world leader in the eradication of polio but emphasized her compassion for life while relieving pain and suffering. While in North America, Sister Kenny established the Sister Kenny Rehabilitating Institute in the state of Minnesota.
Nurse Kenney
Sister Elizabeth Kenny with polio patient, Australia | circa 1940s
Elizabeth Kenney — born on the 20th of September, 1880 - Warialda, New South Whales, Australia and died the 30th of November, 1952 - Toowoomba, Queens, Australia.
Pictured on the right is an image of an iron lung which was invented by Drinker, Shaw, and Wilson at Harvard Medical School and was first used on October 12, 1928 at Boston's Children's Hospital. The iron lung assisted patients with breathing when they were unable to do so on their own. Due to the paralyses nature of polio, especially on the lungs, the iron lung was widely used to provide a mechanical form of breathing.

As you can imagine, these machines look frightening and they produced a lot of mechanical noise. Many iron lungs were placed within walls of hospitals to alleviate the noise and images of the mechanic lung from family visiting loved ones		Iron Lung
nursing attendant with patient in an Iron Lung circa | 1950s

JONAS SALK
physician and scientist credited
with discovering the Polio vaccine		Two vaccines were used throughout the world to combat polio. The first was "poliovirus vaccine, inactivated" or IPV developed by Jonas Salk after having isolated three strands of the poliovirus. After clinical trials his vaccine was introduced on April 12, 1955.

The Salk vaccine, or IPV, was an injection of the inactive (dead) poliovirus.
Immediately following licensing, vaccination campaigns were launched then by 1957, following mass immunizations sponsored by the March of Dimes, the annual number of polio cases in the United States was reduced from 58,000 to 5,600 cases.

Further research, lead by Albert Sabin, studied the cadavers of those who died from the poliovirus. He developed "poliovirus vaccine, live oral" or OPV. This new active and oral vaccine was concealed within a sugar cube and was swallowed then absorbed through the digestive process.

A US approved clinical trial in April of 1960 in the city of Cincinnati proved to eradicate the Polio virus completely. Sabin's new and improved vaccine became the worldwide standard immunization against Polio.
Albert Sabin — Born in Poland the 26th of August, 1906, and died the 3rd of March, 1993, in Washington DC as an American Citizen.
Jonas Salk — Born in NYC the 28th of October, 1914, and died the 23rd of June, 1995, in La Jolla, California.
The efforts of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and many global health institutions are our only hope in preventing the reemergence of deadly diseases. Their efforts in countries with limited resources including, food, water, sanitation.
LICE (PEDICULOSIS)
LOUSE
Pediculus		 BODY LOUSE
Pediculus humanus corporis
HEAD LOUSE
Pediculus humanus
capitis		 PUBIC LOUSE (crab)
Phthirus inguinalis
pubis

Head and body lice are transmitted through direct body-to-body contact and by sharing clothing (including hats), towels, bedsheets/linens, and through direct body contact.

Under a microscope, pubic lice resemble tiny crabs (which is where the nickname "crabs" comes from). As its name implies, pubic lice are most often found in the pubic area. If a person is very hairy, pubic lice can also appear in other places on the body. Similar to body lice, pubic lice are transmitted by sharing clothing (including hats), towels, bedsheets/linens, in addition to undergarments, and sexually through direct body-to-body contact.

What to do:

  1. Get treatment. Your healthcare professional can give you treatments. More than one treatment may be necessary
  2. All sexual partners within the previous month must also be treated as well
  3. Wash towels, bed sheets, and undergarments that you have come in contact with. Use a washing machine in the typical manner but put the dryer on high heat
  4. Everyone in your dwelling who in the past month has come in contact with shared towels, bedsheets, etc., must also be treated.
What not to do:
  1. If you see your partner scratching themselves a lot, do not make physical contact with them
  2. If you see red lines under your partner's skin, do not make physical contact with them
  3. Do not share towels, bedsheets, and linens that have NOT been previously cleaned. Included are towels and sheets in bathhouses, message parlors, and similar establishments
  4. Do not share clothing, especially undergarments.
THE RABIES DISEASE

Louis Pasteur, scientist
founded Pasteur Institute

b. December 22, 1822
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté,
Dole, France
d. September 28, 1895
Marnes-la-Coquette, France

 French scientist, Louis Pasteur, together with fellow Frenchmen, Emile Roux, began working on a Rabies vaccine. Their theory was, that if a person or an animal was exposed to a weakened form of the disease, the body would develop its own defense mechanisms against it.

Pasteur's first human patient was a young boy who was mauled by a rabid dog and subsequently became ill with the disease. Joseph Meister was the boy's name. He was given 13 injections of the still experimental rabies serum, the most grateful boy grew up to become the caretaker of the Pasteur Institute.

During the invasion of France by Nazi Germany, Joseph, then in his mid 60's, sent his family to safety and stayed behind to safeguard the institute. Thinking that he made a mistake and was sure that his family was dead, he committed suicide by natural gas; his family survived.

The Rabies virus belongs to the order Mononegavirales, viruses with a nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA genomes. The virus infects the central nervous system and is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.
Before mass production of the Rabies vaccine in the late 1800s patients went through stages of declining health.

[stage one]
Symptoms of Rabies start with flu-like symptoms (headache, fever, and vomiting) and could last for several days during which time people generally assumed that they had the flu.

[stage two]
As more symptoms of Rabies disease would appear (anxiety, agitation, and confusion). Hydrophobia which is a fear of water was a definitive symptom of Rabies infection. Since Rabies disease made it difficult to swallow many patients rejected to drink water leading to dehydration.

[stage three]
As the disease progressed, patients would suffer from insomnia, hallucinations, and paralysis, which was an indication that death is forthcoming. Many patients died of dehydration before they reached this point.

The majority of Rabies cases occur in wild animals including bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes; although any mammal can get Rabies. All domestic animals should have the Rabies vaccination. Check with your local health department to find out how long a Rabies inoculation last, some vary between 2 and 4 years.

TSUNAMI WARNNINGS (Continued)
Tsunami warnings come in different forms. There are official warnings issued by tsunami warning centers that are broadcast through local radio and television, wireless emergency alerts, NOAA Weather Radios, NOAA Web sites, and social media. They may also come through outdoor sirens, local officials, text message alerts, and telephone notifications.

What if you are suspicious of a tsunami!

There may not be time to wait for an official warning, so it is important to be able to recognize natural tsunami warnings. These include strong or long earthquakes, a loud roar coming from the ocean, and a sudden rise or fall of the sea level that is not related to the tide.

Official and natural warnings are equally important. Be prepared to respond immediately to any tsunami warnings. Move quickly to a safe place by following posted evacuation signs. If you do not see an evacuation route, go to high ground or as far inland as possible.