ORAL POLIO VACCINE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29270, 30 July 1960, Page 7

ORAL POLIO VACCINE

Use In .Russia Demonstrated (N.Z. Press Association—CopynaMt COPENHAGEN, July 28. A Soviet doctor pulled but a box of “sweets” today, started munching in front of 700 world poliomyelitis experts, and said: “This is Russia’s new way of fighting poliomyelitis." Sabin anti-poliomyelitis vaccine was being given to young Russians in the form of these cherrysized candy balls, and was the way the vaccine would be administered in future, he said.

The Soviet expert, Dr. M. P. Chumakov, of the Institute of Poliomyelitis Research, Moscow, was addressing the closing session of the International Poliomyelitis Conference. He said, four of the candy balls were taken a month apart. The first three contained virus of the three types of poliomyelitis, and the fourth contained all three types. A Soviet woman scientist told the conference that Russia planned to immufaise all children in the country between the age of two and 12 months with the “sweets.” Dr. John R. Paul, of Yale University, told the Conference that poliomyelitis virus eould spread as fast as five-eighths of a mile a day and could attack receptive children with the force of air rushing into a vacuum- Within a space of a few hours, a Whole family could be infected. Climate and social and economic conditions were important factors in the spread of the Virus. -In a warm climate where people had bad. economic CoijdL tions, 75 per ceht. of the children were often infected with the intestinal virus, he added. Dr. Frank L. lldrsfall told the conference that there was nd longer any question about the safety of the Salk anti-polio-myelitis vaccine. Dr. Horsfall, president of the Sloan-Kettering Institute for cancer research, also said: ‘There is good reason to believe that a concentrated vaccine of the Salk type, made from killed poliomyelitis virus, cab be developed which Will reduce the necessary number of shots to two.” . .?■■■

Dr. Jonas E. Salk, who discovered the treatment bearing his name, expressed eVen greater optimism. He told the conference he believed that eventually a single shot would be enough.