The Mercury from Pottstown, Pennsylvania • Page 15

Feature Page Pottsto wn Mercury Feature Page Pottstown, Monday, August 31, 1970 Fifteen Roving Reporter Polio Disappears Area residents were asked: you like to see a Christmas parade in Pottstown again? Last year was the first time in several years that none was Here are their answers. Immunization Erases Children's Crippler Mrs. Helen Ray, 377 W. King think it would be hhb nice. I think it is good for children.

I used to take I' my children to see it and I used to appreciate the par- ade and Santa Claus- 1 Mrs. Helen member marching in one of the Christmas parades and the children really seemed to enjoy the whole Sally Stewartz, 506 W. High I think it is a good idea because little children look forward to Christmas and the parade was always a big thing for the kids. I liked to go when I was and 1 sure iSg children now feel the same -IS, way as I did iBr Mrs. Douglas Hauck, 672 N.

Keim 1 think the children in town would enjoy having the parade Sally again. Christmas is a parti- Stewartz cularly joyous time of the year for youngsters and a parade would add a little something extra to the holiday for them to watch and Mrs. Janet Weitzenkorn, Briar Lane, Lower Pottsgrove: I think the parade should be held again because the children really enjoyed it in past years. Another reason for holding the parade is be- If cause it is an excellent way to start the Christmas sea- I Peggy Weir, 1607 Swamp I should have the ade again and continue to have it. The main reason the parade should be Weitzenkorn £Qr of the children because they are the ones who came to watch and enjoy it.

It also helps mark the arrival of the Christmas Lawrence Delewski, 662 Woodland think the parade is an excellent just fortaechildren, but for "The little kids really Lawrence a para(je and especially a Richard Delewski Christmas parade. It also Hurter gives the kids something to do other than just sit around and wait for Christmas William Christy, Mock Road, Upper Pottsgrove: the parade mean that much to the general lie because it never drew VMHf real big crowds. Naturally it was well appreciated by the kids and in that sense I dpB feel the parade was a good David Petrick, 1359 N. Keim Lower Pottsgrove: think they should have the parade again be- William cause it was an imposition Dav.ld on the kids in the bands Petrick from area schools. I marched in a couple of the parades and didn like it because the holidays are short enough without having to take time off to be in a Iva Weikel, 411 Beech think for the the parade feel that the young pfopleof today have SO much dissension James Howard Wei and lack of respect that I doubt if they would come see it.

It gives the little children something to do and something to pass on to their Karen Gaugler, 15 Walnut main reason for holding any Christmas parade anywhere is for the benefit of the children and in that respect I think the parade was a good idea and should be held again. Teen-agers and adults really go for rHf the parade that much but I the whole idea of Christmas is for the children have a parade for the children in town Mrs. Paul Buckwalter, Karen Schwenksville: like the Mrs- Paul Gaug er QJjristmas parade, Buckwalter because it seems to officially open the season. It is more for the children than anyone and the children will always enjoy seeing the parade and Santa Claus. It just seems to get tenuated or weakened live virus and has the advantages of being more effective and easier to take, according to medical officials in the area.

It is the common vaccine administered as part of every preventive health care program, and was introduced to Pottstown in 1963. Doctors vary in the time when they generally administer it, but usually it is in the first half year of the life. Three drops at a time are given to the baby orally in three stages, two months apart. The drops are trivalent, that is they contain preventive medicine for the three main kinds of polio spinal, respiratory and bulbar. Booster dosages are given at a later time, between six months and five years after the initial three dosages, according to Pottstown doctors.

PARALYSIS Before 1955, poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis, as it was commonly known, reached epidemic proportions throughout the world. In the United States the incidence of polio cases climbed steadily from the beginning of this century, reaching its greatest numbers after 1942. In 1950 more than 33,000 cases were reported to the National Health Service. Denmark, Germany and Belgium suffered severe epidemics in 1952. In Asia, Bombay, Singapore, Japan, Korea and the Philippines were hardest hit.

The first clear description of the dread disease Avas made as late as 1840, but the paralytic form was not clearly recognized until 1896. In 1887 the first epidemic was recorded, in Sweden. FILTERABLE VIRUS In the United States the acute infectious disease, caused by a filterable virus, reached epidemic proportions almost every year after the beginning of the 20th century. It is characterized by mild headache, fever, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness and drowsiness. More than two thirds of the patients recovered without progressing to the severe stage of paralysis.

The commonest of the three varieties was the spinal polio, which began after the third day of illness. The respiratory variety paralyzed the muscles associated with breathing and a mechanical device was required to keep the patient alive. Bulbar polio refers to the paralysis of the nerve centers that control speech and swallowing. IMMUNIZATION Polio immunization in young children automatically is scheduled by pediatricians and family physicians. It usually follows several weeks after the baby shots for diptheria, tussis and tetanus.

Mrs. Virginia Giamattei, supervisor at the Visiting Nurse Association of Pottstown and Vicinity, summarized the threefold diseases which often proved fatal. Diptheria, prevalent many years ago, caused severe sore throats and fever and often ended in suffocation. Pertussis or whooping cough had a high mortality rate especially for children under seven years of age. Tetanus, often called lockjaw, is caused by the tetanus bacillus which grows in the intestines of grass eating-animals.

A tetanus shot usually is administered whenever an injury is caused by an auto accident, stepping on a rusty nail or other metals. Tetanus often is fatal. SKIN TEST The tine-tuberculin skin test and the smallpox inoculation round out the immunization program for infants. School year, the area school districts will engage in a rubella or German measles immunization campaign in efforts to stave off a predicted epidemic. The only vaccine necessary upon admission to public school is the smallpox inoculation, according to Mrs.

Giammattei. Officials at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center said an iron lung, kept at Medical Center East, is in storage and has been there for some time. A device for inducing respiration artificially, the iron lung long was associated with polio patients suffering from paralysis. The patient is placed in the lung, an airtight compartment, except for his head and neck and then atmospheric pressure inside is raised and lowered by a pulmotor. Area Fuel Dealers Busy In 'Preventative 1 Program Pottstown fuel oil dealers are not sitting idly by waiting until they can again deliver their petroleum product to area homeowners in the dead of winter.

All summer long they have been active in a preventive maintenance program. oil heating need too much attention any said Richard Schwab, co-owner of the Walter F. Schwab Oil 130 High St. we check over the system to make sure it will burn efficiently in the cold winter At the request of its customers, the firm also installs new heating units and even air conditioning, to make good its promise that it handles everything for the heating and coo'ing of area homes. AUTOMATIC CYCLE Like most suppliers, the firm operates an automatic cycle of home deliveries depending on the weather.

use the temperatures as recorded in The Schwab explained. take the high and low reading of the day, add them, and divide by two to get the average and govern our deliveries accordingly. have been a dispatcher 25 years and the system always worked he added. At the firm of John B. Hartenstine 63 W.

High an automatic degree-day clock is turned on every Sept. 1 and has been operating without a breakdown for the past 14 years. colder it is outside, the faster the clock said John B. Hartenstine 3rd, vice president. when the temperature rises to 70 degrees, it clock plots a chart and takes into account a average consumption and capacity of the tank.

A machine then automatically prints delivery tickets as they are he said. 11 MEN WORK The 11 men are working through the summer getting their equipment into tip-top working order, including nozzles, air filters, oil filters, belts and fans. recommend that people start their units a week or two before the cold weather sets in so if there are any problems they can be taken care of in he said. Hartenstine recommended that checkups be conducted annually, since preventive maintenance costs less in the long run and also saves fuel. At Schuylkill Valley Oil Berks and Walnut Streets, Benjamin Longacre, general manager said his force of 13 men is engaged in filling tanks and checking burners for worry free comfort.

H. W. Hartman, president of the firm that bears his name on West High Street said that one of the special features he instructs his men to do while checking and cleaning furnaces is to pull the smoke pipe down and clean the base of the chimney, which even with relatively clean burning oil collects some residue. Most firms offer a budget payment system, usually dividing the average annual cost into 10 equal payments, stretching from August to May. Kiwanis Program A film of the landing on the moon will be shown to the Kiwanis Club of Pottstown 6:15 p.m.

Tuesday in the Elks home. ON THE ------Main Drag Poliomyelitis, the dreaded crippler of children until 1955, has been virtually eliminated. four or five cases of the disease were reported last year said Dr. John A. Lupas, pediatrician.

year I heard of 40 to 50 cases among migrant workers in Texas and New Mexico but they had not been where immunization programs are carried out, the disease has disappeared. Several Pottstown physicians agreed that they have not seen a polio case in Pottstown for more than a decade. Massive community immunization programs began as soon as the Salk vaccine was made available in 1955. It was administered in a series of three shots, six weeks apart, plus a booster shot six months later. The vaccine was derived from an inactivated or dead virus.

SABIN VACCINE The orally administered Sabin vaccine has replaced the Salk vaccine. It consists of an at- CLAA- CHECKER Manak, 346 Lincoln lifts one of the pots used to steam clams, corn and other foods being served at Independence clambake at the of Grove in Stowe. The clambake was attended by more than 300 persons. (Mercury Staff Photo) AMBROSE LUCIDI the airplane he is building will be able to stay in the air. CHRIS CLARK her check on new clothes.

KEITH JEFFRIES ready for school again. PAUL SMITH in shape for football. MR. AND MRS. KENNETH MOYER from a Canadian tour.

Anniversary Parade Set By Firemen West End Fire Stowe, will note its 60th anniversary Sept. 12 with a parade of bands, marching units and fire equipment. Forty fire companies from the area are expected to participate. U.S. Representative Lawrence Coughlin will be the main speaker at ceremonies following the parade.

He recently introduced a bill to note National Volunteer Week, Sept. 12 to 19. Other speakers will be Thomas Roberts, president of West Pottsgrove commissioners; Brower B. Yerger mayor of Pottstown; Richard Moser, Pottstown fire chief; Delmar Egolf, West End fire chief; Donald Yanos, president of West End Fire Co. and Mrs.

Richard Hospador, president of the West End Ladies Auxiliary. The parade will move east on Vine Street from Vine and Center Streets, north on Elm Street to Race Street, west to Grosstown Road, south to Rice Street and to the Fire Company lot. Clyde Ludwig is general chairman. Pottstown View Committee Sponsors Clambake for 300 Pottstown Independence committee members expressed pleasure with the turnout of more than 300 persons who attended the clambake Sunday to help defray costs incurred by the Fourth of July celebration. The clambake was held at the of Grove, Constitution Avenue, Stowe, and was open to the public.

Mrs. Tony Chomnuk, chairman said, think it is wonder- Youth Arrested For Underage Drinking A 20-year-old youth was charged with underage diinking early Sunday morning High and Charlotte streets. Patrolman John Durkin arrested Carlton Eisenhard, Emmaus, after auto was found drifting backward in the eastbound lane of High Street shortly after 4:30 a.m. Eisenhard pleaded guilty at a hearing before Justice of the Peace Jack Strange. He paid a fine and cost of $38.50 and was released.

br Im. 'Why don't they leave tht vote-getting to us ful that enough people took it upon themselves to come out and support our she said. is having a wonderful is for the benefit of a very worthy cause and I am pleased that these people had enough civic pride to support Mrs. Chomnuk said. Pottstown Mayor Brower B.

Yerger also commented. here seems to be enjoying themselves and having a good the mayor said. is gratifying to know these people felt a responsibility to the The menu included chicken, steamed clams, raw clams, potatoes, corn, clam chowder and beer with hot dogs and birch beer for the children. Oley Soldier's Medals Awarded Posthumously An Oley resident, who became the 39th fatality in Vietnam when his base camp was hit by enemy fire, was given two military decorations posthumously. The decorations were for Army Spec.

4 Robert E. Greth, husband of Joan (Lippincott) Greth, Oley, who was killed in Vietnam May 12, 1969. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene L.

Greth, Oley. The medals presented posthumously in his home were Vietnam Medal of Gallantry and the Vietnam Medal of Merit given by the Vietnam Government. In Feburary the Bronze Star Medal was awarded posthumously for meritorious service in connection with operations against a hostile force in the Republic of The soldier was inducted into thfi service April 22, 1968, and was in Vietnam two months before he was killed. Other awards given posthumously were a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Ribbon issued by South Vietnam, Expert Rifleman Badge and Combat Badge..