50 years ago from the Journal of the Connecticut State Medical Society. 1940. Further studies in the therapy of acute anterior poliomyelitis.

1. Twenty seven consecutive cases of preparalytic infantile paralysis (36.4% of the total admissions) treated with non-specific protein (intramuscular sterile milk), intravenous 50% sucrose and dehydration (restricted intake) are herein reported. There was no paralysis nor mortality in this group. One case developed weakness, which subsequently disappeared entirely before hospital discharge. During a simultaneous period, 47 cases (63.6%) were admitted with either weakness or paralysis. 2. The early administration of this therapy is advocated. 3. The therapy was used in cases presenting muscular weakness and paralysis upon hospital admission with apparent arrest of the process sooner than is usually expected. A rapid recovery was striking in many instances. This was particularly true in the group admitted with weakness only. 73% of these recovered completely and the remaining 27% were improved. In the paralytic group ganglion cell destruction had often completed before hospital admission. In these cases the results would be disappointing with any therapy. 4. Of the 47 cases admitted in the stage of weakness or paralysis, including the bulbar cases, twelve (25.5%) recovered completely, 17 (36.1%) definitely improved, 16 (34%) were unimproved and 2 (4.2%) died. In the entire group (74 cases) there was a mortality of 2.7%, complete recovery in 52.7%, improvement 22.9% and no improvement in 21.6%. 5. Aside from poliomyelitis, we have used the therapy in primary and secondary encephalitis with gratifying results in most cases, which, however, were few in number. 6. Further study on a larger scale would be advantageous in evaluating this therapy, both in poliomyelitis and encephalitis.