Poliomyelitis in Alabama

It is the purpose of this report to describe a part of the natural history of poliomyelitis in the State of Alabama during the elevenyear period, 1931 to 1942. Two epidemics of poliomyelitis occurred in Alabama during this period of time, apparently the first of any size to be recorded in the state. The occurrence of large epidemics of poliomyelitis in the deep South in recent years' 15 makes it worthwhile to delineate the behavior of this disease in a southern state during epidemic and interepidemic years. There is much less information about the secular trend of poliomyelitis, its geographical and seasonal distribution, and the age groups attacked in southern than in northern states. This study brings together some of the available information about poliomyelitis in Alabama.t In recording the experience with poliomyelitis in Alabama several other acute infectious diseases were studied for comparative purposes. In particular, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and cerebrospinal meningitis have been compared with poliomyelitis, because in each of the first three of these diseases the manner of spread is thought to be fairly well known. In comparing these diseases with poliomyelitis the assumption is that man is the only natural host of poliomyelitis vsirus. In comparing poliomyelitis with each of these diseases deductive evidence has been sought as to the way this disease is spread in the human population.