Medicine: Early Peak?

With the 1949 epidemic of poliomyelitis (a record 42,375 cases) fresh in their minds, statisticians of the U.S. Public Health Service had watched uneasily as the figures for 1950 skyrocketed in the early summer. Last week, they relaxed; it looked as though the polio season was passing its peak early. In the latest week fully reported there were 1,489 new cases of polio, only 47 more than the week before and a far cry from the 3,416 a year ago. The total to date for the "disease year" (which begins in mid-March): 9,097 cases, compared with 16,375 for the same period...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!