An outbreak of polio in Russell

The Americas were declared polio-free in 1994, due to effective vaccines, and it was hoped that the same could be said for the world by 2018. But as October turned to November in 1949, that infectious, crippling and sometimes deadly disease still was very much on the mind of most Lucas Countyans.

No cases had been reported here during 1947, but two Lucas County youngsters, Tommy Mays and Johnny Fisher, were among the 1,247 affected statewide during 1948. Both survived, but remained under treatment well into 1949. Three-year-old Eric Atha, of Chariton, hospitalized at Blank Childrens Hospital in Des Moines on August 4, was the first case of 1949.

Then everyone's attention turned to Russell when The Chariton Leader carried this report on the front page of its Nov. 1, 1949, edition under the headline, "Polio Strikes Russell Vicinity."

FLASH: As we go to press, another case has been tentatively diagnosed as polio in the Russell community. It is that of John Boozell, 39, who was taken to Des Moines just before noon today.

The first case to be reported was that of Larry Turbot, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hilton Turbot. He was taken to the Blank Memorial Hospital in Des Moines Sunday.

Yesterday, two young girls were stricken. They were the Brong sisters, Mary, 6, and Martha, 7, daughters of the Rev. and Mrs. Donald Brong. The girls were taken to the Blank Memorial Hospital last night. Their cases were said to be light.

Mrs. Clyde Milnes, chairman of the Lucas County Infantile Paralysis Foundation, reports that her organization is ready with every available resource and will do everything possible to stem the outbreak and halt the spread of the disease. She is going to Russell this afternoon to survey the situation.

A meeting of the Russell school board was called this morning and school was dismissed for the week, the children being sent home right after the meeting. Pending further developments school is tentatively scheduled to reopen next Monday.

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The situation had not changed by Thursday, Nov. 3, when The Herald-Patriot reported, "As far as can be determined as we go to press today there is nothing new in the Russell polio epidemic. To date four cases are reported. They are Larry Turbot, Mary and Martha Brong and John Boozell. A couple of others are reported ill, but polio is not indicated, advices say. All public meetings have been banned for the week and schools closed until Monday in the Russell community."

The Leader of Nov. 8 was able to report "Russell Back to Normal --- Information from Russell today is that the situation is again normal after the polio scare of last week in which four were sent to Des Moines for treatment. There are no new cases reported. Schools opened as usual Monday morning and other public meetings are held as necessary. Condition of the patients has not been determined."

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Of the four Russell cases, I believe that Mary Brong and John Boozell were the most severely affected, handicapped to an extent for the remainder of their lives. Mary's father, Donald Brong, was pastor of Russell's First Baptist Church at the time.

Nine more cases of polio were diagnosed in Lucas County during 1950, but nothing quite like the concentration in and near Russell occurred again.

Introduction of the Salk, then Sabin, vaccines eventually assured that polio was not among the various diseases and disorders Lucas Countyans need worry about.