These histories were obtained by personal interviews with parents, corroborated, when possible, by family physicians. Every effort was made to obtain an accurate history of the onset and course of the illness prior to admission. The wide publicity given this disease resulted in the early recognition and unusually close observation of the illness and symptoms of the child.
The symptoms included in this report were those noted from the onset of illness until the appearance of paralysis. Falls, overexertion, unusual excitement, overeating, and dentition preceding the onset were given as causes. The onset as a rule, was acute, attacking an apparently healthy child unawares.
I will take up the prominent prodromal symptoms in the following order: Fever, gastro-intestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, nervous symptoms, urinary system, skin.
Fever.—Fever was the most constant initial symptom, being noted in 334 cases. Only 2 per cent., on careful investigation, gave no history of