Switch on
your speakers!!
IPPSO NEWS MAGAZINE
Vol 2 No. 24 December
2009
Editors: Mike and Yvonne Isaacson
It is ability that counts - not disability
Happy
Holidays to Everyone
From
the Editor's Desk
The
Christmas Spirit
What is it I wonder, that moves all
of us at this particular time of year to automatically think of peace and
goodwill to all men and to be mindful of others before ourselves? Why is it
only at Christmas time in particular that us adults
feel this way, and not during the other 364 days that make up the rest of
the year? Why is it that we all tend to feel that we should always get what we
need because we have earned it? Have we really??
Children have the Christmas spirit
all year around. We should too.
Here's a letter that a four year old
child wrote that exemplifies the Christmas Spirit.......
"Dear Santa," (she writes)
I don't need anything for Christmas,
but my brother Jack needs a new pair of shoes real bad, size four please.
Love, Christina
Here's another.........
DEAR SANTA, MERRY CHRISTMAS! I HAVE BEEN GOOD AND BAD THIS
YEAR, BUT MOSTLY GOOD. SANTA PLEASE TAKE ALL MY TOYS
AND GIVE THEM TO THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER. THEY HAVE LOST SO MUCH
ALREADY. AND, FOR MY GIFT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PEACE ON EARTH. PLEASE TELL
MRS. CLAUS AND ALL THE ELVES AND REINDEER I SAID HELLO. I WILL LEAVE YOU
MACARONI AND CHEESE AGAIN, YOU
ATE IT ALL LAST YEAR. PLEASE STICK IT IN THE MICROWAVE. TAKE CARE SANTA, I LOVE
YOU! Cheryl.
And yet another.....
DEAR SANTA CLAUS,I KNOW THAT YOU
ARE NOT REAL BUT I'M 11 AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYMORE, BUT IT WAS GREAT WHEN I
DID O.K. BYE, HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
*VERONICA* and Jill says.......
Dear Santa,
Hi. I am 12 years old. My name is Jill. All I want for Christmas is for my mom
and dad to make it through all this money problems
Dear Santa,
All I want for Christmas is for my dad to
get a job,so we can still
live in our house. thank
you! Love, Courtney
Out of the mouths of babes - we
can all learn a lot!!
Happy
Holidays!
Mike and Yvonne Isaacson
Gran
Films
There is another animation made by
Yvonne included in this issue of the Magazine. For those of you with Windows
Operating Systems that is, provided that you have set your email program to
allow attachments to open. This time, it is called .
Unfortunately it won't work on a "Mac" computer. Double-click on the
icon called XMAS TREE FOR MAGAZINE.exe and enjoy decorating the Xmas tree!
Hehehe Corner
How many men does it take to
change a toilet roll? We don't know. Never happens.
The
Iron Lung
No other piece of equipment brings
back such terrible memories for those of us who spent time in one of these
ungainly looking machines, yet we owe our very existence to it because it saved
us from a slow death by suffocation.
By definition the iron lung is "an airtight metal tank
that encloses all of the body except the head and forces the lungs to inhale
and exhale through regulated changes in air pressure." According to Robert
Hall author of History of the British Iron Lung, the first scientist to
appreciate the mechanics of respiration was John Mayow.
In 1670, John Mayow
demonstrated that air is drawn into the lungs by enlarging the thoracic cavity.
He built a model using bellows inside which was inserted into a bladder.
Expanding the bellows caused air to fill the bladder and compressing the
bellows expelled air form the bladder. This was the principle of artificial
respiration called "external negative pressure ventilation" or ENPV
that would lead to the invention of the iron lung and other respirators.
The
first modern and practical respirator nicknamed the "iron lung" was
invented by Harvard medical researchers Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw
in 1927. The inventors used an iron box and two vacuum cleaners to build their
prototype respirator. Almost the length of a subcompact car, the iron lung
exerted a push-pull motion on the chest.
In 1927, the first iron lung was
installed at Bellevue hospital in New York City. The first patients of the iron
lung were polio sufferers with chest paralysis. Later, John Emerson improved
upon Philip Drinker’s invention and invented an iron lung that cost half as
much to manufacture.
The iron lung pictured
here is in the collections of the Kansas Museum of History. It was manufactured
in 1957 by the J.H. Emerson Co. of Cambridge, Mass., and used at Topeka's
Veterans Hospital through the 1960s.
The machine is a large
cylindrical metal drum into which a patient is admitted by opening the left end
and rolling out a flat metal bed. The patient's head extends through the
plastic collar and reclines on the headrest at left. After the patient has been
installed, the bed is rolled back into the drum and clamped into place. A motor
and pump mechanism underneath the body of the iron lung raises and lowers the
air pressure within. Four windows on the top, and six rubber lined openings on
the sides, provide access to the patient. Whenever the patient needed bathing
or other medical care, a plastic dome was installed over his or her head which
took over breathing automatically.
According to a pamphlet
issued by the Emerson company in April 1956, "In
the slow progress against poliomyelitis the 'iron lung' has become a symbol of
victory. Respirators have brought the breath of life to thousands, and of those
who owe their lives to this temporary mechanical aid, the great majority are
now completely free again from reliance on it."
This pamphlet was issued
just one year after Dr Jonas Salk developed the first effective polio vaccine.
The rate of polio infection had dropped dramatically by 1957, the first year
the vaccine was widely available (and the year this particular iron lung was
manufactured). Most of us "polios" spent relatively little time in
the iron lung in comparison to June Middleton who died at a Melbourne
nursing home recently. She got polio at age 22 and marked 60 years in the
iron lung on April 5, 2009. She celebrated the milestone with friends and her
dog, Angel, by her side. At the time, she described life spent in an iron
lung for 16 hours a day in matter-of-fact terms.
''It's hard to explain but it's what
you gotta do, make the most of it, get over the
obstacles on the way,'' she said. ''It doesn't pay to be miserable,'' she
added.
Ms Middleton's passion for dancing
was one of the biggest blows dealt by the disease. But it was no match for
letting go of Noel, the love of her life whom she was set to marry the same
year she was diagnosed with polio. He stood by her for five years, before
eventually marrying and having children. But she reportedly kept a faded
photograph of herself in her wedding gown in her room for the rest of her life.
Ms Middleton entered the Guinness
World Records in 2006 as the person who had spent the longest time in an iron
lung.
Patty
Jenkins - Honey and Cinnamon
Patty Jenkins wrote to ask for the
Website address of the Honey and Cinnamon article which appeared in the
September issue of the IPPSO magazine. Here it is.....
http://www.angelfire.com/az/sthurston/honeyandcinnamon.html
..... and
it doesn't stop at Honey and Cinnamon, there are lots of articles about
alternative treatments for many other illnesses too. Go have a look!
Liliana Marasco Garrido - Portable Hand Controls
Liliana Marasco Garrido
wrote to ask for more information about the portable hand controls for
automobiles. Lily, go to http://www.wheelability.com/ where you will find all the details you need about the
PHCIII Portable Vehicle Hand Controls For Disabled
Drivers. According to the web site they are available at $379.00
.....and see the next two
articles which should answer your question about ramps.
Guide
to Selecting a Wheelchair Ramp
Wheelchair ramps offer
wheelchair users freedom if constructed properly. But
some wheelchair ramps are difficult to use or even dangerous. This
article offers several hints and tips about what to look for when selecting a
wheelchair ramp. It is not a 'how to build a wheelchair ramp guide' and does
not discuss building specifications or requirements. If you are considering
building a ramp, we strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with
wheelchair ramp design plans and local building requirements. Some resources
are offered below.
There are different
types of wheelchair ramps depending on the need:
Permanent or
semi-permanent wheelchair ramps (usually for buildings or public access)
Portable wheelchair ramps (usually for vehicles or small obstacles such as
doorway thresholds).
Permanent or
Semi-Permanent Wheelchair Ramps
Degree of incline: The most important factor for the wheelchair
ramp is how steep it will be. For a permanent wheelchair ramp for public access
it is usually best to use the lowest slope possible, which means, build the
longest wheelchair ramp that you have space for. Why? A steep wheelchair ramp
is difficult to climb and can be very dangerous because of the risk of tipping
backwards.
The absolute maximum
acceptable incline for a wheelchair ramp intended for public access is 1:12.
This means that for every 1 foot in height the ramp must be at least 12 feet
long or more (or for 2 feet in height the ramp must be at least 24 feet long,
or for 1 meter in height it must be at least 12 meters long. 1:18 is often
recommended for the elderly. Even that will be too steep for some. In very wet
or icy climates, less steep wheelchair ramps and rougher surfaces may be
required to prevent wheel slippage.
If the wheelchair ramp
is for your personal use, try a few wheelchair ramps and find one which you are
comfortable with. Then calculate the steepness of the wheelchair ramp by
measuring the difference in height from top to bottom of the ramp and then
measure the length of the ramp. For example, if you are most comfortable with a
ramp that is three feet high and is 60 feet long, then the wheelchair ramp you need will have an incline of 3:60 or 1:20. If the height of
your ramp must be 2 feet, you will need a ramp 2 x 20 = 40 feet long.
Landings: flat surfaces or level landings are necessary
at the bottom and top of the wheelchair ramp. A landing at the top will allow
the wheelchair user to open the door at the top of the wheelchair ramp. If
there is no level landing at the top, it will be nearly impossible for the user
to open the door. A landing at the bottom may be important for the user to stop
the wheelchair before making a turn so they don’t end up in the bushes. If the
length of the ramp is very long, include level resting platforms in the middle
so that users may take a break if they get tired.
Transition to Landing: Usually it is necessary to provide a beveled (or
gradual) transition from the wheelchair ramp to the landing. This is
particularly important at the bottom of the ramp. Wheelchairs are designed so
that most of the weight rests on the large rear wheels. But when going
downhill, the weight is transitioned to the small caster wheels in the front,
which is very unstable. Without a transition at the bottom of the ramp, when
the front wheels hit the landing, the wheelchair may come to a sudden stop and
the wheelchair user can be thrown forward to the ground. Alternatively, a ramp
with no transition to landing at the bottom of the ramp, may have a 'lip', that
is, the ramp may be raised from the ground. This may be an uncomfortable bump
for the wheelchair user or even a dangerous tripping obstacle for a caregiver
or other unsuspecting pedestrian. It is always recommended to have a smooth
transition to landing at the bottom and the top of the ramp.
Weight specifications: Some ramps are designed for manual wheelchairs,
some for electric wheelchairs, some for unoccupied wheelchairs and others for
occupied. Be sure to check the weight specifications of the ramp to make sure
that you are covered. Too often, people buy inexpensive wheelchair ramps, only
to find out that they were designed for unoccupied wheelchairs.
Handrails: If the wheelchair ramp will be only used by one person, that
person can decide if they are likely to need handrails. But if the ramp is for
the general public, handrails are a must. Not everyone will be able to push
themselves up a wheelchair ramp. Handrails which are reachable by both hands
give wheelchair users the option to pull themselves up
or to rest if they get tired or steady themselves if they feel insecure. The
position of the handrails will also be very important, as pediatric users will
usually have a lower seat height than adult users and two sets of handrails may
be required for public ramps. Handrails made from wood need to be finished
carefully to avoid splinters. Handrails for ramps are different than handrails
for stairs, because stairway users generally require the handrails for balance
while wheelchair users may use the handrail to pull themselves up. Therefore
the risk and severity of injury from splinters is much, much greater.
Edge protection: Wheelchair ramps must have a raised edge on the side to
keep people from falling off. Different users will require different heights,
but by all means make sure the wheelchair ramp has a good sized edge
protector.
Track Ramps
:
Some wheelchair
ramps use tracks, one for each wheel. This assumes that every wheelchair
has the same width which is not reality. Wheelchair width
vary dramatically and a public ramp with tracks will only be helpful for
some users. Track ramps
may be fine for personal use if you don't think your wheelchair width will
change much, but they should not be used for public purposes.
Materials:
Aluminum is an excellent material because it is resistant to corrosion, strong
as well as lightweight. But aluminum is expensive and very lightweight aluminum
may be flexible and bend or wobble. Make sure that the aluminum ramp meets the
requirements for the weight of the wheelchair with an occupant in it.
Unfinished, untexturized aluminum may be slippery
when wet. It must have a texturized finish or
material that will grip tires well.
Wood needs to be maintained to prevent warping and rot. Otherwise, in time, the
wheelchair ramp may become difficult to use or even unsafe. Wood can be
slippery when wet, so it must be finished with a material (such as sand grit
strips) that will allow access in rainy weather. If wooden boards are to be
used, minimize the spaces between the boards, as the ride will be very bumpy
and uncomfortable. Handrails made from wood must be carefully finished to
reduce the risk of splinters. People may use the hand rails to pull themselves
up the ramp, so the risk of splinters can be very high
Steel is heavier than aluminum but also maybe less
flexible, more secure and less expensive. However, unprotected steel can rust
or corrode. Galvanized steel is chemically coated with zinc to keep it from
corroding. A texturized surface is important to
prevent slippage. Galvanized steel maybe less expensive than aluminum. But the
zinc coating may wear off and when it does corrosion can result.
Concrete with a rough texturized surface is possibly
the ideal material for a permanent wheelchair ramp, though very expensive.
Building Options:
Build the wheelchair ramp yourself (if you can)
or...... Contract a company to build the wheelchair ramp
for you Purchase a modular wheelchair ramp and find a volunteer
organization to build a wheelchair ramp for you.
The ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) has developed Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair ramps used for public access,
with clear specifications and requirements. Many US states have adopted
International Residential Code which cover ramps for
private residences. Frequently, you will be required to obtain a building
permit before installing any kind of ramp. Check with your State Building Inspector.
Minnesota Ramp Project has developed a design manual with instructions
on how to build a wheelchair ramp for your home.
Dallas Ramp Project has a step by step slide show demonstrating a
home ramp being built.
Home Remodeling offers suggestions for making houses
accessible. (Caution, this is a large download)
Contract a company to build the wheelchair ramp for you: If you can
afford it, your best option maybe to have an experienced company build a
wheelchair ramp for you. Do NOT use a contractor inexperienced in building
wheelchair ramps for this tasks. Use only a builder
experienced in working with disability projects and complying with ADA or local
standards. Ask for references and check them.
Purchase a modular wheelchair ramp: Modular wheelchair ramps are often
prefabricated and delivered disassembled, yet are relatively easy to assemble.
Mostly, if they are a good quality, they can be an inexpensive and portable
solution. Disadvantages? If you are left the task of
assembling it, you may have some surprises as the modular wheelchair ramp may
not be designed to fit into your space or may require tools or abilities you do
not have. Before purchasing, ask several questions:
what happens if the modular wheelchair ramp does not
work for your needs? Will you be able to return it? Will there be charges for
shipping or repackaging? Do company brochures state that their ramps comply
with all ADA (or local) requirements? If not, ask for this in writing. What
tools are required for assembly? If you are unable to assemble it, will someone
from the company be able to assemble it for you? What will that cost? Before
installing a modular ramp, check with your building inspector or local
authority to see if you need a permit.
Find a volunteer organization
willing to build a wheelchair ramp for you: Some organizations or institutions may be willing to fund or even
build a wheelchair ramp for you. If you are lucky enough to live in Texas, for
example, there are several organizations such as Dallas Ramp Project, Texas Ramp Project, Can Do, Bethany Foundation etc. Through a grant from the Administration on Aging and working
together with a network of local affiliates Rebuilding Together is the largest
service provider of modifications for low-income homeowners nationwide. All
repairs are free for qualifying homeowners. Click to contact Rebuilding Together. Alternatively, put into Google the name of
your country, state or area plus: wheelchair ramp volunteers
Funding: Some states provide funds to help modify homes
of disabled people. Ask your local Center for Independent Living to see if they
know of a funding source for which you may be eligible.
What
about Portable Ramps for Handicap?
There are lots of them available -
for wheelchairs... for scooters...far too many to include here. Go to Google
and type in "Portable Ramps for Disabled Access" and browse through the
many websites that come up.
Hehehe Corner
Have you ever noticed that when
we walk with braces on our legs and using a cane us polios
are slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut
butter.
Santa
Through the Ages
This Christmas Eve, Santa will
travel around the world delivering presents just as he has done through the
ages. All over the United States, children will go to sleep dreaming of a Santa
Claus with a big belly, a soft white beard, little glasses, and a red and white
suit. In other parts of the world, though, Santa has a different name and
style. Actually, he's changed through time too!
Saint
Nicholas, Bishop of Myra
Long before I was that round,
gift-giving fellow you like to call Santa Claus, I was the bishop of Myra (now Demre in Turkey). I was born sixteen centuries ago in the
year 280. After my death, I became a saint. I was the patron saint of maidens,
barren wives, sailors, infants, students, thieves, and Russia!
Early
American Santa Claus
I continued to wear the garb of a bishop
in Europe and America until the early 1800s. To early Americans, I was a
gnome-like man. I took up the habit of smoking a pipe and carried a fairly
small satchel of presents on one shoulder. I'd aged quite a bit since my days
as bishop, and my beard was now white as snow!
Saint
Nicholas, Gift-Bearer to Europeans
During the years between my death
and the twelfth century I was loved by many Europeans, but not as the
gift-bearer that I have become. I was hailed as a "Miracle Maker", as
the Russians called me. It was not until the 1300s in France that I began
giving gifts. It was then that the modern myths about me began.
Santa
as Union Leader
On the Christmas of 1862, during the
Civil War, Abraham Lincoln specifically asked me to visit the Union soldiers.
Thomas Nast created a fur-trimmed suit adorned with Stars and Stripes for me to
wear as I brought a little joy to the soldiers who fought to protect the unity
of America. Many historians say that seeing me side with the North was one of
the most demoralizing moments for the Confederate army.
The
Coca-Cola Santa
That’s right,
the Santa Claus that you know so well was created by Coca-Cola for an ad
campaign beginning in the thirties. Haddon Sundblom
was the artist who made me who I am today. I was now jolly and round, and my eyes twinkled with joy. Each Christmas for
thirty-five years, I appeared in a new pose in the Coca-Cola advertisements.
But I didn’t mind. This new version of me captured my true essence and the true
spirit of Christmas.
Father
Christmas
In France I am a personification of
"Noel", the festival of good news. I bring gifts as Pere Noel or Father Christmas. In Switzerland, where I am
also called Father Christmas, I wear a long furred robe, and I march around the
city with my wife Lucy. She distributes the gifts to the girls and I to the
boys. In Britain, I go from home to home on a white donkey.
Hehehe Corner
If you jogged backwards...... would
you gain weight?
A
Mouse With a Cold - and Polio
Virologists at Duke University
Medical Center discovered that, under the right
conditions, a common cold virus closely related to poliovirus can cause polio
in mice.
The researchers injected a cold virus called Coxsackievirus
A21 into mice that were engineered to be susceptible to this particular virus.
However, instead of developing a cold, the mice unexpectedly displayed
paralytic symptoms characteristic of polio. The researchers determined that
administering the virus directly into muscles, instead of the virus’s normal
home in the nasal cavity, was critical for development of polio.
The findings challenge traditional
views as to what defines a poliovirus, said Matthias Gromeier,
M.D., a Duke virologist and senior author of the
study. "In principle, Coxsackieviruses could
cause polio in humans," said Gromeier. "We
are in the process of eradicating polio worldwide, but if we eliminate the
poliovirus and cease polio vaccinations, our immune systems wouldn’t produce
antibodies against polio, and Coxsackievirus could
theoretically fill the niche of eradicated polio" he said. Results of the
study will be published in the Sept. 6, 2004 , issue
of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Until now, it has been widely accepted that Coxsackievirus
and poliovirus cause distinct illnesses because they bind to different docking
sites, called receptors, on host cell surfaces. The current study turned that
belief on its head, said Gromeier. Poliomyelitis has
long been regarded as the signature of poliovirus, a virus that recognizes and
binds to the CD155 receptor. However, the mice were genetically engineered to
have only the Coxsackie A21 receptor, called ICAM-1, and they did not have the
poliovirus receptor. Still, when the mice were injected with Coxsackievirus, it initiated infection through the ICAM-1
receptor, and caused symptoms of polio.
The manner in which the mice were infected with Coxsackievirus
facilitated its unusual behavior inside the body, the study showed. The mice
were injected with Coxsackievirus into their calf
muscles, an unusual route of entry. Following the injection, the mice began to
display symptoms of polio, including an abnormal gait, dropfoot,
and lower hind limb paresis. The researchers were left wondering how this
intramuscular portal of entry could affect the virus’s ability to access the
types of cells normally infected by polio.
In studying the virus’ action within infected mice, they found that the virus
traveled from the calf muscle where it was injected to the central nervous
system along "motor neuron axons." Such axons extend from the central
nervous system to muscles throughout the body and convey commands for muscle
movement. The site in the muscle where axons physically attach is called a
neuromuscular junction. These junctions likely served as the cold virus’ portal
of entry into the nervous system.
"We gave the coxsackievirus a distinct advantage
by injecting it directly into muscle, where it had direct access to the kinds
of nerve cells polio normally attacks," said Gromeier.
"The resulting polio symptoms were milder than those caused by the
poliovirus, but it was polio nonetheless."
Such a subtle change in entry mode significantly changed the virus’ behavior,
and therein lies one of the greatest dangers associated with viruses, said Gromeier. Viruses are extremely adaptable and they can
alter themselves dramatically based upon their environment. Coxsackievirus
A21 is one of a large group of cold viruses that are genetically very similar
to polioviruses. "Our study reveals how similar these viruses actually
are," he said. "It is fascinating that a minor change such as
injection site may cause a harmless cold virus to attack the central nervous
system."
Gromeier’s team is now collaborating with the Centers
for Disease Control to test numerous Coxsackievirus
samples from patients around the world. Their goal is to determine which
genetic features of the Coxsackievirus induce polio
and under what conditions.
.....And Cows and Goats Too!
Goat Polio (Polioencephalomalacia)
is a metabolic disease with symptoms that often mimic or overlap those of the
brain-stem disease Listeriosis (Listeria
monocytogenes). In most cases, both of these diseases
are seen in goats raised under intensive management conditions. Improper
feeding, particularly feeding too much grain and too little roughage (hay and
forage) is a significant factor in both diseases. Producers pushing the animal
to gain weight too fast can induce these potentially fatal diseases in their
goats. Sudden changes in feed can also cause the onset of these diseases.
Polioencephalomalacia (also known as Cerebrocortical
Necrosis) is basically thiamine (Vitamin B 1) deficiency. Any change in
the rumen's environment that suppresses normal bacterial activity can interfere
with thiamine production. Too much grain decreases the pH of the rumen,
predisposing the animal to Goat Polio. Glucose cannot be metabolized without
thiamine. If thiamine is either not present or exists in an altered form (thiaminase), then brain cells die and severe neurological
symptoms appear.
Causes of thiamine deficiency
include feeding moldy hay or grain, using amprollium
which is a thiamine inhibitor (brand name CoRid) when
treating coccodiosis, feeding molasses-based grains
which are prone to mold (horse & mule feeds), eating some species of ferns,
sudden changes in diet, the dietary stress of weaning, and reactions to the
de-wormers thiabendazole and levamisole.
Each of these conditions can suppress Vitamin B1 production. The usage of
antibiotics destroys flora in the rumen and can cause thiamine deficiency. It
is important to repopulate the gut with live bacteria after using antibiotics
or diarrhea (scour) medications.
Goat Polio generally occurs in
weanlings and very young goats, while Listeriosis
most frequently affects adult goats. An increase in Goat Polio occurs in North
America during winter when the availability of forage and quality hay is low
and producers start feeding increased amounts of grain or expect goats to
survive on very poor pasture.
Symptoms of Polioencephalomalacia
can be any combination of or all of the following: excitability,
"stargazing," uncoordinated staggering and/or weaving (ataxia),
circling, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and blindness. Initial symptoms can look
like Entertoxemia (overeating disease). There is a
component of "overeating" involved in that the rumen flora has been
compromised. As the disease progresses, convulsions and high fever occur, and
if untreated, the goat generally dies within 24-72 hours. Diagnosis is
available via laboratory tests, but the producer does not have the luxury of
the time that such tests take.
When you hear about a cow or steer
going down, what do you think of first? Thanks to a lot of publicity, many
people think of the worst-case scenario: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE), also known as mad cow disease.
That should be the last concern.
Instead, first, think about polio, which is rare in cattle but could become
more common as more livestock producers feed ethanol byproducts to cattle. The
byproducts can have enough sulfur to cause polio in cattle.
Polio can be in an acute form that
causes sudden death, or it can trigger staggering and blindness or cause
animals to be down. In addition to high sulfur, polio also can be caused by
things such as lead toxicity, salt toxicity or thiamine deficiency. The amount
of sulfur and other chemicals in ethanol byproducts (dried distillers grain
with solubles) varies among ethanol plants and among
loads from the same plant. Funk said farmers feeding ethanol byproducts to
livestock should seek to have each load they get tested each month.
Hehehe Corner
I really like kids, but I don't
think I could eat a whole one.
Early
Polio Survivors
My name is Siptah.
I was born in Egypt and my mother
was Queen Twosre, widow of Amenmesse.
My life was short and not happy.
My father, Amenmesse,
seized the throne of Egypt from the previous Pharaoh, Seti
II. But he ruled for only three years. When he died in 1200 BC I became
Pharaoh. But the Gods had already punished me for my father's sins. When I was
a boy, I was struck with a terrible disease. For some time it looked as if I
would die. When I recovered, my left leg was withered and my foot was rigidly
extended like a horse's hoof. I died in 1193 BC six years after becoming
Pharaoh and my mother became Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt.
I died suddenly and my tomb was not
ready, so I could not be buried immediately. Eventually I took my rightful
place in the Valley of the Kings. My body was undisturbed until 1905 when the
tomb was excavated. The priests had worked their magic and by my journey to the
afterlife I am immortal.
The earliest recorded case of polio
in the UK is Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832):
"I showed every sign of health
and strength until I was about 18 months old. One night, I have been often
told, I showed great reluctance to be caught and put to bed, and after being
chased about the room, was apprehended and consigned to my dormitory with some
difficulty. It was the last time I was to show much personal agility. In the
morning I was discovered to be affected with the fever which often accompanies
the cutting of large teeth. It held me for three days. On the fourth, when they
went to bathe me as usual, they discovered that I had lost the power of my
right leg ... when the efforts of regular physicians had been exhausted,
without the slightest success ... the impatience of a child soon inclined me to
struggle with my infirmity, and I began by degrees to stand, walk, and to run.
Although the limb affected was much shrunk and contracted, my general health,
which was of more importance, was much strengthened by being frequently in the
open air, and, in a word, I who in a city had probably been condemned to
helpless and hopeless decrepitude, was now a healthy, high-spirited, and, my
lameness apart, a sturdy child."
In
1789 a British doctor, Michael Underwood, published the first known clinical
description of polio:
"Debility of the Lower
Extremities"
"The disorder intended here is
not noticed by any medical writer within the compass of my reading, or is not a
common disorder, I believe, and it seems to occur seldomer
in London than in some parts. Nor am I enough acquainted with it to be fully
satisfied, either, in regard to the true cause or seat of the disease, either
by my own observation, or that of others; and I myself have never had the
opportunity of examining the body of any child who has died of the complaint. I
shall, therefore, only describe its symptoms, and mention the several means
attempted for its cure, on order to induce other practitioners to pay attention
to it. It seems to arise from debility, and usually attacks children previously
reduced by fever; seldom those under one, or more than four or five years old.
The Palsy ... sometimes seizes the upper, and sometimes the lower extremities;
in some instances, it takes away the entire use of the limb, and in others,
only weakens them."
In 1908, Karl Landsteiner and
Edwin Popper showed that the causative agent of poliomyelitis could be
transmitted to monkeys by injecting into them material prepared by grinding up
the spinal cords of children who had died from the disease. This proved that
polio was caused by a virus.
These findings were confirmed the
following year by Simon Flexner and Paul Lewis, laying the foundations of
our knowledge of poliomyelitis.
Hehehe Corner
Do you think that maybe the jelly
baby went to school so that he could be a smartie?
Emergency!!!!!!!
(from Micki Minner)
In October my PPS husband woke up
and started coughing up fresh blood (large quantities, probably several cups
worth). I had to call the ambulance. IF I had not already created a
"medicine list", I would have had to leave him in the emergency room,
come home get the meds or make a list, and return to let the doctor's know what
he was taking. It would have wasted valuable time, and I didn't want to
leave him unattended. The following bulletin from the US Department of
Health and Human Services is a GREAT idea and well worth the few minutes it
takes to prepare! I keep the list attached to my refrigerator with our
power of attorney's, and health care directives. Since my husband and I are both PPS'rs, I felt it was important
to have those documents where anybody could find them.
Micki
HHS HealthBeat (December 03, 2009) Your
medications and the emergency department
From the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services,
No one expects to be in an accident or get sick and need emergency care. But
there are more than 120 million visits to hospital emergency departments each
year.
That’s why the director of HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Dr.
Carolyn Clancy, says it’s crucial to plan ahead:
[Dr. Carolyn Clancy speaks] "It’s very helpful if you compile some key
personal health information beforehand. Doing this could help to improve your
outcome in a medical emergency."
Doctors need to know your medicines, including prescriptions, over-the-counter
and herbal medications – and the dosages. You can bring the medicines to the
hospital. Or you can create a card to carry in your wallet that
lists your medicines. The pill card will be ready for the doctor’s office or
the emergency department.
Learn more at www.hhs.gov it
is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Hehehe Corner
Hard work has a future payoff.
Laziness pays off NOW!
A Final Thought......
If it’s to be, it’s up to me.
.....and
a Final Hehehe about Fleas
The larger fleas
Have lesser fleas
Upon their backs that bite them.
And the lesser fleas
Have smaller fleas
And so on, ad infinitum.