PANTHER  FOOTBALL TEAM OVERCOMES POLIO QUARANTINE; PLAYS SEVEN GAME SEASON

ALTON EVENING TELEGRAPH

OCTOBER 12, 1944

QUARANTINE IN
JERSEYVILLE TO
CONTROL 'POLIO'

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Additional Case of Infantile
Paralysis Found At Carrollton

A poliomyelitis quarantine that threatened to spread northward closed down Jerseyville's schools Wednesday and restricted nearly all children under 21 to their own premises, probably for two weeks.
While regulations issued by City Health Officer Ed Porter at advice of state department of health representatives closed schools and kept children from leaving their own yards, it placed no restrictions on churches, theaters, and other public gatherings beyond specifying that children should not be admitted.
The restrictions were invoked yesterday afternoon following diagnosis of the fifth case of infantile paralysis to be found within the city, itself, in the past week, and the sixth case in the immediate community surrounding.
After state health department officials acting in the Jerseyville case visited Carrollton this morning it was decided to permit schools to remain open pending further developments.
A football game between Carrollton and Jerseyville high school teams scheduled for Friday night was postponed.
Meanwhile, the season's first light frosts in spots over the surrounding countryside gave promise of an early end to the thread of an epidemic.
In Jerseyville the quarantine order while excepting non-student workers between 17 and 21 sufficiently to allow them to work, nevertheless was designed to keep them at their homes for all other purposes.
It exercised a crippling influence on newspaper delivery service stores and other establishments employing young people during after school hours.
The order was invoked after a series of meetings between the City Council public and parochial school officials and city and state health authorities.
An original proposal to close picture shows and churches was amended. Persons of 21 and over may continue to visit the shows and churches as heretofore, but all persons under 21 are to remain on their premises unless engaged in work at their customary place of employment.
The regulation bans residents of the surrounding rural areas from coming to picture shows or visiting the city during the period of quarantine unless such individuals are above the age of 21.
The confinement of minors to their own premises will be strictly enforced and members of the Illinois State Police will be assigned to Jerseyville to assist in the enforcement of the quarantine regulations. Notices to parents of school children explaining the regulations were sent to the homes Wednesday evening.
All theaters and places of business were asked to cooperate in preventing minors from entering their places of business.

PANTHERS, HAWKS GAME POSTPONED

__________

The football game between the Jersey Township High School Panthers and the Carrollton Hawks scheduled for for Thursday, has been postponed due to the polio outbreak in the Jerseyville locality.
Of three new cases reported in this locality Tuesday, one was a member of the high school student body.

ALTON EVENING TELEGRAPH


OCTOBER 16, 1944

2 MORE 'POLIO'
CASES REPORTED
AT JERSEYVILLE
__________

Total Number Now is 8----
Quarantine Strictly
Enforced
__________

Two new cases of poliomyelitis were reported Sunday morning to Health Commissioner Edward Porter. This brings the number of definite cases in the area to eight.

ALTON EVENING TELEGRAPH

OCTOBER 24, 1944

QUARANTINE AT
JERSEY MAY BE
LIFTED SUNDAY
__________

Schools Reopen Monday
Polio Expert Com-
pletes Survey

__________

Well into its last week of quarantine resulting from an outbreak of infantile paralysis, Jerseyville today received the benefits of a survey by one of the nation's outstanding authorities on the disease. Dr. Edward A. Piszczek of Chicago representing the National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis.
Present plans call for the quarantine, which has resulted in closed schools and confinement of all children to their homes, to end Sunday., with schools resuming Monday.
Dr. Piszczek, who has conducted a number of surveys for the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, was in Jerseyville and Alton today observing the situation in both communities and conferring with medical men and authorities there.
He confirmed all cases of infantile paralysis so far diagnosed by local physicians at the same time inquiring into each.
As the result of his survey he disclosed today that he would urge adoption in Jerseyville of a city dairy regulation ordinance.
Cases he had seen, he said, had been predominantly among persons using raw milk.

JERSEY PANTHERS WILL
RESUME GRID SCHEDULE

__________

Jersey Township High Panthers will renew their football schedule this week after a two week interruption due to the "polio quarantine." Friday evening they will go to Pittsfield to meet the conference leaders.
The last game of the original schedule is at Pleasant Hill, Friday afternoon, Nov. 10.
Jerseyville has three un-played games with Carrollton, Oct. 12; White Hall, here, Oct. 20, and Winchester, there, Oct. 26.
Plans are being considered for rescheduling the un-played games.

(All articles edited of names of victims to protect the privacy of their families)