Money & Polio

As the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis geared up its emergency March of Dimes drive to raise $20 million in the next two weeks, it ran head-on into trouble. Many communities joined up reluctantly, some flatly refused. They had given generously to last winter's drive, which raised $55 million, and community leaders feared that the new campaign would interfere with upcoming charity appeals, especially their local community chests:

P: In Los Angeles, the Social Service Commission at first denied permission for the drive, then sheepishly reversed itself as the local polio epidemic worsened (see below).

P: In Syracuse, N.Y., the Post-Standard printed an angry editorial complaining that far more money is raised for polio than for cancer, heart disease or TB--which have far higher death rates. It quoted handy backyard statistics reporting fewer cases in upstate New York than in recent years, accused the foundation of being greedy and extravagant.

P: In Montgomery, Ala., civic officials refused permission for the drive, also pointed to a merciful decline in the local polio rate as compared with last year's severe epidemic.

Why does the foundation want more money? The root of the trouble is that it is stuck with a $19 million bill for gamma globulin this year, in addition to a $7,500,000 test of the Salk vaccine, plus all its regular outlays for care of patients (estimated to top $33.5 million), education and research. Though doctors still disagree on the value of gamma globulin, the foundation had to buy up most of the year's output and control its distribution, or haphazard use would have ruined the Salk vaccine test. Meanwhile, the foundation was reduced to asking hospitals to carry polio patients on credit.

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