Eleanor McBean in her book The Poisoned Needle (1957) listed seven causes of polio including sugar, operations of all kinds, and poison sprays such as DDT:

http://www.whale.to/a/mcbean5.html

@david. yes ice cream among other vectors. it's interesting that this case was so early -- in fact, earlier than any mentioned in the subsequent reports. i came across it randomly so there must be others like it in the thousands on file. i wonder if putting the epidemic later -- the official accounts have it starting in early june, and it was first publicly mentioned june 17 -- was a way of justifying not spotting it earlier, or at least not sounding the alarm. like jaws, no one wants to be the one to scare everyone to death.

In their book Age of Autism Dan and Mark clearly documented the human race has always been exposed and passed through a phase of "infection" with barely noticeable symptoms (usually around 10 months, teething time). Thence, acquiring permanent immunity, naturally, and by age one. Older medical historical accounts have always called serious poliomyelitis symptoms "infantile paralysis". The monumental hysteria of the early-mid 1950s, and thoughtlessly injecting already-immune children with extremely toxic new polio vaccines actually caused many deaths. BUT, OF COURSE, it wasn't death by vaccine; it was only "coincidental" -- just as we hear today, sound familiar?

Dan and Mark (and other writers) have also made the case it took ADDITIONAL toxic insults (or famine, massive pesticide** spraying in 1945-1955 era, etc.) for the polio virus to trigger more than transient flaccidity, if noticeable at all; otherwise "polio epidemics" would be chronic - unlike year 1916. **paralysis by pesticide, but blamed on the polio virus.

Since Dan has made hundreds of millions of pounds of sugar a clear suspect. Perhaps ice cream also mentioned by Dan, and so prized by young children, was made with toxic sugar? Just guessing --- .

@ richard -- i think those tonsillectomies were definitely triggers for poliomyelitis. as part of our research we learned about how the polio virus can get into the nervous system through reverse axonal transport. in other words the virus can be present in its usual areas like the stomach, but if there is some sort of opening into the nervous system, it can travel back through the nerve into the anterior horn cells at the top of the spinal column, and trigger paralysis. tonsil surgery creates that kind of opening, as does injection. there are clearcut cases of polio linked to excessive injections of antibiotics in Eastern Europe. so to us the question is, what kinds of insults create the kinds of openings that allow polio to get into the nervous system?

I'll be interested in reading the rest of your series. I have read about a possible connection between paralytic polio epidemics and the widespread practice of tonsillectomies in that era. Removing tonsils weakens the immune system in a way that leads to greater susceptibility to polio. I'm sure it was one of many factors, but it's yet another example of a common medical practice that did much more harm than good.

A subject of great interest to me since I had polio(albeit a mild case and a short hospitalization). I was growing up during the big polio epidemic of the 50's. I do remember it and of course, heard the stories from my older sisters and parents. Many people believed it was spread through water(although I don't recall not being allowed to drink it). One full summer we we not allowed to go in swimming pools or even use the hose outside. Another summer we were whisked away to spend our long vacation at relatives in Green Bay Wis(via Chippewa Falls Wis.)This was because Minneapolis numbers of polio were reaching high levels. Yes, we call that an epidemic. Some years later I even wrote my 7th grade paper on what I wanted to do when I grew up --on being a physical therapist--I suspect like Sister Kenny. Enough about me though-looking forward to this series.PS I(there it is again) also remember lining up with hundreds of people in my school cafeteria for the famous(or infamous) polio vaccine-just recently developed. We call that herding.

Benedetta, that sounds like the Hygiene theory. My mother (back in the 50s and 60s) didn't believe in the cleanliness practice that everyone else was doing because she said all that dirt and germs and worms were good for us. I still had a brother die in 1961 from sarcoma. Could it have been the SV40 virus (in the polio vaccine) triggered by the tube of fluoride toothpaste he ate? Maybe, but the germs and dirt didn't save him. Still, I think my mother was right to respect the dirt. Mike Mutzel at High Intensity Health interviewed Moises Velasquez-Manoff recently, and he talks about the same idea. He wrote "An Epidemic of Absence - How Parasites Affect Autoimmunity and Allergies". I haven't read the book, but I did enjoy the interview. It's some of the same ideas as William Parker at Duke.

Just go to highintensityhealth.com and look for #132. There's a lot of other great stuff to view there as well. I'll be watching Kelly Brogan when I can get an hour of time to sit.

http://www.wellwithin1.com/PolioWest.htm DDT the cause of symptoms labeled as polio

And yes, I have paid attention to what Dr. William Thompson told us - that it darn well matters when kids are vaccinated with the MMR, under the age of 12 months; and it apparently matters about how much pigment is in your skin, too.

Dan Olmsted, your new "Age of Polio" series lays important groundwork. Resistance to critiques of the CDC coverup are based largely on fear that but for the fragile dam of herd immunity our children will die from a deluge of polio or measles. It is a fear that needs to be thoughtfully, extensively, and respectfully addressed. Putting pathophobia in context is a big job. Here's to getting it done!

BTW, I delayed reading "Explosion Part 1" because I thought it was a reprint from your fine 2011 polio series. Readers like me need to know that "Part 1" is the first installment of an exciting new work.

Wonder what that little spike of polio at the end of the 1950s - was all about?