It's maybe the mercury used in the refining process? Maybe polio virus and mercury don't mix.

At this point, I'm enjoying the journey to what ever interesting idea you are leading to. Already, it has stoked much curiosity in way more than just 3 people. Curiosity leads to learning, and learning is always a good thing. I think it's physically impossible for humans not to learn, which is why people in certain industries try and control education, research, media, politics, economics, and on and on and on . . .
On the way, my internal list of true heroes grows longer and longer and longer.

@dan thanks, fascinating to see this unfold.

To give credit where due, the link to Van Meer was originally from Jeanette Bishop, I just read/quoted from his paper.

So, could a deoxysugar lead to say, an uber extreme form of diabetic neuropathy?
Per medical-dictionary re: diabetic neuropathy
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Diabetic+Neuropathy

"Description
The nervous system consists of two major divisions: the central nervous systems (CNS) which includes the brain, the cranial nerves, and the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) which includes the nerves that link the CNS with the sensory organs, muscles, blood vessels, and glands of the body. These peripheral nerves are either motor, meaning that they are involved in motor activity such as walking, or sensory, meaning that they carry sensory information back to the CNS. The PNS also works with the CNS to regulate involuntary (autonomic) processes such as breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, etc."

and then

"diabetic neuropathy a complication of diabetes mellitus consisting of chronic symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy affecting first the nerves of the lower limbs and often affecting autonomic nerves. Pathologically, there is segmental demyelination of the peripheral nerves. An uncommon, acute form is marked by severe pain, weakness, and wasting of proximal and distal muscles, peripheral sensory impairment, and loss of tendon reflexes. With autonomic involvement there may be orthostatic hypotension, nocturnal diarrhea, retention of urine, impotence, and small diameter of the pupils with sluggish reaction to light."

Arsenic causes neuropathy, too. (reminding me of the lead arsenate polio conversation) Were there certain pesticides used on sugar cane farms, and if sugar was shipped unpackaged (wow!) was it sprayed to minimize pests or growths to last through shipping?

Apparently there are plenty of ways to cause things like neuropathy/paralysis or damage to motor function. Just bumming around the internet, one reference came back talking about "jake leg" - the contamination in the early 1900's of alcohol when someone came up with the dumbass idea to add a chemical to alcohol in order to pass some prohibition test. The chemical just happened to be an organophosphate! One of those families of environmental toxins that was on the top 10 list of possible exposures that should be investigated for it's relationship to autism-not to ignore vaccines of course.

Can wait for Dan's next installment - medical history has a lot to say, if only we choose to listen!

@dan

A fifth source for suggesting a connection between sugar and polio is Van Meer in http://www.vaccinationcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/diet-and-polio-Van-Meer-science.pdf :

"In fact, reducing sugars are converted into non-fermentable reducing substances (deoxysugars), during the last boihngs and recyclings of cane juice in particular.

"I have suggested that some substance, produced during the refining process, may be responsible for polio; deoxysugars may be such substances. After ingestion of sucrose, insulin acts to remove sugar from the blood, promoting its storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Deoxysugars, however, taste like normal sugars, but are not recognised as such by the body. They fail to stimulate the secretion of insulin, and interfere with the normal storage and mobilization of glucose. Administration of 6Omg/kg body weight of 2-deoxyglucose can cause blood-sugar levels to rise to three times their normal value; this rise may be mediated by the increased levels of epinephrine which are also produced. Although I can supply no direct evidence that deoxysugars are implicated in polio, it has been observed that the lumbar fluid of polio victims is highly positive for these non fermentable sugars."

Were the shipments from Hawaii of sugar cane? If so then they may have had high levels of deoxysugars in some of the bags.

Did the ice-cream parlors/etc make a lot of their own products? I would think that in 1916 they still would be doing that, instead of buying products manufactured elsewhere. So they could easily get bags of sugar with high deoxysugar content, use that for their in-store-made products, and increase the risk of polio for their customers.

The book Van Meer references for the information about high deoxysugars in polio-victim lumbar fluid is out-of-print but available through Amazon: Russell W R. Poliomyelitis 2nd edn. E Arnold & Co, London, 1956. http://www.amazon.com/Poliomyelitis-W-R-Russell/dp/B0000CJCTX?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage — I’ve ordered a copy, curious to see what they report.

Well, flies are germ carriers and flies do like sugar.

I can see why there might be resistance to the idea that - some virus was in the sugar - if that is where you are headed - still - waiting by the way

But sugar is like salt a good preserver.

That is why candy has a shelf life of - like - forever! Sugar can sit on a shelf just as long as salt.