Etiology of Clinical Paralytic Poliomyelitis

To the Editor:—  The earliest printed reference to fatal clinical poliomyelitis due to a nonpoliovirus was in The Journal in 1953 (Steigman, A. J.; Kokko, U. P.; and Silverberg, R. J.: Unusual Virus from Poliomyelitic Spinal Cord, [in Correspondence] 152:1066 [July 11] 1953). Comments on the multiple viral etiology of clinical paralytic poliomyelitis were made in 1960 in an editorial in The Journal (Multiple Causes of Paralytic Poliomyelitis, Editorial, 174:175 [Sept. 10] 1960).The disturbing, inescapable conclusion is that severe and even lethal paralytic poliomyelitis may be due to other enteroviruses. The past and current extent of the problem is unknown, and the risks in the future a matter for conjecture without complacency.The Journal now carries a valuable contribution on this subject from California (Magoffin, R. L.; Lennette, E. H.; Hollister, A. C.; and Schmidt, N. J.: Etiologic Study of Clinical Paralytic Poliomyelitis, 175:269 [Jan. 28]