Gone, but not forgotten: Polio in Newton County

Polio, sometimes call infantile paralysis, was a feared disease that left many crippled. In Newton County, most of the polio victims were children. In 1950, 4 year old Wanda Sue Matlock was diagnosed. In November 1951, Jeff Kilgore, then 9, was stricken quite suddenly with the disease. He had been fine the day before, walking the two miles to the bus school and had attended school as usual. But at breakfast the next day, he became it, and was taken to the doctor who diagnosed the disease. Around the same time, Virgil Willis's six year old son was also stricken. All these children were taken to Children's Hospital in Little Rock for treatment. As the toll of polio victims rose, the Newton County News advised its readers to avoid over-fatigue, swimming, and becoming chilled.