1959: Polio Vaccines, Fire Season, and Record Home Sales

—The San Diego Health Department said the upcoming warm spring weather was going to bring an increase in cases of poliomyelitis (polio).

The Heath Department reported that the highest recorded levels of polio tend to come in August and September, and as a way to better protect themselves, residents should get vaccinated.

The Salk vaccine was proven safe and effective protection against paralytic poliomyelitis and plenty vaccines were available at local clinics. The Health Department said the vaccine would be administered in a series of injections, with the first injection taking place anytime. The second vaccine should be administered four to six weeks after the first shot, and the third administered seven to 12 months after the second shot.

In 1958, there were 13 cases of poliomyelitis reported among residents of San Diego County. Five of those cases were in children younger than five years-old. And four of the cases were in residents between 20 and 40-years-old.

The Health Department advised that all residents get the Salk vaccine to help the body build up immunity before the summer spike in cases. Children and residents between 20 and 40-years-old were especially encouraged to receive the vaccine.

–Spring Valley fire season was set to begin April 15 and continue until December 15, the Spring Valley Fire District said. During fire season, legal burning hours (between 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) were in effect. And Spring Valley Fire Chief, Donald Clark, said that all homes practicing legal burns must have a permit.

The legal burn permits were obtained at either fire station in Spring Valley, on Troy Street or Ramona Drive. In the previous week, the Spring Valley Fire Department answered three calls for fire issues.

–Real Estate sales in Spring Valley increased in the first quarter of 1959 according to Trends, monthly publication of Union Title Insurance Company.

There were 369 sales in Lemon Grove, La Mesa and Spring Valley in March alone. Sales sharply increased from 238 sales in March of 1958 and increased minimally from the 343 sales in February 1959.

The volume of sales in March reached an all-time high for the month, with San Diego County having 3,813 sales. This was an increase of 48.3 percent over the same month in 1958, and a 19.6 percent increase from the previous month.

Sales exceeded the previous all time record in 1956 by 5.4 percent for the first quarter of 1959 and 26.1 percent ahead of the first quarter of 1958.