COMING TO GRIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 51, 29 February 1916, Page 6

COMING TO GRIPS.

WITH INFANTILE PARALTSIS. CITY AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT . . TAKE ACTION. CAMPAIGN AGAINST DUST. PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITY. TOTAL CASES NEARLY 300. To-day, with the total number of notified cases of infantile paralysis reaching nearly 300, will mark the opening of a vigorous campaign Ijy public health, city and education authorities against the spread of the outbreak which is now causing such alarm among the parents of the city and district. So far the mortality rate has been low and the general character of the disease mild, but amongst 300 eases notified it is inevitable that a considerable number of Auckland children will be more or less seriously paralysed for years, if not permanently. This, apart from the number of fatal cases which have occurred, is sufficient to warrant no •tinting of expenditure and the taking of all possible precautions, however uncertain may be their definite results on the epidemic. MYSTERIOUS CARRIERS. The difficulty of the Health Office has so far lain in the fact that it has been impossible to throw any light upon the means by which the disease is carried. Cases have been reported from all districts, from crowded slum areas of the city to lonely and remote country settlements. In only one or two families hae more than one victim been attacked, and the absence of the usual characteristics of epidemics has completely baffled the Department. For this reason, and because of the negative results of the closing of the schools elsewhere, the health authorities have been loth to take this step here, and the precautions taken in combating the disease have been mainly 'in the direction of carefully instructing parents of patients in the rules of isolation, in warning the public not to allow children to gather in public places, and in prescribing the use of antiseptic gargles and tablets. Now, however, every possible eource of danger is to be dealt with, whether or not there is definite evidence of association with the outbreak. Following upon the decision of the education authorities yesterday to close the schools, the muni- : cipal authorities have conferred with the Public Health Department and have decided upon a campaign to make completely satisfactory the sanitation of the city during the hot weather.

PARENTS MUST HELP. Now that the schools have cloeed the recast responsibility for the care of the children is now wholly that of the parents. In conversation with one of the doctors of the Health Department this morning, a "Star" reporter was informed that the Department could not hope for any definite results unless parents realised the importance of preventing the children commingling in the street awl other public places. From the Health Department's point of view the closing of the schools would have one direct beneficial result: It would enajble a thorough fumigation of the schools to be carried out. But, so far as the actual checking of the disease went, everything depended upon the parents. Obviously it would be futile to close the schools if the parents allowed the children to mix up under circumstances far more dangerous than those attending association of the children in the schools. The experience of the Health Department had been that many parents did not appreciate thei importance of Isolation. The idea bad got abroad amongst some people that the disease was not contagious, and the strict rules of isolation laid down by the Health Department had been ignored. In the city there was a partial remedy in the removal of the patient to the isolation hospital, but there was no control over contacts, while ia the country districts the difficulty of controlling parents and other" members of infected households was very much greater. Despite the danger of infection there had been no abatement in the extent of picnicking ! with children or in the attendance of i children at places of amusement. Parents were taking the children out in crowded 'boats, trams and. trains, not realising that there was far more danger in bringing them in contact with carriers of the disease than in the attendance of the children at school. "It is the duty of parents to keep the children within the precincts of the home wherever that is possible," added the doctor, i

THE CITY'S ACTION. Following upon consultation of the City Chief Sanitary Inspector (Mr Haines) with the Health Department, the Mayor (Mr J. H. Gunson) this morning discussed with Mr Haines and the City Engineer (Mr W. E. Bush) the general condition of the city from a sanitary point of view, and as a result decided to authorise several important steps in order to allay any fears of the public. "Precautions are now. to be taken to prevent any possibility of the sanitary conditions of the city increasing the : spread of the disease or causing danger i during the hot weather," stated the Mayor to a "Star" representative. "It J is interesting to note that within the city area, which now embraces Kemuera and Grey Lynn, the proportion of cases is only 1 to 1,416 of the population, whereas in the suburbs and the province the notifications represent 1 case to every 490 of the population. This clearly proves that no charge of neglect of ordinary sanitary precautions within the city area can be made. It has been decided, however, that all sewers and cesspits in the city will be the subject of special attention and disinfection, and, without in any way harassing the community, the food supplies of the city will be specially watched. Without desiring to/cause alarm, I would appeal to everybody to supplement the efforts of the sanitary department by taking personal precautions in the matter of food, for the sanitary inspector informs mc that, notwithstanding all the efforts of the Department in regard to public control, the care exercised in the honse is very unsatisfactory. Householders should exercise care, not only in the purchase of food, but in the keeping of it in the home, so that the danger of contact with, dirt, dust, flies, and mosquitoa is reduced to the minimum." CLEANSING CAMPAIGN. "A special cleansing campaign during the closing of the schools has been decided upon," continued the Mayor, "and this will probably be carried out by means of a night service. Every street where we can get a hose or two to work, and where there is an adequate water supply, will be thoroughly swilled down. It is also very desirable, according to medical advice, that the picture theatres and other places of amusement should take steps to thoroughly disinfect the entire premises. While there is no cause for public alarm, the position is suffi-

ciently serions from a public heaßh standpoint to warrant every step to ensure the best sanitation possible, even though extra expense is involved. The ordinary watering , of the city streets during the day time will be continued and supplemented. The Corporation is anxious to take all precautions to protect the health of the community and minimise the danger of a spread of the present epidemic" TO-DAY'S CASES. Six fresh notifications were received to-day by the Public Health Department, bringing the total up to nearly 300. Five of the new cases have been discovered in the city and suburban area and one in the country. ■ .