KENNY SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 4, 6 January 1938, Page 7

KENNY SYSTEM.

REJECTED BY DOCTORS

Queensland Commission's

Report. PARALYSIS TREATMENT. United Press Association. —Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) BRISBANE, this day. Sister Kenny's method of treating infantile paralysis has been rejected by the Queensland Royal Commission consisting of five doctors who were appointed two years ago by the State Government.

The commission declares that except in one important principle there is little difference between Sifter Kenny's method and the orthodox treatment, and where the difference occurs the orthodox treatment is the better.

The report states that of 47 patients examined the majority showed 110 effective improvement. Originally the Kenny method showed radical departures from the orthodox treatment, but as time went on it had gradually been brought into conformity with medical practice.

Some spastic paralysis cases had improved appreciably under the Kenny treatment, but the commission was of the opinion that similar results could have been achieved by a trained masseuse.

The - report emphasises that if the Government rejects the commission's advice and decides to retain the Kenny clinics these should be placed under the control of a competent orthopaedic surgeon or surgeons with the object of rejecting obviously hopeless cases, saving public money and getting a sane and balanced view of the patients' possibilities.

According to a Melbourne message, Sister Kenny said that the report of the Queensland Commission contained mis-statements and misrepresentations, and she claimed that the opportunities for testing her work in the best circumstances had been ignored. She said that owing to obstacles being placed in her way in Victoria she was leaving that State and would return to England.

The New Seuth Wales Minister of Health, Mr. Fitzsimons, stated that the Queensland report seemed at variance with the report of the Medical Committee which had investigated cases treated in Sydney.

OVER EIGHTY DEATHS.

OUTBREAK IN MELBOURNE.

MELBOURNE, January 5,

Although the authorities declared a month ago that infantile paralysis had passed the epidemic stage a daily average of 14 cases has been reported since then, bringing the total to 1460.

Two deaths occurred to-day, a woman aged 29 and a girl of four, making the total 81. Most of the cases now are coming from country districts.