CHRISTCHURCH STILL FREE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 12

CHRISTCHURCH STILL FREE

SUSPECTS ALL NEGATIVE MORE FIXTURES BEING ABANDONED Christchurch is still free from the infantile paralysis epidemic, all the children who had been admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital suspected of being infected having been diagnosed as negative. The last was a child, aged six years, from Linwood. A boy, aged one year and eight months, was admitted to the Grey River Hospital suspected of having contracted the disease, but that case, too, has been diagnosed as negative. Dr. J. F. Landreth has been appointed by the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt, as a consultant specialist in the Canterbury-West-land district on the disease. The Di-rector-General previously announced that he intended to appoint in each of the four main centres a medical practitioner with specialised knowledge of poliomyelitis, who would be available as a consultant to any member of the profession. Appreciating the risk of infection in its vehicles and wishing to join with the public in taking every possible precaution, the Christchurch Tramways Board has decided that its vehicles shall be sprayed with a disinfectant daily. Some will be sprayed at night and others will be done in the middle of the day. The closed period.of the Canterbury museum has been extended from Christmas Day to include Boxing Day and New Year's Day, this decision having been made as an additional precautionary measure. The Oxford and Doyleston athletic sports during the holidays have been canc.-iied,' and this means that there will now be no sports meetings in North Canterbury at Christmas or New Year. An appeal to shopkeepers to exclude from their premises children under the age of 13 years has been made by the Medical Officer of Health for the Canterbury-Westland district, Dr. T. Fletcher Telford. The business community had indicated its willingness to co-operate. Dr. Telford said, and he was urging them to keep young children from their shops. He asked par-? ents not to take children with them when shopping.

YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE CITY MANY ABROAD YESTERDAY Although the health authorities have for many days appealed to parents to keep their children at home as much as possible, as the most important precautionary measure against contraction of infantile paralysis, many children were to be seen in the city streets mixing with the crowds yesterday, some under parental control, others quite free. The number of children abroad was certainly not so great as is usual on the eve of Christmas, but the number was still considerable. They possibly ran their worst risks in some of the more crowded busy shops. They also congregated freely in front of display windows where were shown toys and similar goods of special interest to the very young.

PRECAUTIONS AT TIMARU CONDITION OF PATIENT SATISFACTORY No sign of paralysis has appeared in the muscles of the young women who was admitted to the Timaru Hospital on Sunday suffering from infantile paralysis, although the case is a positive one. It was stated by the medical superintendent of the hospital (Dr. J. Campbell McKenzie) yesterday that there were no further developments in the case, and that the condition of the patient was satisfactory. No further cases have been reported in the district.

Acting on instructions issued by the Health Department, the Timaru Borough Council has appointed two additional inspectors, whose duty is to sec that no children under the age specified are allowed to congregate in business houses and buildings. The inspectors have power to order out any children they consider too young if found on premises, and they are also empowered to refuse admission to such children. It has been decided to post 10 inspectors at all entrances to Caroline Bay to prohibit the entry of all children under 16 years of age during the bay carnival. The Caroline Bay Association will co-operate in patrolling the entrances to the beach. CASE SUSPECTED AT OAMARU GRATITUDE AT POSTPONEMENT OF MOERAKI CENTENARY (PKESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) OAMARU, December 23. The Prime Minister (the Rt: Hon. M. J. Savage) has telegraphed the Moeraki Centenary Committee expressing his appreciation of its cooperation with the Health Authorities in the postponement of the centenary celebrations until Easter. A suspected case of infantile paralysis a boy of 14 years, from Kuriheka, has been admitted to the Oamaru Public Hospital under supervision, but the medical superintendent believes that the case will prove negative.

PRECAUTIONS AT WAIMATE BATHS AND THEATRE CLOSED TO CHILDREN Although no cases of infantile paralysis or suspects have been reported at Waimate, the authorities have taken certain precautions in accordance with advice from the Health Department. Health camps have been abandoned, and school picnics and other gatherings have been postponed. The municipal swimming baths have been closed to young children, and the management of the Arcadia Picture Theatre has decided not to admit children under the age of 15.

SOUTHLAND FIXTURES POSTPONED

INVERCARGILL, December 23. Because of the epidemic of infantile paralysis in Dunedin, the Riverton Centenary Committee decided to-night to postpone for 12 months the centenary celebrations, which were to begin on January 9. The committee was influenced in its decision by a recommendation from the medical officer of health at Dunedin. The Limehills sports, arranged for Boxing Day, have been postponed, and the dancing section of the Edendale sports, on Christmas Day, has been deleted from the programme.