OUTBREAK OF PARALYSIS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25422, 19 February 1948, Page 6

OUTBREAK OF PARALYSIS

■ <■ BAN ON CHILDREN’S GATHERINGS

OTAGO EDUCATION BOARD SEEKS REVIEW

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, February 18. The Otago Education Board decided to-day to request the Education Department to review at the earliest possible date the restrictions imposed on the congregating of children because of the infantile paralysis outbreak, as they affect Otago. The chairman (Mr J. I. Fraser) moved that this request should be made. He was supported by the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr D. C. Cameron), and Mr R. R. Hunter. “I would hate to think that the reopening of the schools would result in any child being crippled, but there is no unanimity among the medical profession that the opening would be harmful,” Mr Hunter said.*

The motion was carried unanimously. The chairman said he regretted that the restrictions barred children, particularly country children, from taking part in important centennial events. He understood, however, that the centennial education committee proposed to do something for children in the way of entertainment later in the year. The Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs), when the board’s resolution was referred to him, said he had nothing to say. The decision rested with the Minister of Health (Miss Mabel Howard).

CANTERBURY BOARD MEMBER’S VIEW

“ SOUTH ISLAND gCROOLS SHOULD BE OPENED ” A member of the Canterbury Education Board and chairman of the Greymouth Technical High School, Mr F. L. Turley, expressed the opinion at Greymouth yesterday that schools in the South Island should be reopened immediately and that such action would not entail any risk from infantile paralysis. “While I think everyone appreciates the early steps taken by the Government because of the apparent seriousness of the first outbreak of infantile paralysis, in epidemic form, I am of the opinion that, so far as the South Island is concerned, the schools should be reopened,” said Mr Turley when invited to give his opinion. He added that he had spoken to doctors and to schoolmasters and they had agreed with this view. Unnecessary delay in the reopening of the schools would mean disaster for many older pupils, he said. The cases of infantile paralysis in the South Island had not in the last three months exceeded those of normal times, and there would be no extra risk in reopening the schools.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST EPIDEMIC

INCONSISTENCY ALLEGED BY MR VV. J. POLSON

(P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 18. Inconsistency in the present infantile paralysis precautions was alleged by Mr W. J. Polson when the effect of the restrictions on education was discussed by the Taranaki Education Board to-day. “We allow tens of thousands of people to congregate regularly at race meetings,” he said, “yet if the disease is spread by contact and, according to some authorities, it is, then the spread by these gatherings is considerable. We should either stop all travel, or give children a chance to be educated.” In the South Island, the incidence of the disease was * fairly light, he added. One would think that in areas where the position was good, the education of children could continue.

ANOTHER POSITIVE CASE IN AUCKLAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 18. One positive case and three suspected cases of infantile paralysis were reported in the Central Auckland Health district to-day. The new positive case is a child from the city, who was previously admitted to the Auckland Hospital as a suspect. An adult from Titirangi and two children from the city are the new suspect cases.

There were 35 positive and six suspect cases in the Auckland Hospital to-night.