Infantile Paralysis

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 11

Infantile Paralysis

Sir,—Apart from closing schools ana preventing outside contact with infected people, has the Health Department done anything else to prevent the spread of the present infantile paralysis epidemic? Some time ago a nose spray was suggested in a circular to New Zealand doctors as a preventative of the disease, but beyond that it has not been advocated or impressed upon the public, which surely desires protection to a greater degree than the mere closing of schools. Theatres were closed to children when the epidemic first broke out, but to the best of my knowledge any child is free to go where it pleases since the ban was lifted. Might I suggest that these restrictions be reimposed, and that more drastic action be undertaken to prevent the spread of the disease? A line of attack—which to my mind is one of the most likely communicants of the infection is through the circulation of magazines from libraries. Cannot the Health Department issue to the public some course of action to reassure parents in particular that everything is being done to prevent further paralysis outbreaks? —I am. etc., PERTURBED Wellington, April 19.