A DANGER SIGNAL

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1932, Page 8

A DANGER SIGNAL

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

DEPARTMENT WATCHING

, (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, 16th February.

''The fact that three cases of infantile paralysis have been reported in the Southland health district'is regarded by the Health Department as a dan-ger-signal that cannot be disregarded, and a close watch-' on the position is being maintained," said the- Minister of Health; the Hon. J. A. Young, when questioned as. to the present position regarding infectious diseases. ;■' The Minister said that,! generally speaking,; the situation was satisfactory, ' and particularly so 'as regards scarlet fever and diphtheria. One' disease, however, which is causing the Department some concern, the Minister said, is infantile paralysis. The disease, which shows a distinct tendency-to become epidemic at occasional intervals, was very prevalent in 1915, and again in 1925-26. It is prone to occur in : late slimmer and autumn, and the present month perhaps constitutes our most dangerous period. Even in tho. most favourable years New Zealand is not entirely free from infantile paralysis; and may expect to have some thirty to forty cases reported in the course; of twelve months, the maximum distribution being in the first quarter of the year -.:...■■ , The Minister pointed out that in the last two -.infections diseases bulletins issued /by the Health Department there had been a small but definite rise in the' number of notified cases of infantile paralysis. For the week ended Ist February there were six cases,, distributed as follows:—Central Wellington district, ,2; Canterbury}1 2;'Otago, 1; Southland, 1. For the week ended Bth February, there was a similar number of cases, but the distribution was different, as they all occurred in the South Island, one' being'in the Canterbury, two in the. Otago,' and three in tho Southland health districts. Last week four cases were reported, two in North Auckland, bnfe in Central Wellington, arid one in Canterbury. Mr. Young said that the position was not necessarily indicative of an incipient epidemic, but' the occurrence of three cases in one week in Southland was a danger-signal that could not be disregarded, and departmental officers were therefore watching the position very closely. Arrangements had been made to; obtain supplies of convalescent serum which had been proved of very definite value in the treatment of preparalytie cases. It was hoped these would not be; required.