PARALYSIS CASES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 117, 19 May 1937, Page 13

PARALYSIS CASES

WATER EXERCISES

CONSTRUCTION OF POOL

Water exercises are desirable in the treatment of infantile paralysis cases, and with this in view a meeting of the building committee of the Wellington Hospital Board was held this morning to consider the erection of a temporary swimming pool to give patients underwater exercise. Hothing definite was decided at the meeting, and the matter will be brought before the next meeting of the Hospital Board. Dr. A. R. Thome, medical superintendent at the hospital, stated ,today that the board's architect had been instructed to prepare a plan for a temporary pool. Such^ a pool, he said, should suffice until another was built in accordance with the provision. of one in the new, building scheme. Dr. Thorne added that the.Crippled Children Society was prepared to assist in the construction of the pool as well as in the purchase of equipment. . , It was unfortunate, said Dr. Thorne, that the minor epidemic had occurred before the proposed building scheme could be put into effect.'but it stressed the 'need for extra wards. The hospital .staff had carried the burden of extra work in a creditable manner, masseuses in particular having been called upon to give unlimited time to their work; Massage was an important aspect of the treatment of infantile paralysis, and additional masseuses had been engaged. There were at present 40 infantile paralysis cases in the hospital, and the response to'treatment was satisfactory. Some of the patients were accommodated in the upper wards of the children's hospital, and new cases were placed in what used to be the diphtheria wards. There . were other separate wards of varying size which' could also be used. Another 20 to 25 cases could be admitted without rearrangement of the general. hospital. After the isolation and treatment periods, early cases were being discharged wherever possible.