INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Evening Star, Issue 22559, 29 January 1937, Page 8

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

ONE POSITIVE CASE AUTHORITIES CONSIDER LIFTING BAH Only one case of infantile paralysis has been admitted to the Dunedin Hospital during the last 24 hours, the patient being a boy, aged eight and a-half years, from Opoho. The case was for observation, and has been diagnosed as positive, with no paralysis. There were no notifications from the country yesterday or to-day. It is reported that the authorities in Wellington are considering the question of lifting restrictions in regard to travel in the Dunedin area. POSITION IMPROVED HOSPITAL WARD CLEARED “ It is pleasing to report that so far as infantile paralysis is concerned in Dunedin we are now in a position to close the Houghton Ward to paralysis cases,” said the chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr J. W. Dove) at last night’s meeting. This ward, he continued, was being cleared ready to receive ordinary patients, while those paralysis patients who had passed the infectious stage were occupying Jubilee Ward. Everyone would be happy to know that Dunedin was no longer the “ plague spot ” it had been termed in some quarters. Throughout the public generally had been very thoughtful, and a long list of donations received from individuals was greatly appreciated. AUCKLAND CASES MILD [Prut United Petes Association.! AUCKLAND, January 28. All the cases of infantile paralysis receiving treatment at the Auckland Hospital are of a mild type. It was reported this morning by the Health Department that it was expected that some of the earlier cases would so,on be discharged. There were doubtless frequent cases arising from infection from which, fortunately for some unknown reason, it did not pass on to others, and these persons were immune from further attacks. A SUGGESTED PRECAUTION WANGANUI, January 28. The Wanganui Education Board today decided to suggest to the Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) that, in view of the infantile paralysis epidemic, teachers should be asked to return to their districts at least 14 days before February 15 so that there would be no danger of children contracting the disease from teachers who had travelled in infected areas.