PARALYSIS SPREADING

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1936, Page 7

PARALYSIS SPREADING

MORE CASES IN DUNEDIN ONE AT TIMARU [pee press association.] DUNEDIN, December 20. “Though there is a good deal of infection about,” reported Dr. T. McKibbin, District Medical Officer of - Health, on Saturday, when an enquiry was made about the outbreak of infantile paralysis, “there has been a slight decrease in the number of cases definitely paralysed by the disease.” It was not desired to create a false impression in the minds of the public, said Dr, McKibbin. There were actually more than 40 children in the Dunedin Hospital, this number including those sent in from outside, and an occasional case sent from another ward in the hospital. Only a small proportion of these cases had severe paralysis. Four or five of the patients were heavily paralysed, and there was a group of about IS with varying paralysis of a milder type. The remainder of the children were under observation. The admissions to the Dunedin Hospital for the 24 hours ended 5) a.m. on Saturday, included three positive cases —one girl and two boys, and a doubtful case for observation, a girl from Green Island. A further six patients were admitted to the hospital to-day. One boy and one girl are probably paralysed, two girls and one boy are positive i cases and one girl has been sent for observation.

METHVEN CAMP ABANDONED. CHRISTCHURCH, December 20. It is considered unlikely that the girl, aged eight years, who was admitted for observation to the Christchurch Hospital on Friday, has contracted infantile paralysis. Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer for Health, reported this evening that the diagnosis, eo far as it had gone, suggested that the case was not positive. There was still need for every precaution to be taken, Dr. Telford said, and parents would be wise to follow the advice given. Dr.' Telford said that the camp at Methven attended by about 260 members of a religious sect, to which the local residents objected, was to be broken up last night, and the campers would disperse this morning. This course is being taken at his request. Local residents objected to the camp, claiming that people were arriving, there from many centres, ineluding Otago, and that a number of them were under 21, some of them young children. Dr. Telford made a special journey to Methven to interview the campers on Saturday, and they agreed to comply with his request immediately. . . It was stated by a representative of the campers that none of the people came from Dunedin, and only two from' Otago'. He also said that those 'coming to the camp had been ex'nressly asked not to'bring children underl2. CASE AT TIMARU. . .CHRISTCHURCH, December 21. "f A positive case of infantile paralysis at Timaru has been reported to the Medical Officer of Health for Canterbury. The victim is a youjig woman aged 18, who was admitted to the Timaru Hospital last night. The suspected case in Christchurch has proved to be negative. A girl aged eight years was admitted to the Christchurch Hospital as a suspect on Friday last. She had been kept under clbse’ observation since then, and it is now reported that a diagnosis proved negative. CAMP CLOSING. AUCKLAND, December 19. Auckland is still free of infantile paralysis. There is a possibility that the ear, nose, and throat department of the Auckland Hospital will be closed as a measure. “The right time to inaugurate children’s camps is before the first case appears in a district,’" said Dr. J. W v Craven, medical of the Auckland Hospital, commenting or criticism which had been levelled at -him after his suggestion that children’s camps should be open. “By segregating as many children as ■ possible in suitable camps, the possibility of contact with adults who might be carriers would be materially lessened,” he added. “At present, shops, streets, and tram-cars are packed With children and adults. In camps, the children would be supervised by trained nurses -who would be on the alert for further signs of infantile paralysis. In this way there is much more likelihood of cases being detected in the early stages. Any prophylactic treatment recommended by the Health Department could be better', carried out in camps than bj parents. These are my own opinions. I have no wish to embarrass the officers of the Health' Department, bilt Care for the little ones is of the utmost importance.”

AUCKLAND PREPARATIONS. AUCKLAND, December 21. An organised' effort to fight any out-break-of infantile paralysis in Auckland has been completed by the Health Department in collaboration with the Auckland Hospital. A ward’ has been set aside at the hospital for any cases, and the strictest watch is being kept. A special committee comprising a physician, pathologist, orthopaedic surgeon, and the senior medical officer has been set up. No cases or suspects so far have been reported. WARNING TO PARENTS. WELLINGTON, December 21. A warning' to parents, not to use any suggested remedies for infantile paralysis without' taking medical advice, was issued by Dr. Watt, Direc-tor-General of . Health, to-day. He advised parents to isolate themselves as ■much as possible, in their own homes. It had to .be remembered that adults, as well ,as children, could carry out and spread the disease. The suggestion that children should be prevented from leaving Dunedin would be ineffective, if adults were allowed to travel. . Or. Watt said that all the informa*

tion at the disposal of the Department was being incorporated in a bulletin. for circulation to doctors. The Department had a quantity of convalescent serum available for distribution, but opinion was divided regarding its efficacy. SUSPECT AT GREY ? It was rumoured, this morning, that a suspected case of infantile paralysis had been admitted to the Grey Hospital, for observation, but no confirmation could be obtained from the authorities.