ABANDONMENT URGED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 17 December 1947, Page 8

ABANDONMENT URGED

NAPIER MARDI GRAS

ADVICE BY DOCTOR (P,A.) NAPIER. Dec. 16. Because of the infantile paralysis epidemic the mardi gras should not be held this season, said the medical superintendent, Dr. J.' J. Foley, at a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board. He also expressed the opinion that as a precautionary measure all the board’s institutions should be closed to vistors. The board gave the superintendent full powers to take any precautionary measures he considered necessary. _

‘The term infantile paralysis is a misnomer ” said Dr. Foley. “Infants are not necessarily always the victims nor do all cases become afflicted with paralysis I should say that about one in 10 are paralysed I can say that one positive case has been diagnosed in the Cook Countv and today we admitted one case which was more than suspicious.” He urged that all precautions should be taken by the civic authorities. Dr. Foley said he would ask permission next week to close the hospital to visitors because of the spread of the disease.” < He added that the Auckland Hospital Board had asked for the Hawke’s Bay Board’s iron lung but on the advice of the district medical officer of health he had retained this equipment.

When asked yesterday to comment upon Dr. Foley’s statement concerning the existence of a positive case of infantile paralysis in the Cook County, an officer of the Health Department stated that his department had so far been notified of two suspect cases only, and both of these were from the Gisborne borough and not the Cook county. Although the Cook county was included in the East Cape health district, he supposed it would be possible for a person with infantile paralysis to be taken to, the Napier hospital, although he thought that such a step was highly unlikely. In any case, he was notified so far of two suspect cases only.