Competitions Festival Cancelled : Polio Danger

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22707, 4 August 1948, Page 8

Competitions Festival Cancelled : Polio Danger

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. Aug. 3. On account of the poliomyelitis epidemic 'the Wellington Competitions Society has cancelled its annual festival due to begin on August 21. This step, taken in consultation with and acting on the advice of the district medical officer of Health. Dr. H. Smith, was in the interests of children and the public generally, said the president of the society, Mr. F. Gruar, today. He added that the society had investigated the possibilities of holding a festival for adult competitions only, but deemed it advisable not to proceed in this direction. The cancellation of the festival, however, would not affect the Wellington district elimination contest for the Dame Nellie Melba vocal scholarship (for adults only), the winner of which would compete in,* the New Zealand finals at the Dunedin Competition Society's festival on September 2. The new regulations for infectious diseases, which came into force last April, provided for the quarantining of adults where this was thought necessary by the local medical officer of health, stated Dr. Smith today. He was commenting on the expressed concern that adults in contact with positive cases of poliomyelitis and children from schools where infection appeared might evade any quarantine restrictions. Dr. Smith said the quarantining of normal adult contacts was left in the hands of the medical officer himself, but specific arrangements for the quarantining of pupil and teacher were set down and special arrangements existed where people were handling food, including milk.

“Our general method of handling this question is not to quarantine a wageearner unless the indications are that he is likely to spread infection,” ‘Dr. Smith said. “Instructions are given that he should avoid contact with others as much as possible and, if convenient, work on his own.”