PARENTS URGED TO OBSERVE POLIO PRECAUTIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22819, 14 December 1948, Page 6

PARENTS URGED TO OBSERVE POLIO PRECAUTIONS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Doc. 13. No cases of poliomyelitis were reported in Wellington during the weekend. An official bulletin issued by the Department of Health states: — “Poliomyelitis is still with us, however. It has steered a somewhat unpredictable course, and cases are reported with disturbing persisteicy. “With the warmer weather the rate of incidence of the disease—if it follows its usual practice—can be expected to increase. The department has issued to its medical officers widelypublicised instructions for the control of polio. A responsibility rests on parents, too. With their co-operation, control should apply an effective check to the spread of polio. International Quest “Until the real cause of polio, is uncovered —and the international search for it is intensified—commonsence precautions are the main defence on the preventive side. Parents are asked to observe these precautions:— 1. Maintain body resistance with proper food and adequate rest. 2. See that hands are washed before partaking of meals and after all lavatory visits. 3. Fatigue should be avoided. Don’t let children over-exert themselves in competitive sport or otherwise. 4. Guard against chilling. Children should not be allowed to stay in the water for too long. If they do become cold, dry them and dress them at once.’’

EIGHT-YEAR-OLD CHILD POSITIVE POLIO CASE An eight-year-old female child was admitted to the Cook Hospital this morning, where she was diagnosed as a positive case of poliomyelitis. The child is a resident in the Gisborne borough. BOY OF ELEVEN YEARS: BLENHEIM PATIENT CP.A.) BLENHEIM, Dec. 14. An 11-year-old boy was admitted to the Wairau hospital today as a positive case of poliomyelitis. This is the eighteenth case reported in Marlborough. POLIO IN S. ISLAND (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 14 Admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital on Friday as a suspected case of infantile paralysis a boy aged 5 from Papanui has been diagnosed as positive. During the previous week-end three suspected cases were confirmed a? positive, the patients being from Woolston, Kanieri and Hokitika, so there are now four cases in hospital. CAPE PLANS TO FIGHT SUMMER POLIO CAPE TOWN, Nov. 12. Measures to combat poliomyelitis, if there is a recurrence of the disease this summer, were discussed at a meeting of members of Goodwood municipality and doctors at Goodwood.

The Medical Officer of Health of the Cape Divisional Council, Dr. J. P. de Villiers, said that a vaccine had been discovered that proved successful against the disease in tests on monkeys. Unfortunately, a vaccine would not be obtainable for humans for a considerable time.

The best preparation of the vaccine was obtained from the South African vervet. Vervets were being imported by the United States for research. According to the latest statistics the disease has made its appearance all over the world, and not only in the tropical and sub-tropical countries. The latest outbreak had been in Iceland.

It was feared that the Union would experience summer outbreaks of poliomyelitis this summer, in this case the Cape might be the centre the worst affected.