THE EPIDEMIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 31 January 1925, Page 5

THE EPIDEMIC

MILDER THAN IN 1916. SURVEY OF POSITION. MAINTAIN PRECAUTIONS. (By Telegraph. —Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 30. Surveying the general positional the i jSto paWS epidemic the Hea^tb IvfllSn ttoVble tirst appeared, lias shown great and unless the disease takes ™ usual turn, it appears to have■almost run its course in the capital city Coin paring the total cases and the Jium of deaths it is evident that the pies ent epidemic is milder, both in extent and mortality rate, than that oi 1916. it is curious, however, that the Pj^ s . epidemic started two months eailier than that of the previous one and on that occasion it ran rapidly up to a peak at the end of March and then disappeared quickly in April. Sir Maui Pomare, Minister of Health, visited Wellington hospital and spent a considerable amount of time in an inspection of the several departments in which infantile paralysis patients are being treated The Minister states that Dr. D. i'AWilson, the mediical superintendent, Dr. Robertson, specialist in the treatment of infantile paralysis, and their able assistants are doing most valuable work. Mr. Hurley, Dr. Lynch, and Dr. Kiff, who are carrying out bacteriological and pathological examinations are also doing great Work. «‘Everything known to medical science,” said the Minister, “is being done by the experts at the hospital in the different departments. Co-ordina-tion between the medical practitioners at the bedside and the pathologists and bacteriologists is of the highest ordei, and is now uroducing the best results possible under the-circumstances Some of the investigations and results obtained in the pathological and bacteriological laboratories impressed me very much. Then, too, in the orthopedic department, the special and carefully continued attention to paralysed limbs will make a wonderful difference m minimising permanent disabilities and deformities, and no doubt operations will thus he avoided in many cases. The Minister said lie desired to sound a note of warning. Although the numbers of notifications of fresh cases were now much fewer than they were, he urged that there should be no relaxation of [precautionary measures, and in many ways the public could assist in observing and carrying out the recommendations of the Health _ Department, through its medical officer. If many people only i saw the pathetic cases of poor, helpless children as he saw them in the hospital wards, no one would grudge doing all in their power in the way of attending to the precautions which had been _ recommended bv the medical men.

LAST NIGHT’S REPORTS. . THREE DEATHS A AUCKLAND) (.BY TKLEGKAFH FR DiSS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Jan. 30. The Auckland health district to-day experienced the worst day in the infantile paralysis epidemic. Three deaths were reported—a boy aged two at ML Eden, a girl aged 11 at Remuera, and a girl aged two at the hospital. Eight new cases were also notified. WANGANUI, Jan. 30. One case of infantile parlysis was reported to-day, making twenty-four cases, with deaths, to date. TAUMARUNUI, Jan. 30. The first case of infantile paralysis in the Taumarunui Hospital Board’s district was/admitted to the local hospital to-day. The patient is a girl 5% years of age; from the Te Whakarae settlement, a few miles outside of Tau. marunui. MASTERTON, Jan. 30. At a largely attended special meeting of members of the Masterton A. and P. Association to-day it was decided, as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of infantile paralysis, to abandon the 1925 show, which was to be held in February. It was announced that the annual ram fair, which was fixed for the two days succeeding the show, would be held as usual.

No fresh cases were reported to-da.. BLENHEIM, Jan. 30.* A second case of infantile paralysis was reported to-day, the victim being a child.of nine months living just outside the borough boundary. The case is not regarded as serious. POSITION IN HAWERA. STILL ALL CLEAR. A clean bill of health was given by the Inspector of Public Health this morning, no cases having beeii reported or being under observation. Mr. Coleman added that so far as he was aware the Department instructions in regard to- children were well observed .in connection with the circus last night. CHILDREN AT CHURCH. DEFINITE PROHIBITION. Children under the. age of 16 years •are not to go to church, according to a statement made by the Director-Gen-eral: of Health (Dr. Yalintine). The question was raised owing to the publication of a x-eport- from Auckland that none of the churches understood that they were included in' the restriction. . / The Director-General added that, as 95 per cent, of the cases were of children under 16, the proclamation was issued, prohibiting their appearing at places /of assembly. He was surprised that anyone should consider that churches were not included in places of assembly.