INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17250, 18 August 1916, Page 8

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

A QUESTION OF TREATMENT.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON.

[Pan Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, August 17.

Kern disappointment at the results obtained in Wellington cases of infantile paralysis was expressed in communications which wore before the Wellington Hospital Board to-day. Dr Valintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, forwarded the following report, received by the Public Health Department from Miss Bevilaqua, specialist in infantile paralysis cases: — ‘ l l regret having to write to you in. this strain, but 1 am unable to do anything to benefit infantile paralysis patients resident in or those who are or should be attending as out-patients at tho Public Hospital, Wellington. As requested, I supplied the Hospital Board with the names of two ladies, either of whom, if appointed, would have given the patients every chance to benefit under the system that, for the children’s sake, I was brought to the Dominion to teach. Wellington Hospital is the only hospital that I have visited where this work is not being carried out.

“On my first visit to Wellington. I gave clinics and demonstrations extending over ten days. I was at the hospitals the whole day from 9.80 a.m. until 6 p.m., sometimes 7 p.m. There were three young ladies, Misses Norris, Salter and Smith, ' pupils of Mrs Everett, carrying on massage of infantile paralysis children, of whom there were twenty-eight. As far as they wero able, after their work was dono, they were with me. The zeal and enthusiasm for their work was tremendous and their self-sacrifice—for they were there early and late—won my highest admiration. Given a leader tho work at tho hospital must have been a huge success, instead of which, except for two Mackenzie splints, I see nothing to show that this work ever has been heard of. The most pathetia part is this: no children in the Dominion had a better chance of making complete and speedy recovery, and in no other hospital have we had such a chance of proving the worth of this system of rest and re-education of. muscles, for we had absolutely nothing to undo. There was no deformity in any of the patients to be overcome, there was not one case of footdrop, every muscle in all the children was ready for re-education, and this means quick recovery. And all this was due to the skill and enthusiasm of Dr Scoullar, house surgeon. “ Here, then, we had everything that made for success—the children, the interested doctor, the love and willingness to work on the part of these young ladies, who in the hands of Miss Helmfelt or Miss Kane would, I feel assured, have secured results that would under other -circumstances have been impossible. Even during the tea days that I was there—despite the fact that on account of tbe teaching that had to bo done (for surrounding country boards had sent masseuse and matron to receive instruction), really systematic teaching could not be engaged in—we had much to show what could be done. A little leg that the day before could not lift, after a night’s splinting in cardboard would lift well; an arm that could move only so much to-day, to-morrow would double its work. So it is in this work all the way through. 'Where it is done properly improvement is continuous This work is not massage, only a masseur or masseuse is chosen to do the work on account of his or her knowledge of anatomy, “In all tho other hospitals of the Dominion a masseur or masseuse, honorary or otherwise, gave up all elsa to be with me. How else can this work be learnt? On my second visit! to centres down South I found workers ready for me with 6ome result to show for their work during my absence, and all eager to see more of it and anxious for mo to test their knowledge. “I return to Wellington. I see a few paralysed children, two of whom 1 know did better work the day I lefts than they do now, eight weeks later. I have been at the hospital for four days already and I have neither seein nor heard anything from any masseur or masseuse on the staff. Is this right to the public? Good results ara already being reported from many places where they have not had half th 6 opportunity for success. I have already seen some wonderful results among private patients, the work of the two masseuses I recommended as competent to put in charge of tho work. Rat what about the hospital and those who I know from outside are too poor to pay for private work where they are? This work that the Government has brought me over to teach, if properly carried out, ensures that there be no deformity. “ From every other part of the Dominion I have had one opinion: this treatment is the most sane and at the samo time scientific treatment that has ever been offered. Why cannot it be put to the test in Wellington? While in the South Island I actually saw over one hundred and thirty cripples as the result of the Dominion epidemic. This one (the writer apparently here refers ,to the North Island) numbered five times as many victims. I came to try to save these from crippledom. 1 said, ‘ Please let me come. I can, it necessary, manage to finance myself* Just for the children’s sake.’ I came and, please, Dt Valintine, why cannot) I help them in Wellington? Is it because I recommended to the board that tho ones appointed should have salary and assistants, an honorariumb If so, please what does one cripple cost the State? And if this was not the* case wherein lay the difficulty.?

“Florence Bevilaqua.”

In a covering letter to the hoard, Dtt Valintine said no could not too strongly call attention to the report and his great disappointment with the results at tha hospital. As far as ho could gather Miss Bevilaqu a’s ’ results in other institutions had been most satisfactory. There were many patients in outlying hospital districts suffering from the results of infantile paralysis, and it would bo a great advantage if tho board could take these patients at maintenance fees to be arranged with the hospital, boards concerned. Accommodation might be found for them in the unused portion of the children’s ward, as it was impossible to arrange for proper treatment in the smaller country hospitals. Airs Wilford said that twenty-eight cases of infantilo paralysis had been treated at tho hospital, anf of that number twenty had" been completely cured, while eight were still under treatment. A completo cure could not bo expected in every case, hut tho percentage warranted the board in saying that its masseuse (Nurse Everett) thoroughly understood her business. An injustice would bo done by the appointment of other women, as it would reflect on the competency of those wh* now were engaged on the work. Tho medical superintendent said that' massage did infantile paralysis harm. A new treatment had been evolved, an<| lie was sorry that two schools were conflict. Masseurs would _ probabl) learn the system more quickly that others, as they were conversant with tM muscles of the human body. The chairman said that two _ nurses under training had left the as there was better practice outside. The whole question was referred tr* the SQspiM.CQnuaittSfij. jrith power tar-, act, - . >