INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 57, 6 February 1925, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

ANOTHER CASE PROVES FATAL. NO FRESH NOTIFICATIONS. Up to an early hour this afternoon no further notifications of cases of infantile paralysis had been received in the Palrnerston North, hospital district since 12.30 h.m. yesterday. The third fatal case of tho disease occurred at the hospital about nine o'clock yesterday evening, the victim being au infant of about eighteen months of age named Desmond Coombs. He was brought here in a serious condition from Levin late on Tuesday night. The infant's condition was such when he was admitted that there could be little hope, though patients previously admitted have responded in a hopeful manner to treatment when the disease is caught in the fairly early stages. There are now seventeen patients in hospital, all progressing satisfactorily. The five-year-old boy from Levin, whose condition on admission was grave, was this afternoon reported to be somewhat improved. The same applies to the child admitted from Mangaweka. ORIGIN OF CASES IN HOSPITAL.

An official list obtained from the hospital gives the origin of the 20 cases so far treated at the institution as follows: —Palrnerston North 6, Levin o, Rongotea 2, Halcombe, Ashhurst (Rauinai), Baiuesse, Tokomaru, Shannon, Otaki and Mangaweka one each. Only three patients have succumbed —a man from Shannon, a boy aged 12 from Otaki, and the infant already mentioned.

The disease was first manifested in Palrnerston North on January 10, when two cases from the urban area were admitted. Since then admissions have been as follow:—January 14, one; January 17, one; January 20, one; January 21, two; January 22, two; January 28, one; January 31, three; February 2, two; February' 3, two; February 4, two; February 5, one.

URBAN AREA ESCAPES LIGHTLY. From the figures quoted it would appear that the Palrnerston North urban area has escaped comparatively lightly with only six cases. Levin has been very badly affected, five cases being a very large number having regard to its population. The other patients have come from all quaters of the district, proving that the disease is widespread. It is pleasing to note that most of the patients admitted have made good progress towards recovery—the deaths that have occurred having followed quickly upon the admission of patients whose condition was very grave before they were sent to the institution.

BLOOD FOR MAKING SERUM. APPEAL TO FORMER SUFFERERS OF DISEASE. Recently Doctor Twhigg, of the Palrnerston North hospital, who ha 3 been almost solely engaged upon treatment of infantile paralysis'cases since the outbreak of the epidemic, journeyed to Wellington with the object of gaining further information about the use of serum in combating the disease. The serum, which is made from the blood of those who have had the disease formerly, has, Dr. Twhigg informed a "Standard" reporter, been used with effect in cases where the complaint was discovered in tho incipient stages. "I am going to ask you to make an appeal to convalescents from the disease and people who have had it within the past four or five years to give some blood for the manufacture of serum," he stated. "Those willing to do so are requested to notify the hospital, when the offer of suitable volunteers will be accepted." Some of those who suffered in tho epidemic of 191 G have asked whether they, too, can be of use in assisting in the manufacture of serum. Dr. Twhigg, when this was referred to him, suid that, if sufficient blood could not be secured from patients who have had the disease more recently, he would endeavour to carry on with the assistance of volunteers from the ranks of 1910 patients Of course, as far a 4 possible, serum would be made from more recent patients a.s that was most likely to prove effective.

As a precautionary measure against deformity, children admitted to the institution had their limbs placed in splints. That, however, was quite the usual thing and was not by way of a cure. LOCAL MAN ALREADY RESPONDS. One young man from Palrnerston North, added the doctor, had already responded to the request, and as the result of his offer a supply of serum had been made at the lecal hospital, but it only lasted about a day. "1 want as many volunteers as I can get," he continued, "for I am again out of serum. It must be distinctly understood that the use of this remedy is most efficacious when the disease is caught in the early stages, and for that reason it is advisable that parents whose children show any of the usual symptoms of infantile paralysis should have them at once examined by a doctor." THE SYMPTOMS.

Dr. Twliigg commented that it was not desired, of course, to create a panic and have children rushed off to the doctor on the occasion of every small ailment, but where there appearcred to be a general upset it was advisable to take ali precautions possible. Chief among the symptoms of the disease, he said, were a general upset in health, fretfulness, a diain-' clinatioa to be handled, pains or stiffness in the back and the back of the neck, vomiting, peevishness, drowsiness, constipation and diarrhoea. Asked what was the position at the hospital regarding the accommodation of cases of the disease, Dr. Twhigg said that the ward was filling up, but it would hold some 25 patients. Of course the epidemic entailed a great amount of extra work on the part of the medical staff and nurses because the patients required such constant attention. NO DEFORMITY IN MANY CASES. Questioned by the reporter as to whother deformity was usually an aftermath of the disease, the medical man replied: "By no means. In a good many cases a complete recovery can bo looked for." PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. A "Standard" reporter, when in conversation this morning with a departmental health officer, was informed that where a case of the disease ha 3 broken out in a household all but the breadwinner are isolated. He, too, is obliged to remain at the house if he is engaged in an occupation necessitate ing the handling of food. Government departments, such as the local branches of the railway and post office service, are taking every precaution in the matter of disinfecting. The borough footpaths and gutters in the central areas are also being sprayed with disinfectant every morning, and in the opinion of

the official supplying the information, eve 17 thing possible is being done to prevent the spread of the disease. RESTRICTIONS AT FLOCK HOUSE. "Every precaution is being taken at Flock House to protect the health of the trainees there," stated Mr T. R. Lees, managing trusteo of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund, to a reporter to-day. "The lads for the present are being kept on the estate and are not allowed to visit the surrounding settlements, while all such functions as picnics have been cancelled for the present," ho added. Mr Lees mentioned that there had been a case of infantile paralysis at Bulls which had been taken to the Wanganui hospital, and in view of that it was deemed advisable to take no risks. CAUSE OF DISEASE KNOWN. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. 5. "Research into various aspects of infantile paralysis is being conducted by the Health Department in both Auckland and Wellington. In the circumstances there is no call for a special grant for the purpose as suggested bj the Auckland branch of tho British Medical Association," said Sir Maui Pomare to-day. He added that the cause of the disease wus known ito be a germ which had been isolated two years ago. A culture had been made and monkeys inoculated. Fantastic theories as to the cause were therefore beside the point, as the cause had been established. It followed that special grants and efforts were not called for, but just such a study and collating of the facts as was already being undertaken by the department. HAWKE'S BAY SHOW ABANDONED. NAPIER, Feb. 6. The Hawke's Bay autumn show has been abandoned owing to the infantile paralysis epidemic. . HICKSON CURES. PATIENTS HAVE RELAPSES. AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. It has come to the knowledge of the medical profession in Auckland that a number of patients who were cured or partially cured of paralysis during tho Hickson Mission havo had relapses, and have been notified among recent cases of paralysis. Whether the malady is exactly the same as that of tho epidemio has not been ascertained, nor whether it has been brought on as a direct result of tho epidemic or indirectly through positive fear of tho disease. A statement that a case of infantile paralysis in Te Puke had been cured by mean 3 of the Abrams treatment was made by Mr P. H. Hickey, at last evening's meeting of the People's Health Society in the Leys Institute, over which gathering he presided. Mr Hickey said that the case wa3 vouched for by the child's teacher. The child had been unable to walk for four years, but after receiving a course of the Abrams treatment was able to run and play in the same way as any healthy child. Only two new cases of infantile paralysis were reported in the Auckland health district yesterday. These represent the lowest daily number of notifications since the outbreak became virulent. Two deaths occurred in the Auckland hospital. A case of infantile paralysis, a young man aged 21, terminated fatally at Picton yesterday. A Woodville message states that the case of the infantile paralysis patient taken to the Dannevirke hospital, Linda Richards, Bush Mills road, aged seven years, is regarded as serious.