INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 60, 10 February 1925, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

FURTHER CASES ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL. INCLUDING ONE FROM TOWN. There would appear as yet to bo no appreciable decrease in the notifications of infantile paralysis in the Palmerston North hospital district. Dr. Forrest, medical superintendent of the local hospital, informed a ''Standard" reporter this afternoon that about 10.30 las'i night four patients were admitted from Levin under suspicion of having contracted tho disease. They comprised two girls, aged two and eight respectively, and two boys of 16 and 14 years. They had all the symptoms of infantile paralysis, though an absolutely definite diagnosis had not been arrived at at the time of making the inquiry. Their condition, at any rate, i.s not serious. A definite case has been admitted from Palmerston North, tho victim being a girl aged eight, whose sister was admitted to the institution yesterday. She, fortunately, . has not contracted the disease in a severe form.

In reply to a question, Dr. Forrest said that" there two or three convalescents from the disease awaiting discharge as soon as tho necessary period of isolation had elapsed. They had recovered completely, no deformity having resulted from the attack. There had been no further volunteers to give blood for serum manufacture, and such as was secured was reserved for use in tho most serious cases. Tho doctor could not say .that the disease was getting any milder in its incidence, but he hoped that it would subside with the advent of cooler weather.

There are now 26 cases being treated at the institution, and there have been 29 notifications to date, three cases having proved fatal, while, of course, there are somo "suspects" in addition remaining under observation. There havebeen 10 cases from Palmerston North nnd nine from Levin, though it is feared that the "suspect" cases admitted from tho latter town last night will swell Levin's quota. The result is that tho diphtheria ward, which has been used for isolation purposes, is now full, and in order to accommodate the ea.ses arriving daily the scarlet fever ward has also been requisitioned. With this extra space there is no immediato difficulty regarding beds. Touching upon the infectiotis nature i of tho disease, Dr. Forrest said that often people in a house where; a case had occurred experienced a mild fover, but nothing more and did not contract tho complaint in any material form. In consequence oi the epidemic the Railway Department has decided to extend the date of expiry of excursion tickets until one week after tho reopening of schools. In common with other bodies of a like character the Central School Committee has decided to definitely postpone tho school picnic.

Three cases of infantile paralysis wero reported at Wanganui during tho weekend. One ended fatally yesterday. A case of infantile paralysis, that of a Maori infant, was admitted to tho hospital at Napier yesterday, from Fernhill. One new case of infantile paralysis was admitted to tho hospital at Timaru yesterday, a child from St. Andrew's, and tho case is considered to be serious. A suspected case was a'ao notified at Waitohi, near Temuka.

The first caso of suspected infantile paralysis in Carterton was admitted to the Mastorton hospital yesterday, namely, a baby girl, aged 16 months. Its parents wore recently in Palmerston North and it is thought tho infection was caught there (states a Press Association message). The Minister of Defence replied yesterday to tho Timaru citizens' protest regarding the holding of territorial camps, stating that the health authorities had advised that there was no reason to postpone the territorial camp and that the defence authorities had no intention of departing from tho arrangements made. The Timaru Borough Council last night unanimously agreed "that the council strongly urge the Government, te postpone the holding of ilia proposed territorial camp at Burnham until tho opidemio of infantile paralysis subsides." "Practically every adult has had infantile paralysis," declared an Auckland medical authority to a Star representative. The doctor explained tho apparently extraordinary statement by stating that in many instances people develop the initial disorders of tho disease without becoming so bad that paralysis develops. Tho mild attack —which consists of a number of quite common ailments (irritability is one I) —provides immunity from a recurrence of tho malady. Of course, file sufferers of the mild form of infantile paralysis—and their name Li legion—are ndetected am? remain at largT&'as germ carriers. Acute cases are among tho children —90 per cent, of thorn under 16 years of age, clearly indicating, according to medical opinions, that tho milder forms of the disease have made adults snfe from further attacks. SCHOOLS REMAINING CLOSED. NO RE-OPENING'BEFORE MARCH 2. WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. Tho Health Department'has decided that the schools in the Dominion will not reopen before 2nd March.