INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 14 January 1937, Page 7

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

POSITION IN CANTERBURY EXPLANATION OF HEALTH OFFICER

(By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

Whatever remarks were made by him on 6th January, the day when the interview was published, describing Timaru as an infected area as far as a mild form of infantile paralysis was concerned, were said by the medical officer in charge of the Canterbury and Westland health district, Dr. Telford, to-day to refer more particularly to Waimate, where a wave of a mild form of the disease had been reported in the surrounding districts. This wave had passed through a considerable number of children in a minor form of the disease, but these, cases were no longer infectious and" therefore no action was required in respect of them. This information was conveyed to the Health Department by two medical practitioners in Waimate. This area, together with Timaru, might now be regarded as quite safe except for a sporadic case or two.

Dn Telford said he did not intend to convey that the town of Timaru or any portion of South Canterbury was an infectious area. There was, however, evidence of a mild wave of the disease having passed through portions of the district. There was no suggestion that he had been misreported. Dr. Telford added that there evidently had been some misunderstanding.

CHILDREN FROM THE SOUTH PRECAUTIONS STATED “Mother” writes as follows to the Marlborough “Express”:—“May I inquire through your paper what steps are being taken to isolate persons who have returned from Dunedin and Otago? To my knowledge a number of school teachers and children went from here south, and though none of them may be direct contacts, it is possible they may be carriers, and, unless proper measures are taken this dread complaint may be spread to our children when they return to school.”

The appended reply was given:— On inquiry at the local office of the Health Department it was ascertained that from the outset children under K years have not been allowed to leave Dunedin without a permit from the medical officer of the Department, who gives a permit only after he has satisfied himself that the recipient had not been in contact with any known case of infantile paralysis. On returning to their own district, or after arriving in any other district, children thus permitted to leave infected areas are required to keep to themselves for 14 days. They must not go about, and must avoid close contact with other people, and should not visit other homes or receive visitors. As to adults travelling from infected areas, there is no subsequent restriction on their movements. They may not. however, leave an infected area without a permit, and in the case of anyqnd who had had definite contact with a case of infantile paralysis a permit is not given until after an interval of isolation for 14 days. Representatives of the Health Department in all districts are kept officially advised of the destination to their respective localities of persons leaving infected areas.