CHILD PARALYSIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22609, 23 December 1936, Page 13

CHILD PARALYSIS

MEDICAL CONFERENCE

EXPERTS TO BE AVAILABLE ADVICE FOR THE HOLIDAYS [nr TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Tuesday As a result of a special medical conference in Wellington to discuss the outbreak of infantile paralysis, it has been decided to appoint in each of the four main centres a medical practitioner with specialised knowledge of poliomyelitis, who will be available as consultant to any member of the profession. In making this announcement to-day, the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt, said that delegates to the conference felt that in this way there would be no overloading of hospitals with suspects. The conference was held yesterday between representatives of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, the staff of the Wellington Hospital, and the Department of Health, to discuss the present outbreak and measures which should ho taken to deal with it. Dr. Watt said that the matters under discussion were largely technical, and the decisions reached will be communicated by circular memoranda. to all medical practitioners in the Dominion. All the information available to the department was discussed at the conference. Great importance was attached to the necessity of children avoiding gatherings, particularly those held indoors.

Dr. Watt suggested that if families during the holidays maintained the family unit, associating only with children known to them, with no possibility of contact with infection, the holidays could proceed normally with little or no fear of contracting infantile paralysis. There was only one case in the North Island, that of a child from Dunedin, who was in isolation. Though the department imposed no official ban on travel from the infected area, it wished to restrict the movements of people as far as possible. The public had co-operated with health officers very freely, their advice being generally taken. OUTBREAK IN DUNEDIN FEWER CASES ADMITTED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] DUNEDIN, Tuesday A decrease in the number of admissions of cases of infantile paralysis to the Dunedin Hospital was noted to-day, when, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., only two cases, boys aged seven and eight years respectively, were received into the institution. Both are positive cases, but are not paralysed. A heartening aspect of the admissions during the past few days is that there have been no new cases of paralysis. The total number of paralysed cases is 21, eight of whom are extensively paralysed, while the remainder are progressing favourably. Even in the more serious cases, some recovery is expected. The Pounawea convention, which was to have been held on Thursday night, has been cancelled.

POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH BOYS UNDER OBSERVATION [by telegraph—fress association-] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday Three boys suspected of suffering from infantile paralysis have been admitted to the Christchurch Hospital. The medical officer of health, Dr. Fletcher Telford, said that in one case the diagnosis had proved negative. The second child was under close observation, but it seemed unlikely that this case would be found positive, and the third child, aged six years, who was admitted this afternoon, would be kept under observation. * The homes from which the suspected cases have come have all been strictly quarantined. Dr. Telford said he had had valuable co-operation from business people in carrying out his request that children under 13 should not be admitted to shops. More assemblages of children and young people have been cancelled. It appears that verv few, if anv, will be held.

BOY ISOLATED PATIENT IN WELLINGTON [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The district health officer, Dr. F. S. McLean, reports that a five-year-old boy who arrived from Dunedin during the week-end has been isolated in the Wellington Hospital as it is considered that he is suffering from infantile paralysis. WARNING TO PARENTS USE OF NASAL SPRAYS [Br TELEGRAFH PRESS ASSOCIATION] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday A warning against the use of nasal sprays was given by Dr. F. S. McLean, medical officer of health at Wellington, in outlining precautions which should be taken against infantile paralysis. Dr. McLean said the department strongly urged parents not to use any prophylactic treatment nt all, unless under advice from their own doctor. The use of nasal sprays containing substances supposed to tan tho sensitive nasal membrane might do irreparable harm.

Parents should isolate themselves as much as possible in their own homes, as adults as well as children could carry and spread the disease, he added. Thus the suggestion that children should be prevented from leaving Dunedin would be ineffective if adults were allowed to travel.

CONFERENCE ABANDONED ADVICE OF DEPARTMENT [BY TF.LF.GRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON. Tuesday The Students' Christian Movement's annual conference, which was to have been held at Cambridge over the New Year, has been cancelled on the advice of the health authorities. The Wellington City Mission has decided to cancel .the annual camps for boys and girls. HOSPITAL VISITORS RESTRICTION OF NUMBERS Every precaution will be taken to prevent the possibilty of introducing infantilo paralysis into the Auckland Hospital. The chairman of the board, the Rev. W. C. Wood, has circularised board members, cancelling the customary visit to the wards on Christmas morning, on the advice of the medical superintendent, Di. J. W. Craven. "It is not the intention of the authorities to be alarmists," said Mr. Wood yesterday, "but they regard it as a matter of grave importance that the number of persons visiting the hospital should be restricted as much as possible. There is a need for this precaution to be thoroughly observed." (