MEASLES PATIENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23002, 1 April 1938, Page 10

MEASLES PATIENTS

EPIDEMIC DECLINING

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

ONLY ONE CASE REPORTED

A survey of tho incidence of measles and infantile paralysis in the Auckland Province indicates that the present position is satisfactory. The. measles epidemic, especially in the eastern and northern districts, is declining according to reports received by tho officer of health, Dr. I. J. Hughes. No serious cases of measles had been notified recently, said Dr. Hughes yesterday. In Auckland city and suburbs there had been no definite evidence of an epidemic. Although he had been informed that in some suburbs there had been .1 number of cases, school rolls had shown no large decreases in attendance. In spite of the fact that the weather during the summer had been favourable to the incidence _ of infantile paralysis, the only case reported to the department was that of a child who contracted the disease in January.

A study of the epidemic of last year had shown that more adults than usual had been affected, and that, whereas infantilo paralysis had been" formerly regarded as a- summer disease, it had persisted until August. These characteristics had been noted in other countries. The report of an outbreak in one country when snow was on the ground had puzzled medical authorities. Another feature revealed by tho survey was that the epidemic was less severe in Auckland than in tho south.

WELLINGTON CASES TROUBLE NOT SPREADING TAKING PRECAUTIONS BLOOD DONATIONS WANTED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON, Thursday Inquiries made from the Health Department to-day show that, except in a few areas, the measles epidemic does not appear to have spread to any extent, although scattered cases are appearing in other parts of the city. Suspected cases and contacts, as well as actual cases, arc being excluded from schools. Children excluded from school are not to attend picture theatres, Sunday schools and other gatherings. With the object of assisting the department in the collection and storing of measles sera, the local branch of the National Blood Transfusion Service of New Zealand has issued a bulletin to each of its members asking them, should they hear of an adult measles (not German measles) patient who might bo willing to do so, to induce him or her to donate blood for this purpose. It is pointed out that a single pint of bloocl from a convalescent measles patient would provide enough sera to treat hundreds of little patients. The object of the effort is. to have in store a stock sufficient to meet any demand.