INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16776, 18 August 1916, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

TREATMENT IN WELLINGTON. SPECIALIST DISAPPOINTED. (Pbs United Pbesb Association.) WELLINGTON, August 17. Keen disappointment at tho results obtained in Wellington 111 cases of infantile paralysis was e.\pressed in communications which camo before the Hospital Board today. Dr Valintino (Inspector-general of Hospitals) forwarded the following report deceived by the Public Health Department from Miss Bevilacjua (specialist in infantilo para lysis cases):—l ant unable to do anything to benefit tho infantile paralysis patients at present 111 or those who are, should bo, attending as out-patients at tho Public Hospital in Wellington. I supplied the Hospital Board with the names of two ladies, either of whom if appointed would have given tho patients every chance 'to benefit under the system that I was brought to the dominion to teach. The Wellington Hospital is the only hospital that I have visited where this work is not being carried out. On my first visit to Wellington I gave clinics and demonstrations extending over 10 days. There " were three young ladies —Misses Norris, Salter, and Smith— carrying on massage of infantile paralysis children, ot whom there were 28, as far as they -were able after their work was x done. Their zeal and enthusiasm for their uork was tremendous, and their self-sacri-hco won my highest admiration. Given a leader the work at tho hospital must have been a huge success, instead of which, except for two Mackenzie splints, I see nothing to show that this work has ever been heard of. No children in the dominion had a better chance of making a complete and ' speedy recovery, and in no other hospital have we had such a chance of proving the * worth of this system of rest and re-educa-cation of the muscles, for wo had .absolutely nothing to undo. Every muscle in all the children was ready for re-cducation—and this means quick recovery—and all this waa due to tho a kill and enthusiasm of Dr Scoullar (house surgeon). This work is not massage. Only a masseur or masseuse is chosen to do work on account of his or her knowledge of anatomy. In all tho other hospitals of the dominion the masseur or masseuse, honoraiv or otherwise, gave up all_ else to be with me. On my second visit to the centres down south I found the workers ready for mo with some result to show for their work during my absence, and all eager to do more of it and anxious for mo to test the.r knowledge. On my ieturn to Wellington I see a few paralysed children, two of whom I know did better work the day I left than they do now, eight weeks later. I have been at the hospital for four days already, and I have neither seen no: heard anything from any masseur or masseuse on the staff. From every other part of tho dominion I have tho one opinion—that this treatment is tho most sane and scientific treatment that has ever been offered. Why cannot it be put to the test in Wellington? In the South Island I saw over 130 cripplea as a result of the dominion epidemic. This one (tho writer apparently here refers to the North Island) had five times as many victims. I came to try to save these from crippledom, rnd why cannot I help them in Wellington?" In a covering letter Dr Valintino said ha could not too strongly call attention to the report, and his great disappointment with' the results at the hospial. As far as he could gather, Miss Bevilaqua's results in other institutions had been most satisfactory. There were many patients in outlying hospital districts suffering from the results of infantile paralysis, and it would be of great advantage if tho board could take these at maintenance fees to bo arranged with the hospital boards concerned. Mi's Wilford said 28 cases of infantile paralysis had been treated at this hospital, and 20 had been completely cured, while eight were still under treatment. A complete euro could not bo expected in every case, but tho percentage warranted the boaid in saying that its masseuse (Nurse Everett) thoroughly understood her business. An injustice would bo done by tho appointment of other women, as it would reflect on the competency of tho=e now engaged on the work. Tho uncured cases were not given a chance, as they were herdod in ordinary wards, with every other sort of disease. A strange woman camo along and said this and that, and tho Advisory Board was immediately readv to do exactlv what she wanted, regardless of expense. The board should act fairly by tho women who had dono the wor'c. and whom it was proposed to supersede by outsiders. The medical superintendent said that massage did infantilo paralysis Earn}. A new treatment had boon evolved, and ho waa sorry that the two schools were in conflict. Masseurs would probably learn the system more quicklv than others, as they were conversant with tho muscles of tho human bodv. Tho chairman said that tho two nurses under training had left the institution, aa thero was a better practice outside.

The wliolo question v. as referred to tho Hospital Committee, with power to act.