INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18158, 1 February 1921, Page 6

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

10 'in t biuiuu.

Sin.—May 1 be permuted to bring before your readers suggestion as to tae cause tor one oi tne causes) o. nuant.ie paralysis, it is only witnm recent years that cniltiren have been allowed to go oareheaaed. I'lie writer remeniDers txuu in her caildhoou days, wnen preparations were being made lor a migration to seaside or country, great curs was taken to pioviue nats suitaoie tor tlie protection oi the attie neaas, whicn woulu be more greatly exposed to the not sun. rlie drooping bony Vardan and broad grase-piaued bats were tnen- in togue, with cobi green or scarlet linings. Tne little feet, moreover, were caretuuy watched, and not permitted to run upon dew-soaiced grass or upon ice-cold sanu wnen tne tide is running out. 'alien tne tiny folk were oaretuhy uiugnt not to eat unnpa or overripe iruit. v\ e know tnat a certain part oi tne loot is keenly sensitive to cold, and u certain part ot tne head’ to beat, and is it not possiole that this disease is germless, and is caused by a fusion ot cola and neat at one and tne same time, and the source of transmission is through the marrow ot the spine, and is really lysis of the nerve centres? Is it_ not probable that at the moment a child is so fused —1 can find no otner word to convey the meaning—by this action of extreme cold and heat, tne stomach may be full of undigested fruit, and probably stone fruit, and so this important organ —the most important, for it is the disease resister—is incapable of performing its office and ot counteracting the nerve shock.

A year ago I saw a little girl, who had just finished the last cherry, standing at the street corner, with beautiful little feet, chubby and dimpled, but bare, and standing upon the cold asphalt, and with a glorious little golden head bare to the l o clock summer sun. I saw the little head drool! upon the breast, and then someone ran out and carried the mite away. _ Two days afterwards a little child was laid to rest, and a mother was left with a broken heart. 1 am told the little girl died of infantile paralysis! , . 1 plead with mothers to, see that their darlings are properly clad, ’-that the little heads are covered from the heat—the head first, for probably if the head were covered chill to the feet would be resisted. Andnow that I have set out to write, will mothers not forget to put' warm garments about the legs and loins of their little children, to clotne them as they themselves like to be clad when winter is with us. and not sacrifice these lovely little lives to a cruel fashion. Keep the head cool by a hat when in the sun. and in winter cover the little legs and loins j and in hot weather our grandmothers’ medicine would not be out of place—an occasional dose of brimstone and treacle or a little cooling magnesia to counteract the greater amount of raw fruit which is consumed.I feel that it lies with parents to stem the tide of this terrible disease which has come amongst their children. —I am, etc., January 29. A Child Lover.