INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23064, 15 December 1936, Page 10

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

WIDESPREAD INFECTION STRICT PRECAUTION NECESSARY According tq information supplied yesterday by ‘the district medical officer of health (Dr T. M’Kibbin), 14 patients known to be suffering from infantile paralysis have now come under the notice of the Dunedin district office, while a child, two and a-half years of age, who was admitted to Hospital yesterday, is at present under observation Up till yesterday the following cases had been admitted to Dunedin Hospital:—With severe paralysis, 1: with slight paralysis, 4; positive but not paralysed, 3; symptoms but not diagnosed, 5; doubtful, 1 One bov who went from Dunedin to Alexandra, has been sent from that town to Clyde Hospital, with severe paralysis. ’ Dr M'Kibbin stated to a Daily Times reporter that in Dunedin and suburbs the infection was more widespread than most people realised. “ The type of infection is not of the most acute, which can be dangerous even to death.” he said, “but there are some severe cases of paralysis, and I would advise that ■ every possible precaution be taken.”

Dr M'Kibbin stressed the necessity of children being prevented from congregating, and said that the medical authorities would welcome the co-operation of parents in foregoing any , such gatherings as Christmas parties. Moreover, parents would be well advised to travel with children as little as possible at present, as children were much safer if kept at home and allowed out in the open air as much as possible The Centra] Health Camp Association, which controlled all health camps in the Otago district, had received advice from the Health Department at Wellington that no health camps for children were to be held this season in the Dunedin district, and that the question of holding camps in other districts was being seriously considered. THREE MORE ADMISSIONS Another three patients showing symptoms of infantile paralysis were adVnitted to the Hospital last night. Though it has not been definitely established that the patients are suffering from infantile paralysis, they are all under observation and are being treatment. A REASSURING REPORT NO CASES IN AUCKLAND (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 14. Reassuring reports of the complete absence of any cases of infantile paralysis in Auckland were made to-day by the city health and medical authorities. At the same time strict precautions ape being taken to see that children do not congregate in large bodies inside buildings. The outbreak in Dunedin and its results came after most of the Auckland secondary schools had held their breaking-up gatherings, and of those few which had arranged them for this or next week, if they have not decided to cancel them, they have made hurried arrangements to limit the ceremonies so that no risk will be attached to the children.

GUARDING AGAINST SPREAD ALL SCHOOLS CLOSED EDUCATION DEPARTMENT’S PRECAUTIONS (Peb United Press Association* / WELLINGTON, Dec. 14. The Minister of Education (Mr P. Fraser) announces that, in view of the outbreak of infantile paralysis in Dunedin, it has been decided as a precautionary measure to commence the school holidays from tomorrow throughout the Dominion. In the ordinary course the schools would close on Thursday or Friday of this week. The evidence up to the present is that the infection is confined to Dunedin, but it is necessary to take every possible step to prevent it spreading to other districts. In the event of indications of infection appearing outside Otago, the Health Department, which is closely watching the position and has done everything possible to confine the scope of the disease, will issue the necessary instructions to other parts of the Dominion, In the meantime the Health Department wishes to emphasise the fact that children should be kept as much as possible in the open air. ACUTE POLIOMYELITIS ADVICE TO PUBLIC (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Acute poliomyelitis is the scientific name of the disease which is commonly known as infantile paralysis.' However, this popular designation is somewhat of a misnomer, for the disease is not confined to infants, and paralysis occurs in a comparatively small proportion of those attacked. Throughout the world from 1880 to the present day outbreaks of poliomyelitis have occurred, and in view of its prevalence in Australia attention is drawn to the following information.

The weight of oresent opinion inclines to the view that poliomyelitis is exclusively a human disease. and is spread by personal contact, which includes all the usual opportunities, direct or indirect, for the transference of bodily discharges from person to person, having in mind the possibility that the infection may occur through contaminated food SYMPTOMS The early symptoms may simulate any of the indefinite diseases of childhood. In the presence of an epidemic it is well to regard children having fever without a definite proved diagnosis as possible cases of poliomyelitis Still there is a grouping of symptoms which is very suggestive—the continuation of fever, vomiting, constipation, drowsiness and irritability, especially when combined with headache: a transient flushing of the face, abnormal sweating, or retention of urine are enough to make tentative diagnosis of poliomyelitis, if defined cases are occurring in the

vicinity, Such symptoms as outlined should put one on guard so that the family physician may be called before the disease has reached the paralytic stage. TREATMENT It behoves all who come in contact with cases of poliomyelitis to carry out strictly all instructions of the medical attendant and health authorities as to isolation and the precautionary measures to be observed. As it is a disease which often brings disaster in its train, no personal precautions can be too great to prevent its spread to others Regarding the treatment of individual cases, the importance of securing medical advice at the earliest opportunity cannot be too greatly stressed Prompt and expert treatment of affected groups of muscles is often efficacious in limiting the extent of paralysis and bringing about satisfactory recovery. The best chances of recovering from paralysis sometimes associated with poliomyelitis is skilful aftercare under the direction of a physician.