INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23080, 5 January 1937, Page 8

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

ONLY ONE ADMISSION YESTERDAY YOUNG MAN FOR OBSERVATION The heartening position of the last few days with regard to the number of admissions to the Dunedin Hospital of infantile paralysis cases was maintained yesterday, there being only one person admitted. The patient was a man, 21 years of age, from Woodhaugh, but the case has not been diagnosed as positive, and is for observation only. From 9 a.m. on Saturday until 11 o'clock last night only three cases have been admitted—one positive and two for observation—all the patients being over the age of 21 years. Questioned last night regarding the number of adults admitted to the Hospital recently and the apparently severe nature of the disease when contracted by them, Dr T. M'Kibbin, medical officer of health, said that, while it was true that during an infantile paralysis epidemic adults appeared to suffer more severely when attacked by the disease, the possibility of grown-up persons contracting it was very remote, the average being in the vicinity of one in every 20,000 or 30,000 persons. Although there had been six deaths up till the present time, there could' easily have been three times that number had the health authorities not placed restrictions on the Dunedin district. Compared with the epidemic in 1925, when there had been 173 deaths in the Dominion, the incidence of fatal cases in Otago was small. A SECOND WAIMATE CASE NOT REGARDED AS SERIOUS; (Special to Daily Times) WAIMATE, Jan. 4. A further positive case of infantile paralysis was admitted to the Waimate Hospital to-day. The patient is a girl, three years of age, from the Waihao Forks district. The child has mild paralysis in one leg, but the case is not regarded as serious. The eight-year-old girl from Morven who was previously admitted is reported to be making satisfactory progress. NO SIGN OF DISEASE SUSPECT LEAVES HOSPITAL VISITORS TO DUNEDIN ISOLATED (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 4. There are no suspected cases of Infantile paralysis in Christchurch. The child admitted to the hospital on Saturday has been discharged. A man and his wife, residents of Mount Somers, who went to Dunedin for the holidays, returning during the week-end, have been isolated, and the isolation will continue for 10 days. INCIDENCE IN AUCKLAND ONLY ONE POSITIVE DIAGNOSIS (Per United Press Association) , AUCKLAND, Jan. 4. A young man, aged 24 years, a resident of Ponsonby, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital yesterday, and is being kept under observation as a suspected case of infantile paralysis. " . The young girl admitted as a suspect on Friday has been found to be suffering from a different ailment. The first Auckland case, a four-year-old girl, who is now in the hospital, is reported to be in a satisfactory condition. t A POSITIVE CASE CONDITION DANGEROUS 'Per United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 4. The infantile paralysis suspect in New Plymouth Hospital was yesterday diagnosed as a positive case. His condition to-day is dangerous. He is a married man, aged 27 years, and his household has been placed in strict quarantine. HEALTH DEPARTMENT BULLETIN (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Jan. 4. The Health Department bulletin states thai during the past 48 hours two cases have been admitted to the Dunedin Hospital, one a male, aged 20 years, a positive case, but not severe, and one, an adult female, a very doubtful case. The death occurred of a male aged 24 years, but it has not yet been definitely determined whether he died of the disease. One adult case was admitted to hospital at New Plymouth on Sunday. The patient is believed to .be suffering from infantile paralysis. The two suspects who were admitted to the Christchurch Hospital for observation are now considered to be negative. The two Wellington suspects have not yet * been diagnosed. A SUSPECTED CASE GIRL IN TIMARU HOSPITAL (Per United Press Association) TIMARU, Jan. 4. A suspected case of infantile paralysis, a girl aged eight years, was admitted to the Timaru Hospital to-day. The girl had been staying in the country, and as far as is known had not been in contact with any outsiders. SAMOAN CAUTION STRICT QUARANTINE PROVISIONS PASSENGERS REFUSED ADMISSION (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Jan, 4. Three passengers who travelled home to Western Samoa by the Matua arrived back by that vessel to-day, having been prevented from landing owing to precautions because of infantile paralysis in New Zealand. Two others landed at Suva.

On the return trip, before reaching Apia, the vessel called at Rarotonga and Nukualofa, and after medical inspection the passengers were permitted ashore.

At Apia the medical officer did not board the vessel, and the quarantine flag was flown, and the passengers were not allowed ashore, but lighters and launches carrying about 150 native labourers, overseers, and policemen came alongside discharging and loading the cargo, some of them allegedly conversing and shaking hands with passengers for Samoa. These workers returned to their homes at night and were back at the ship next day. Passengers on the Matua, many making the round trip, criticised the quarantine restrictions. Mr H. Edwards (an Auckland business man) said that within an hour of arrival at Apia the quarantine developed into a farce. Masks were worn by the passengers for a short time, but were soon discarded. The passengers wanted to know why, after the vessel had been given a clean bill of health at Rarotonga and Nukualofa, quarantine was necessary at Apia. Moreover, in view of the fact that there was a quarantine station ashore, why were passengers for Samoa not allowed to proceed there? Further, why were the masks limited to the ship's complement and not given the workers who came aboard? " It was a very foolish business," said Mr A. I. M'Farlane, another Auckland business man. "If the authorities were going to quarantine the ship, why did they not make a job of it? We passengers did our best for the passengers who tried to land at Apia, and incidentally for ourselves, but could get no satisfaction out of anybody. The whole thing seemed to be bungled, and it looks to me as though someone moved too hurriedly, and would not climb down to save his face. The Apia passengers don't know what the position is, but intend to find out now they are back. They will have to meet considerable expense in returning through Sydney. The two passengers who landed at Suva will be delayed for at least a month. It seems peculiar that while cargo was being worked several residents were allowed aboard the vessel, yet resident passengers were not allowed to land."