High Praise for Kenny Treatment Of Poliomyelitis

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 4

High Praise for Kenny Treatment Of Poliomyelitis

P.A. AUCKLAND, May 19. The Kenny technique cannot of itself restore normal, complete function to the paralytic type of poliomyelitis, but it can and does diminish the resultant deformities, and he knew of no better form of treatment at present.

This is the salient finding in a report to the Government by Dr Waltejr S. Robertson, of Wellington, on his recent visit to America to investigate modern treatment of poliomyelitis and o'jher matters concerning the welfare of crippled children in general. The Minister of Health, Miss Howard, announced to-day that she had received Dr Robertson's report, which the Minister said was of great value to the Health Department as it traversed not only the treatment of poliomyelitis but made helpful comments on the treatment of tuberculosis and spastic paralysis cases and the operation of rehabilitation services covering occupational, curative and vocational therapy for sufferers from these diseases.

After covering very fully his investigations while with the Sister Kenny Foundation in Minneapolis, Dr Robertson reached certain conclusions about the Kenny technique which may be summarised thus:—The Kenny technique cannot of itself restore normal, complete function to the tic type of poliomyelitis, but it can and does diminish the resultant deformities. It is particularly efficacious in the peripheral type of the disease and it eliminates the use of bed • splinting. It is a proven method of eliminating the pain and spasm of the acute stage of the illness and while not fully successful in the prevention of deformities does result in the amount of de-: formity being really minimal. Dr Robertson expresses his firm opinion that he knows of no better form of treatment at present and that there is much to be gained by following its teachings. Dr Robertson points out that the Kenny technique does not close the door to reparative surgery if it is considered necessary in later years. He makes the point that the technique will not in many cases, and notably in the paralytic group, eliminate the necessity for surgery or for other orthopaedic measures to procure increased stability. He emphasises that the technique should be associated at all times with the close co-operation of‘the orthopaedic surgeon. ,

His recommendations include the provision of institutional treatment for spastic children on the same lines as the spastic schools movement in America, that rehabilitatic i services for'civilian disabled be established, that the Kenny treatment be recognised by the Department of Health in the treatment of poliomyelitis, that those masseurs in New Zealand who wish to do so should be given the opportunity to study under the two Kenny technicians at present in the Auckland Hospital before the technicians leave New Zealand and that in addition one trained nurse or masseuse should be sent to the Kenny clinic for a period of about a year to qualify as a teacher in the technique.

Dr Robertson had also generously undertaken to train any of the masseurs in his department at the Wellington Hospital in the work, added the Minister's statement. Miss Howard said that now that the Government had received Dr Robertson’s report and the report submitted by Dr Earl Carlson after his visit to New Zealand, she proposed waiting for Dr Lennane, the newly-appointed Government balneologist, to arrive in’New Zealand. It was expected that Dr Lennane would be here by the end of May, and as he would be in charge of the Government sanatoriumn at Rotorua, where rheumatic and allied crippling disorders were treated, Miss Howard said she would discuss the recommendations contained in the two reports with him, the Director-general of Health, representatives of the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Society, and other interested departments. She hoped shortly thereafter to be able to submit to the Government a full scheme for the establishment of a suitable' unit in New Zealand.