PRACTICALLY NONE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16918, 24 December 1925, Page 5

PRACTICALLY NONE.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN NEW ZEALAND. “NO DANGER OF RECRUDESCENCE OF EPIDEMIC.” THE SYDNEY OUTBREAK. (Sjiecial to the Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. “You may say the Dominion is practically free of infantile paralysis. One >or two isolated cases are bound to occcur, but there is no danger -of a recrudescence of last year’s epidemic,’ said Dr. Telford, Canterbury’s Health Officer, when asked to-day if tho reported outbreak in Sydney and Melbourne is likely to spread to New Zealand Dr. Telford pointed out that after last year’s epidemic very few children susceptible to tho disease had not 'suffered from it, .and thus there were few loft who were likely to become afflicted. It was not likely that there would he another epidemic for at least four years. “NOT ALARMED.” HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S OFFICERS INTRODUCTION OF OASES FROM AUSTRALIA. ALL REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN. s (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. The infantile paralysis outbreak in Sydney naturally is causing concern to Auckland parents, \vlio have vivid memories of what happened here a year age, It is certain that all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent the disease) which is always present in New Zealand, from gaining a new lease of life through the introduction of cases from Australia. - In the Auckland district only seven cases have been reported since the end of May last, and only one has occurred since August. The 'figures are:—April 37, May 11, June 3, July 2, August 1, September nil, October nil, December, to dlate, nil. The Health Department’s officers are not alarmed by the Sydney report. So far they have heard nothing officially of the outbreak. “If the trouble in Sydney is serious we are fairly sure to be told .about it by our local office.” said Dr. H. Chesson." “The department keeps well in touch with Australia, and will certainly make any inquiries that are needed. Naturally, we are guided by the official information of that kind.” Dr. Chesson was not surprised to find the disease cropping up in Svdnev this time of the year, seeing that it is epidemic everywhere andl isolated cases are reported frequently in JUifferent parts of New Zealand. PREVENTIVE MEASURES. “There are | few special preventive measures that we need take at present,” he explained. A “Of course, we could advise parents to keep their children at home; we could prohibit picnics and all kind's of gatherings, but if wc did all the things that some people say we should, there would be such an awful fuss that it would not ho worth the trouble. We need something to work upon. If the disease should appear we can' take measures against it, but cannot prevent its appearance, because it i 3 with, us always.” Asked about the precautions against importing cases from Sydfnoy, Dr. Chesson said that naturally, all children would he carefully examined before landing in ordbr to discover, if possible, any signs of tho disease. As tho voyage took some days, the trouble, if present, would have a little time in which to develop. He could see no need at present for putting all children into quarantine on arrival and taking swabs from their throats. Unless the situation were serious such measures would certainly bt resented. Infantile paralysis came and went n.t irreglar intervals. When it attacked the community, drastic measures could be taken to check it. SUPPLIES OF SERUM. Dr. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, stated that sup plies of scrum for treating infantile paralysis were not kept at the institution. for the reason that the preparation wouid not keen. Tn the event of an outbreak, said Dr. Gilmour, there would be no difficulty in obtaining blood from ex-oationts for the making of seriwn. and only 24 hours would he required for preparing it.