INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Southland Times, Issue 17662, 21 February 1916, Page 7

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

EPIDEMIC REACHES WANGANUI, iPer United Press Association.) WANGAN’UI, February 19. Reports of a case of Infantile paralysis come from Xakumaru, the patient being now in the Wanganui Hospital. It is a mild form of the complaint. Another case is reported from Grofton, near Marton. 223 CASES IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, February 19. Three cases of infantile paralysis were reported in the city during the week-end and* three in the country, bringing the total to 223 cases. Another death has occurred in the country, bringing the deaths to IS. During the past fortnight 113 cases have been notified in the province, compared with 110 during the whole previous period of the epidemic, which began in the city early in December. STUDYING THE EPIDEMIC. AGES OF PATIENTS REVIEWED. Although the history of tho epidemic has not yet been fully studied in relation to tiie climatic conditions of the past couple of months, evidence is accumulating (says the Auckland Herald) In favour of the view that there is some relation between the attack rate and the condition of the weather. Experience indicates that the incubation period of the disease is about eight days, and it may be that the largo number of cases reported during the last two days may have been caused by conditions which were favoured by the exceptionally hot weather at the beginning of last week. If this theory is correct, it is reasonable to presume that the notifications during tho next few days will continue high, but as the climatic conditions have recently become much milder, it is believed that within a week or so the attack rate will fall away. The characteristics of tile disease, observed during the present epidemic, afford very little information as to its origin or its dissemination. The health officers are now engaged upon an elaborate investigation of the epidemic and of the climatic conditions in order to discover, if possible, whether there lias been such a relationship as would support the theory that the infection is air-borne, possibly by tho medium of contaminated dust. In view of the discussion regarding the advisability of closing the schools until the epidemic had subsided, the Health Office has analysed the list of patients according to their ages. The first cases occurred early in the summer holidays, and a table comprising all the cases reported at February 5, a week after tho schools opened, shows that of 134 cases, 95 patients wore below tho school entrance age of five years, and ten others above the leaving age of 13 years. There was, therefore, a total of 105 patients who were not within school ages, or 77.6 per cent. A further table has been prepared covering the period of the epidemic up to February 12. It was expected tliat if Infection had been spread by the assembling of children during tho first week of the school term some variation In the proportions would be shown. This table shows that 76.9 per cent, of the patients were not of school age, a proportion that is practically identical with that given by the first examination. The details of the tables are as follows;

A general survey of the cases reported since the table was prepared indicates the maintenance of the same proportions. The health officers intend to continue tills lino of examination in the course of their further investigations. POSITION IN WELLINGTON. PUECAUTIONS TAKEN. To ascertain 1 lie precise situation in which the district of Wellington stands in regard to Use outbreak of infantile paralysis, or, to be more correct, anterior poliomyelitis, a reporter waited upon the District Health Officer (Dr S. Smith) and was given some valuable information. In the Wellington Public Health District the total number of definite cases reported numbered fifteen, and they have occurred in such widely separated places as Wellington, New Plymouth, Hawera, Gisborne, Dannevirke, and Levin. Other supposed cases had been reported, hut there was cause for doubt as to whether they were genuine cases of anterior poliomyelitis. At present there was not the slighcst evidence to support the idea I ha l I here had hem any spread of the disease' from the Wellington cases, ami ill that there would be some source of salisfaction. Wherever a case was discovered the patient was at once isolated either taken to an isolation hospital or isolated in Hie house. As soon as the patient was removed the house was completely disinfected, and any clothing worn by the patient, or those who had come in contact with the patient, was sterilised. If there were other children in tlie house they were at once ordered to cease attending school, and for a fortnight afterwards all contacts wore advised to neat tiie nose and throat witli antiseptic sprays, to suck antiseptic tablet--, and to associate as little us possible with children. Dr Smith slated Unit outbreaks of the disease had only been known to occur during spells of hot and dusty weather. Experience had shown that iti tue large uia baity nf ea'-'es the worst had usually’ occurred before or at the lime lie- eases were reported Invariably an improvement was registered after a ease was taken in hand. 'The treatment took the form of electrical massage, which was 1 -*£f«ctixe -in the of. de-

fortuities through contraction. Further than that, cases were treated by the injection of a serum or, rather, an antiserum from apes (monkeys), or from human beings. Much research work in connection with anterior poliomyelitis had been done at the Rockefeller Institute in America by Plaxener and a Japanese investigator named Noguchi. Since 1909 there had been a good many epidemics of the disease in France, where Dr Netter had made many experiments. It was known that a sufferer from the disease never had a second attack, and that had given him the idea of taking a blood serum of anti-toxin power from cases and injecting it into the spinal canal of patients in the early stages of the trouble. He obtained very good results from such treatment. Flaxener, of the Rockefeller Institute, went still further by experimenting on apes and taking a blood serum from them for use as a curative agent. Attempts were made, too, by experimenting with horses, which, had been found to be so effective as a serum-producer for diphtheria, but it was found that the horse was immune ( from infection. It was found that the 1 disease developed with greater virulence in apes than in the human being. They (apes) were usually seized with paralysis within a day or two, and died within a week, which led to the treatment of humans with satisfactory results. In Europe and America the mortality rate ranged from 5 to 17 per cent, an average, perhaps, of 10 per cent. The average number of cases where some permanent deformity resulted was about 60 per cent., but in the case of New Zealand it was anticipated that the average would be less than that named. It was too early to draw deduction for statistical purposes as to the number of cases from which some permanent defect would ensue, as tho treatment of a case would extend for at least six months. Dr Smith slated that the organism of anterior poliomyelitis was located practically recently, that was to say, within tho last two years. It was so minute that it was able to find its way through tho pores of a porcelain filter, but cultures had since been made at the Rockefeller Institute, and by some Swedish investigators at Home. The disease usually occurred in the warm weather of July and August, and was getting a more common occurrence each year. The organism was globoid in shape, and was from I to 3 of a milimetre in diameter. It received part of its name ("anterior”) ’ front the fact that it attacked the nerve' centres in (lie moto cells of the anterior horns of the spinal cord sections, affecting tlie nerves that extended from those cells to the. muscles.

Period Period ending ending In. Ages Feb. 5. Feb. 12. crease. Under 1 year . . .11 15 4 1 to 2 . . 2S 23 5 1 1 to 2 . . 2S 22 4 I! to I . . 20 27 7 •i ton S 1) 1 5 to 0 2 5 2 0 to 7 4 5 1 7 to 8 . . ti 7 1 8 to !) 0 1 1 Si to ID 1 2 1 ■ ID to 1,7 . . 15 18 2 15 to 20 t: 7 1 20 to 27 i 1 0 25 to 20 .. :: 3 0 Totals .. Ilil 165 31