INFANTILE PARALYSIS

Southland Times, Issue 19459, 26 January 1925, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS

PRECAUTIONS IN SOUTHLAND. HEALTH DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS. ’ GUARDING THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH The local health authorities advise that strict precautions to prevent children from being congregated together are necessary. The Medical Officer of Health in Dunedin has ordered that no picnics, either public or private, are to take place, all public, private and denominational schools, as well as Sunday schools, are to remain closed until further notice. Children under 16 years of age will not be allowed to enter picture theatres or other places of entertainment. Primary schools have been definitely closed till February 16. Further information regarding other schools will be issued on February 8 or 9. The health authorities urge parents to keep children at home as much as possible, and to avoid making them travel on trains. INFLUENCE OF THE SUN. CHILDREN’S HEAD COVERINGS. The possible influence of certain rays of the sun as a predisposing cause of infantile paralysis must not be overlooked, stated the Director-General of Health, Dr T. H. A. Valintine, at Wellington the other day. Parents, he said, were advised to have their children’s head-coverings—in-cluding the covering of the back of the neck—of red, orange, yellow, or green material, or mixtures of these colours, as these colours keep out the dangerous rays of the sun. Medical authorities in other countries agreed that exposure to heat appeared to be a prime factor. Thus might be due to heat causing an increase in the growth or virulence of the organism, a diminution in bodily resistance, or a definite pathological effect on the central nervous system. Dr Valintine added that the disease did not appear to become epidemic in tropical climates, where the inhabitants became habituated to hot and dry weather, but rather in temperate climates where an excessively hot summer was experienced at irregular intervals. It was for the.se and other reasons that the medical authorities advised that children should not be allowed to play bareheaded in the sun, should not be exposed to extremes of temperature, and should not go to indoor public gatherings in hot weather.

In addition to careful inquiries made by the district medical officers of health, investigations are being conducted into the circumstances that have occurred in connection with certain cases, and research work is being undertaken by officers who have been specially delegated to this duty. CASES IN AUCKLAND. SOME OUTSTANDING FEATURES (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 25. Five cases of infantile paralysis were notified in the Auckland health district yesterday, making 36 cases, including four deaths, this month, and 42, including five deaths, since the epidemic started in December. The 36 cases this month are in 30 different localities, 25 being in Greater Auckland and 10 in the country. An outstanding feature is the wide range of distribution, from Whangarei to the southern border of the province. Another feature is the number of children in the best homes who have been affected. Four adults, men from 18 to 28, are also sufferers. THE RESTRICTIONS ON CHILDREN. AMUSING INCIDENTS. AUCKLAND, January 23. The prohibition upon children under the age of 16 years attending public places of amusement has a more or less serious effect on certain classes of business. Especially is this so in the case of picture theatres. Although they have lost patronage and money, the local picture proprietors are in sympathy with the regulations, and realise that their observance is necessary for the common good. An amusing story is told of one parent who was determined to get her children into a certain theatre, regulations or no regulations. She approached the man at the door and claimed his attention while her charges slipped in. The ruse did not succeed, however, and the children were forced to leave. FURTHER OUTBREAKS. FRESH CASES REPORTED. TAURANGA, January 23. The first case of infantile paralysis here was reported yesterday, that of a little girl, aged two and a-half years, living at Mount Maunganui. THAMES, January 24. A case of infantile paralysis is reported here. The child is two and a quarter years .of age, and the mother left Auckland for Whangamata purposely to avoid the disease, but the child sickened, and was brought over the hills to Thames.