INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14155, 18 April 1916, Page 3

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

HINTS FOE THE PEOPLE. I'There is an impression that infantile paralysis is a new disease, and -that practically nothing is known about it," said.. Dr. Sydney bmith,, health officer for the \\ ellmgton dis-1 trict, speaking to an '•JVarlboroiigh, E>'press" representative. 1 hat impression, Ik- explained, was quite wrong in; n, anv -respect?, The disease was definitely described as long ago as LS4U b y yon Heine, and epidemics have, occurred in various plaoos since 1841.; In Norway and Sweden m 19(b there | w*s an epidemic of 1500 cases, and in | New York city in 1907 there were. 2600! cases Altogether from 1900 to 1^ about 8000 cases had Leeii reported. ; The disease was definitely Known to be an infectious ow», and tho .mcr^ organism causing it had been isolated ? nd grown in laboratories. It affected: man and monkey principally. Utber ■ animals were much less suseeptiHe ■ tit had been definitely proved that .t : could be spread by biting insects, sue.}, las fleas, bugs, and flies and it could be spread by apparently healthy adult carriers. It had also been femndm, clu*t from rooms where there had been, cases of tho disease. It got access to, the system mainly through the- noso; and throat .and passed to the .spinal cord, where it caused inflammation ot the nerve cells. . „ The svmpttims vrero not .specially typical. " There was some fevenshness,; uitlessnoss, and irritability, often passing into a drowsy state, . I here ias usually headache, and, pain m the neck or spine, and sometimes m the limbs. Vomiting; and sweating \tere Sometimes seen. Occasionally cases occurred where there wore only slight SmpToms, rapidly -diainpean^ Patients- would go back to work and m a day or two a severe relapse would OC\?hore the symptoms were at all suspicious absolute, rest should bo n-si-tod upon, and a medical man called in" Paralysis occurred usually in ons or" two days and might affect any muscle, usually the limbs... Altai the mralvsis supervened uhe othei sviiiptonw cleared out, and gradually a rex-overy occurred in the majority of cases, although in from one-third to half the . cases some .permanent di^which the disease spreads being unknown tho precautions to be token were fairly obvious, lhe S?r P mostly.attacked wiw children under 10 years,'and particularly between the a Ys rf one ana three years Children should bo protected from all forms ot bit m' insects, and they should not bo oxpowfl to extremes of heat or cold. They' «houkl be kept from -dusty tl on>ivhi:arcs. All foodstuffs should be carefully pr.,tectod tai flics and ust The kissing of children shoula be absolutely prohibited as by this mean* healthy adults nuglr. cause the miection of any child. • , In addition every member of the comr.nuiitv. should be strongly auviseci t-, oar-Ip the throat and treat the nose with some- mild antiseptic', every clay. Weak Condv's Fluid, eucalyptus, or , uv ' other known antiseptic sliould be used as part of tho raoniiiis toilet, m uddition, -niitiseptio lozenges, _ such as formalin, eucalypcus,. peppermme, etc., should l:o sucked from tune to unie. jf thi« routine- '.^ere faithfuHy carried ov+'b- individuals in addition to.the; other '-m-easiivoh. the disease should1 rt,"or 'iret a- -hold. All householders c'hmild Took voTciuily into the samtviry enniition of tbeir prcunses. Jvi col-lrt-tions of nibl)ish and recuso shotsld ha v o ; no --yd, ch-ainsi cleaned out, and privies iu.jyi- in-better condition. A c;ood device tVkc"" fiios i"r;im privy pans was to v*c- :i 'little kerosene in the piin. animals of all sorts ssioislcl be tU-.b-irivd from ilio lloi-so, cid r-mklrsn. s lvtlcl rot \>r allowed to phiv with ■'.ieui. A vigorous cmr.paign agurts. ir'^s n-ul fleas ■ :--hould bo. carried on by ■.}} persons. . "Th^lofnl r.nthorities should.go m U:v r-b-oot vnterin^ to t.Uo greatest i'.-o^ilvl*;' o-'xtv-r.!. to lccoi> doV.-n dust, and th'-v.-> :h^cv,ld bo n daily disin^oefcion of. m-bre b'-i'l'-k'nii-.- —jibraric--;, post ,'jmro.s, theali-ts, sciicolri, .halls etc., public

vehicles, cabs, etc., and a weekly dis'infeetion of aJ! churches, Sunday 1 schools, etc. Dr. Smith recoramonded tho sweeping of buildings with sawdust moistened. with pome antiseptic, ahd their spraying from tin-o to time. Cabs should be disinfected by ,a process of wiping out with a suitable antiseptic; every morning. The Railway Department had informed the Heailth ■'Department that all trains were- being' -treated, in this manner. , f . ■ Dr. Smith attaches 'great .importance to the . daily treatment' of the nose and throat by adults'-amd'children and cleanliness in the homes.