PARENTS URGED TO KEEP CHILDREN HOME AND AVOID VISITING

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1947, Page 5

PARENTS URGED TO KEEP CHILDREN HOME AND AVOID VISITING

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dec. I. A pamphlet eontaining the latest information about poliomyelitis (in'fantile paralysis) is being sent to all XewT Zealand medical pfactitionei's bv the Department of Health. The pamphlet has neen prepared by the department atter consuitation w'it'h joint representatives of the British yiedical Ascociation (Xew Zealand branch), tdie Royal Australasian Co'llege of Physicians and tne Royal Australasian College of Bnrgeons. ft emphasises that treatmelit in each individual case should be liased 011 sound clinical judgment and that tne medical nian in charge of a case should have the responsibility of deciding what form the treatment should take. The disease is described as a virus type which may altack aliy part of the c'entral nervous system and sometinies, allliough not usuallv, results in paralysis. The sources of infection are the nose and tliroat. Discharges of an infecteu person 's bowel also contain the virus. The probable mode of transmission is through the nose or mouth, the virus of'ten passing from persons whose infection is sub-clinical oi' too slight to be diaguosed. Although the virus has been found in flies subject to faecal contamination. states the pamphlet, there is no gooo evidenee of insects sefving as carriers. Xeither is there reliable evidenee tliai the disease is waterborne. However, 111 an article published recently by the American Medical Association, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, a recognised authonry on poliomyelitis, states that during an epidemic measures designed to minimise contamination of food by flies, whether in stores or in homes, are reasonable and warranted. He considers, 011 the other hand, that measures taken to miftimise the spread by droplet infec n'011 sucli as the closing of theatres or cliurches, are unwarranted. A peculiar circumstance noted by Dr. .Sabin is the fact that during the iasi 50 j-ears, epidemics have occurred wit'n greatest frequency and severity in the very eountries in which sanitation an>: hygiene have undoubteilly made theu greatest advances. Until recently potrj myelitis was pract icallv unknown 111 (.'hina and Japan. The incubation period, states tlu Health Department 's pamphlet, is con sidered to be from seven to 14 davs The period of commimicability appears to be covered bv tlie Iatter part of tne incubation period and the first week or two of the disease — possiblv mucli longer in a few cases. 1 1 paralysis does occur, it is usually after the disease is well on its way. Preliminary svmptoms usually precede the true pre-paralytic stuge by one or more days. In some cases the svmptoms clear up and tor two or three davs' the patient feels eomparatively well. A liigh standard of nursing is requiml during the acule stage of Ihe disease and the patient must be impressed with the fact that he or siie should make no muscular effort. These symptoms are father indefinite and in a ehild may be represented by nothing more than a feeling of lieing "out of sorts. " At the true preparalytic stage there may be severe headache and ac-hing or pains all over the body witli stifl'ness 111 one of the limbs. T"he temperature may be as higli as 103 degrees. The following general measures during epidemics are recommended in the pamphlet: — Children should be protected as far as possible against unneeessary contact with other persons, especially those outside their own homes. Nose, throat and possibly dental operations on children should be postponed. Physical strain in children and unneeessary travel ahd viaiting should be avoided.