INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1528, 28 March 1916, Page 2

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

A further case of infantile paralysis is reported locally, a Maori Infant at Matakarapa pah—across the river.

All the other patients are progressing as satisfactorily as can be expected.

A few alarmists are spreading exaggerated reports as to certain local cases, and causing unnecessary alarm. The cases are bad enough in all truth-, without drawing on the imagination for harrowing details. Everything is being done for the patients that medical science can so far suggest, and in several of the cases there is a marked improvement.

The last case, that of the Maori infant, has been under observation for the past fortnight.

So far this week there are no fresh cases.

Parents are taking every precaution to safeguard their children from the dread disease by following the Health Department’s suggestions. Personal cleanliness, a liberal sprinkling of disinfectant in the houses and back premises, the destruction of filth and decaying vegetation, flushing the rooms with plenty of fresh air, keeping the children regular and away from domestic pets, a little eucalyptus or camphor about their clothes —and you can do no more, except to call in a medical man without delay if the child becomes sickly. It is beyond' the shadow of a doubt that quite a number of children have been affected, but have beeu able to throw off the disease, , The State school has been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, and on Saturday afternoon the Health Officer fumigated the whole of the interior. The Convettt school has been similarly treated, so that all risks have been removed so far as the schools are concerned.

In conversation with a parent whose child is suffering from the disease, he informed us that’ he was convinced that the cause of the trouble was sunstroke. He said two of his children were playing bareheaded in the sun during a very hot day, and the next morning both showed the usual symptoms ; one threw it off. and the other was stricken down.

In several other cases parents admit that the children had been exposed to the hot sun.

Contact cases are also established. In any case the past extreme heat from the, sun’s rays has had much to do with the trouble whether it be caused by a microbe or not.

WELLINGTON DISTRICT

Seven more cases of infantile paralysis were reported in the Wellington Health District yesterday. The number is made up as follows : —Wellington 2, Hastings 1, New Plymouth 2, Petone i, Upper Hutt 1. Another death is reported in Wellington—a lad of 17 years. AUCKLAND CASES. Auckland, March 26, Two cases of intantile paralysis was reported on Saturday, one from the city and one from the country. The total number of cases in Auckland Health District is now 414. Auckland, March 27. Seven ceses of infantile paralysis were reported from the country to day, none from the city. The total number of cases notified in the province is now 421, of which 246 have occurred in the country. Wqodville, Yesterday. Two cases of infantile paralysis are reported —one at Kumeroa and one at Hopelands. They have been sent to the Pahiatua Hospital. FIRST APPEARANCE AT LEVIN. Levin, Yesterday. The first, case of infantile paralysis in Levin was reported this morning, the victim being a two-year Maori child. As several other children in the family attend school, as a precautionary measure the school has been closed this week. Gisborne, March 27. The schools re opened to-day, but partly owing to a strong warning by a local medical man in the press, the attendances were very poor, and as another case of infantile paralysis was reported it was decided to close the schools again for the remainder ot the week.

CHRISTCHURCH CASES.

Christchurch, March 27. Two suspected cases of infantile paralysis were reported from the environs of Christchurch, one a young man of 19, the other a child of eight. The cases are under observation at the Christchurch Hospital. One of two suspicious cases reported has ended fatally. The case in question was that of a young man. It is not known whether death was due to cerebrospinal meningitis or infantile paralysis. [An article on paralysis appears on the fourth page.]