PROVED POSITIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26641, 11 December 1947, Page 6

PROVED POSITIVE

FOUR SUSPECTED CASES INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN AUCKLAND TOTAL REACHES THIRTY-SIX P.A. AUCKLAND, Dec. 10. The nflmber of positive infantile paralysis cases in the Central Auckland health district rose from 32 to 36 to-day. No cases were admitted to the Auckland Hospital, but four of the suspected patients were diagnosed as positive. Two other suspects were declared negative, leaving six suspected cases in hospital. A correspondent has asked why school dental nurses are still doing work in view of the statement of the health authorities that dental operations on children should be postponed. The medical officer of health at Auckland, Dr L. S. Davis, said that the advice applied only to extractions. There was no harm whatever in carrying out conservative dental treatment, and only extractions, provided they were not urgent, were being postponed. School dental nurses were carrying on as usual, but were avoiding all extractions except urgent cases. Children were attending the clinics only by appointment and were not going in groups. The Auckland Zoo, which is patronised by as many as 3000 adults and over 1000 children on Sundays, is out of bounds to young children under the present restrictions. Dr Davis pointed out that the Zoo. came under the heading of a place of public assembly and therefore children under 16 years of age should not be admitted.