“Taranaki Central Press” TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1937. INFANTILE PARLYSIS SCARE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 325, 5 January 1937, Page 4

“Taranaki Central Press” TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1937. INFANTILE PARLYSIS SCARE.

Since the discovery of the case of finfantile paralysis at New Plymouth, something in the nature of a scare has apparently taken hold of this district, and steps cannot be taken too quickly to give the lie to the many unfounded rumours which spread around Stratford, in particular, last evening. In such times as this, scaremongers must be severely cautioned. Irresponsible statements and the spreading of rupiours must on no account be countenanced. Had there been no epidemic of the disease in the South Island, the New Plymouth case would have excited little comment. It is of the sporadic type and normally would have occasioned little comment. It is not traceable to any contact from the south, and since the patient has been removed to hospital and contacts with him have been isolated, there is no cause for any scare in the matter. While we would stress very strongly the need for preventing dangerous rumours such as those which spread in Stratford yesterday, we would also emphasise theneed for care on the part, particularly, of parents of young children. In our news columns in the past few weeks various articles by the Health Department have appeared. Details were then given of the precautions which should be taken, and in view of the importance of these we will publish one of those articles again to-morrow, in the hope that it will be of assistance to every parent. Infantile paralysis is a dread disease, but residents in this district, being far from the centre of infection in the present epidemic, provided reasonable precautions are taken, need have little worry at the moment of any serious spread occurring. ■ * . Stratford Fire Brigade. ' %. Although an extremely quiet year is recorded by the Stratford Volunteer Fire Brigade, as reported in our news columns today, the danger of fire is ever present, as the occurrence yesterday showed. When alarms are few and far between, the community tends to forget the arrangements that have been made to quell such outbreaks and carry on more or less unconscious of the watch that is daily exercised by the volunteer brigade which serves the town. Stratford, though not particularly alive in community organisations, is fortunate in possessin g an efficient fire-fighting organisation. And that such is the case is not wholly due to the citizens in general. It is due, primarily, to the energy and enthusiasm of a comparatively small band of men who, during long years, have worked unselfishly to build up a force of enthusiastic volunteers who have the interests of the town and its people at heart. For our local volunteer firemen, little honour and glory ever comes their way. Yet whenever the alarm is sounded, they rush to their posts, giving freely of their services at the risk of great personal loss. That their services are appreciated by the community we know, but we are not so sure that appreciation is freely shown in any tangible form. The local brigade is financed by the Borough Council to the limit of bare efficiency. But littl; assistance is given them in their social life. These men are at present busily building up a fund to send a team away to the next New Zealand Championships. Here then is an opportunity for the town to show its appreciation of the brigade’s work. May we suggest that our Fire Brigade, being a community organisation, deserves full community support?