A WAVE OF HYSTERIA

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 329, 9 January 1937, Page 5

A WAVE OF HYSTERIA

MANAGER’S PROTEST.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

No Definite Cases Reported Yesterday.

Press Association—Copyright. Dunedin, Last Night

There were no definite cases of infantile paralysis reported to-day but three patients were admitted to the Dunedin hospital for observation. One was a man, aged 24 years, from the Dunedin district, and there were two girls, each aged two. One is from Dunedin and the other from Port Chalmers.

No infantile paralysis cases have been admitted to the Timaru Hospital since Wednesday afternoon. The young woman, aged 18 years, who was announced as a positive case on December 20, is expected to be discharged from hospital in a day or two. Of the two remaining Timaru cases now in hospital, only one is thawing evidence of paralysis, as the infection in this area is of a mild type. No general quarantine rsstric lions have been placed on the district or are contemplated by the health authorities. Theatre Protest. At a meeting of picture theatre managers it was commented warmly that New Zealand was treating Dunedin as a plague spot. The meeting protesting against the wave of hysteria which was sweeping New Zealand, with /its grave effect upon theatres and commercial interests generally. Lt was emphasised that expert medical advice considered that adult persons, among .whom the risk of infection was very slight, should carry on their normal occupations and relaxations. The chairman, Mr. Tano Fana, stated that eases of adults being carriers were very rare. Mr. Fama stated that there were 100 cases in New Zealand every year. In 1892 there were 386 cases, in 1924 860 cases and in 1926 some 1397 casep,