• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Susan Bissinger set for council seat after recount
  • Redlegs outrun Frankston Bombers
  • Rye prevail after a last quarter blitz
  • Table-topping start for local trio
  • Miss Inbetween gets the chocolates on Easter Monday
  • Bank manager grows ‘very fine’ potatoes
  • Reflections on going back home
  • Holidays are for fun and learning
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWS MPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWS MPNEWS
Home»COVID-19»Nothing new about ‘epidemic panic’
COVID-19

Nothing new about ‘epidemic panic’

By Fran HenkeMarch 16, 2020No Comments4 Mins Read
FRAN Henke inside the “hated” long pram, built to accommodate long splints.
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
FRAN Henke inside the “hated” long pram, built to accommodate long splints.

WITH daily media reports of the increasing number of people around the world diagnosed with COVID19, irrational hoarding and profiteering, I am cast back to my childhood and epidemics of a virus that closed schools, swimming pools and cinemas around the world.

In 1946, my family was quarantined after I was diagnosed with infantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis. My parents never spoke about how they were treated in that small Gippsland market town (you don’t talk about the war) and I don’t remember, but many suffered greatly.

Neighbours crossed the road to avoid the infected; people became prisoners in their own homes, trying all manner of dopey repellents such as clothes pegs on the nose (no affordable gauze masks in those days).

In Iron Wills, Victorian Polio Survivors’ Stories, Dorothy Dunlevie told how on the day she went to Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital, the health department moved in and fumigated her family’s home.

Polio was seen as a “dirty disease” and deeply feared. Orthodox medicine could not cure it, only manage the pain and encourage recovery while preventing deformity.

The virus could spread hand to mouth and seemed to thrive in summer (although I got it in winter) attacking cells in the spinal cord and brain stem, causing paralysis of limbs and respiratory system.

Children were the most vulnerable, isolated, hospitalised, many not seeing parents for years. From the early 1930s at Mt Eliza, the orthopaedic branch of the Royal Children’s Hospital treated polio and tuberculosis.

There were many dopey, well-meaning ideas for treatment there too, like putting children naked, in splints, out in the sun for “heliotherapy” (hello melanomas). But Mt Eliza had a good hydrotherapy pool, swimming was good, building back muscles and lungs not too badly affected.

In 1956, Salk and Sabin perfected their vaccine and Victoria had it quickly thanks to CSL scientist Dr Percival Bazeley, of Orbost, working in the US with Jonas Salk.

But, before that, in 1954 came the royal visit to Australia of the new Queen Elizabeth. To prepare for the tour, terrified of the Queen being exposed, the government introduced a soap and water hand washing campaign, that polio experts today credit with helping stop the spread of epidemics.

An outbreak of polio in Western Australia (catching opposition leader-to-be Kim Beazley) had Prime Minister Robert Menzies insist the royal party sleep on the royal yacht and eat only food prepared on board.

Unlike the stream of information about every positive and negative COVID19 swab today, similar figures were not kept on polio diagnoses and deaths. Many deaths were concealed as respiratory failure or similar, making it impossible to impress authorities with numbers of people experiencing late effects of polio today, including siblings with mild or undiagnosed cases wondering  now what is wrong with them.

So, what is happening today with another virus on the march? Why are some Australians so focused on toilet paper?

Americans are stocking up on canned food; Italians on pasta; Indonesians on herbs and natural remedies. And all wearing face masks that generally are effective only for the first half hour.

Reason and resourcefulness have departed. Those vulnerable to COVID 19 have already-compromised respiratory systems – the elderly and very young. If we do as advised, avoid shaking hands, wash hands properly with soap and water, eat a fresh balanced diet, exercise, enjoy the fresh air, care for each other, contact is highly unlikely. Right?

Mornington Peninsula Post Polio Support Group, informing and supporting polio survivors, their families, carers and health professionals, meets from 11am on the second Saturday of the month at Mornington Information Centre, corner Elizabeth and Main streets, Mornington. Details: 5979 7274 or polionetworkvic@gmail.com

First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 17 March 2020

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Jabs welcomed by healthcare staff

March 29, 2021

Jabs on the frontline

March 9, 2021

Breaking camp

February 15, 2021

Virus testing sites

February 8, 2021
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Apr 17, 2021 - Sat
Mornington, Australia
13°C
broken clouds
broken clouds
0 m/s, NW
69%
768.07 mmHg
sat04/17 sun04/18 mon04/19 tue04/20 wed04/21
overcast clouds
15/13°C
scattered clouds
16/14°C
sky is clear
17/17°C
moderate rain
12/12°C
broken clouds
13/12°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

March 29, 2021
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

February 25, 2021
Property of the Week

Horizon sets new goal for property prices

January 11, 2021
Council Watch

Susan Bissinger set for council seat after recount

April 13, 2021

Brown coal to hydrogen: responsible or risky?

April 12, 2021
Interview

People of faith sound alarm on climate

March 15, 2021
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2021 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.