Annual report of the Department of Public Health of the Province of Saskatchewan.

  • Saskatchewan. Department of Public Health.
Date:
[1961]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Department of Public Health of the Province of Saskatchewan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    with a decrease in the amount of intensive supervision required to prevent and reduce deformity. It may be significant in the past year that nearly all recent cases of paralytic poliomyelitis were seen in small Indian children. Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy continued to provide the largest problem and to occupy a great deal of staff time. Evaluation of the results of treatment was difficult while the slow rate of change in patients treated made it a problem to integrate this program with other aspects of rehabilitation. Other Among other conditions treated in children, one of particular importance was spina bifida where results can be improved by a very intensive and time consuming program of bowel and bladder training. Adult Patients Patients suffering from the results of injury were mainly referred from the Workmen’s Compensation Board although some others were also treated. In this program the development of gymnasium and occupational shop activities were particularly significant. Paraplegia An increasing number of patients with paraplegia have been treated mostly under the paraplegia program. The management of these patients emphasized the need for meticulous supervision of nursing care. Neurology Many cases of multiple sclerosis and other chronic neurological diseases were referred for advice and treatment. Although only limited help could usually be offered, this sometimes increased the individuals independence in his home, which often had the effect of emphasizing the need for supporting social and vocational services. Hemiplegia Hemiplegia, usually the result of cerebral vascular accident, provided many patients, while some promising results were obtained it was apparent that a swifter and more effective rehabilitation could be obtained if treatment were commenced soon after the onset. Geriatric A number of elderly patients with various conditions were treated sometimes with significantly good results indicating that age need not necessarily be a bar to effective rehabilitation. Staff Education The medical director undertook an intensive study tour of rehabili¬ tation services in Britain and the eastern United States during July and August 1960.