Polio treatment Elizabeth Kenny

sister kenny clinic, rockhampton hospital, 1939

when sales of sylvia stretcher declined, kenny returned home nursing. during 1 of sales journeys, met family arranged visit station west of townsville in 1929 care niece maude, disabled polio. after 18 months under kenny s care, maude able walk, return townsville, marry , conceive child. newspapers in townsville took story, referring cure. in 1932, queensland suffered highest number of polio cases in 30 years; following year, several local people helped kenny set rudimentary polio-treatment facility under canopies behind queens hotel in townsville. in few months (after further success local children), moved bottom floor of hotel. first official evaluation of sister kenny s work took place in townsville in 1934, under auspices of queensland health department (qhd). evaluation of work led establishment of kenny clinics in several cities in australia. sister kenny clinic in outpatients building of rockhampton base hospital listed on queensland heritage register.

elizabeth kenny clinic, corner of george , charlotte streets, brisbane, 1938

during these years, kenny developed clinical method , gained recognition in australia. adamantly opposed immobilising children s bodies plaster casts or braces. @ time, kenny requested permitted treat children during acute stage of disease hot compresses (as claimed have done in clifton before war). however, doctors not allow treat patients until after acute stage of disease or until tightness (kenny used word spasm later) subsided. instituted designed regimen of passive exercises designed recall function in unaffected neural pathways (much had done maude). on own, began treatment of patient in acute stage in george street clinic in brisbane, afterwards transferring ward 7 polio clinic in brisbane general hospital. child (and others) recovered fewer aftereffects placed in braces. in 1937, published introductory book work , began (the treatment of infantile paralysis in acute stage), later published in united states. comprehensive appraisal of methods published in collaboration dr. john pohl in 1943.

between 1935 , 1940, kenny travelled extensively throughout australia, helping set clinics. made 2 trips england, set treatment clinic in st. mary s hospital near carshalton; rehabilitation facility still exists there. between 1936 , 1938, queensland government royal commission evaluated kenny s work , published report of queensland royal commission on modern methods treatment of infantile paralysis in 1938. critical comment (because sister kenny opposed using splints , plaster casts immobilise areas of polio patients affected disease) was: abandonment of immobilization grievous error , fraught grave danger, in young patients cannot co-operate in re-education. stated clinic (then in brisbane) admirable . commissioners strongest objections against queensland government, funding kenny s work when clinic not under purview of bma. queensland government rejected report, continuing support kenny s work.

in 2009 part of q150 celebrations, kenny regimen polio treatment announced 1 of q150 icons of queensland role iconic innovation , invention .