DEATH OF PARROTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 151, 8 April 1930, Page 5

DEATH OF PARROTS

PSITTACOSIS IN CHRISTCHURCH. TWENTY-FIVE CASES FOUND. » (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Twenty-five of the twenty - six Mexican green parrots sold in Christchurch since February are dead. The remaining parrot has not yet been traced.

Dr. T. Fletcher Telford (Medical Officer of Health in Canterbury) stated yesterday that all the birds had died as a result of psittacosis, a parrot disease which may prove fatal to human beings. It is believed that the birds contracted the disease on the voyage from America, probably through one of the birds infecting the others. The birds were part of a consignment of 7(5 brought to Auckland on January 21 by a dealer. Many of the birds have died in the North Island. .

Eighteen of the dead parrots have been incinerated, and the others have been buried. Every precaution has been taken by the Health authorities to prevent an outbreak of the disease locally. Most of the birds died a fortnight ago, and if no signs of an outbreak occur within the. next ten days, the danger should have passed. The 26 birds brought to Christchurch were sold bv Mr T. V. Whitmore, a cabinetmaker, 624 Colombo Street. Interviewed yesterday, Mr Whitmore emphatically refused to make any comment on the matter.

DUNEDIN AUTHORITY’S OPINION. DISEASE NOT PARROT FEVER. DUNEDIN, This Day. Mr Charles, Bills, a recognised authority on parrots, expressed disbelief that the disease causing so many deaths in New Zealand is parrot fever. He states that the mortality among Mexican and African greys has always been abnormally high, being due to transportation conditions, change of water and the rigours of acclimatisation. He states that of the last shipment of 50 parrots to Dunedin 40 died within two youths. In his opinion the disease which is causing the present deaths is sniffles, the first sign of which is a mucus at the nostrils. He further states that the Wanganui district is notoriously unhealthy for parrots, a. previous consignment there having died.