DEATH OF PARROTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 153, 10 April 1930, Page 6

DEATH OF PARROTS.

ALL THE BIRDS TRACED. (Special to the "Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH, Tliis Day. Beyond stating his belief that all the twentyi-six parrots distributed around Christchurch, and believed to have been suffering from parrot disease (psittacosis), had l been traced, Dr. T. Fletcher Telford, Medical Officer of Health for Canterbury, would make no comment on the subject when interviewed: yesterday. Dr. Telfofd said he did not wish to comment on the statement made by a Dunedin man tha;b the disease was not psittacosis. Some doubts have arisen as to whether the disease responsible for the death of the twenty-six parrots sold by Mr T. Whitmore, of Colombo Street, is actually psittacosis. It is said that no bacteriological report has been received at Wellington from Christchurch. In addition to this, there is the fact that the last parrot died ten days ago. In( view of a report received recently from the British Ministry of Health that the whole bacteliological precedure in relation to psittacosis is under revision, it is thought improbable that a definite relationship between the birds and parrot disease has so soon been established. Dr. T. McKibbin (Director of Public Hygiene), is to visit Christchurch to investigate the position.