REPORTED OUTBREAK OF SMALL-POX IN LYTTELTON.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 2773, 19 May 1903, Page 2

REPORTED OUTBREAK OF SMALL-POX IN LYTTELTON.

The third officer and third engineer of tha steamer Gracchus, which arrived in Lyttelton, on Saturday, from Calcutta, via Australia, Dunedin and Timaru, was Buffering from illness which Dr Finch, tho Distriot Health Officer, and Dr Upham consider to ba Bmallpox. Both men have been exam ined nt Port Chalmera and Timaru, but it was thought the men we r e suffering from German measles. Order") were, of course, i'sued that all persons who had come to Lyttelton by the vessel were to remiin on board, and these had the eTect of stopping the departure of a passenger who had luggage at the gang way, and was about to go ashore in order, it is said, to take his passage to Wellington. In the meantime, disinfectant* were sent on board, and, when the examination of her company had been completed, the steamer hauled off from the wharf, and steamed out to the quarantine ground off Camp Pay, where she archored under the yellow flag. Arrangements were made for fumigating her, and information was given to the borough authorities, who undertook to carry out the work of disinfecting tha wharf tt which the had been ly.'ng. New of the affair hod rrevimsdy been sent by telegram to Dr Valentire, Acting Chief Offrer of Health, at Wellington. Mr Johprri-, the third officer, died *t 3 a.m . on guuday and Wt-s buried four 1-1 five miles outside the Heads, the coffin being taken out by the steamer lauteh Canterbury, be,J Mr Treadwell performing the burial service. There are no other cases of illness amcrg the Gracchuß's company, and hoo.es are m tertained that the disease from which Mr Johnson died and from which Mr Bell is sufl-riog may prove not to be emall'pr-x after all. ©r Valentine, Acting Chief Health Offic r for the celony, who arrived from Wellington en Sunday morning, statos that the outbreak on the steamer Gracchus is undoubtedly Bmall pox. He urgettly advhes all persons who have not been vaccinate 1, to undergo the operation at once. Yesterday, Dr Stewart of Christchurch, and Dr Pairman, at Lyttelton, were in attendance as vaccinators, and other doctors _will*iV-o' be in readiness if needed. , Dr Hargreaveß received the following te'egram from Dr T. Valentine, Assistant District Fen'lh ffficer, r iaft evening :— '• Peeret to infoim ytfu tbat two caarc of email p. x weie di_-.fr.-vered on th eam.al of the s.s. GiaccAius at LytUltou «-n Saturday. 3r;ccnP". left Calcutta on April 2nd, arrived Mcli -.time May 2nd, Fort Melbourne 12th, ~nd Timaru Iflih. As many pereonß have boarded the vessel, many of whom are nit known, I wonld particularly ask you to keep a tfood look out for the prodromtf symptoms of tbe disea?o and notify the District Health Officer and the locol author i.y of any case that you may consider *uspfeious. I hope you will do all you can to induce people to get vaccinated.