THE ALLEGED CASE OF PLAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 105, 4 May 1900, Page 2

THE ALLEGED CASE OF PLAGUE.

A most important fact was made known To the. City Council by the Mayor last evening with respect to the ease of the boy (at present isolated) who was bitten about a fortnight ago by a rat. Mr Goldie said no doubt the members of the Council had seen the report, as telegraphed back from Wellington, that Dr. Baldwin, the Sanitary Commissioner, had reported that the case at present in the Hospital was one of mild plague. Upon seeing that item in the paper he at once instructed the town clerk to. write, to Dr. Baldwin asking if he was certain that it was a case of plague. He did so because he understood that all experts stated that plague bacillis was almost the same as that of typhoid and blood poisoning. In answer to that letter he had received a message from l)r: Baldwin that he

is not certain it is a case of plague. That it was a most serious thing for the city to have such a report circulated -was shown by the following telegram he had received from Napier: — "Don't send any more timber until instructor"!. Fumigation charges, etc., amount, to 7/ per ton." He understood other business men had received similar communications, -which meant that. tlio statement reported from Wellington to have been made by Dr. Baldwin had closed alt the, avenues of trade to Auckland. Ail unwise statement like that had resulted in practically paralysing the trade of the city. Dr. Baldwin had that night stated he was still in doubt and would inform the Hon. Mr Ward to that effect.

The Mayor Ihen quoted from the interview with Dr. Martin published in Wellington, of which extracts were telegraphed and appeared in the Auckland "Star."' He said Dr. Martin seemed to have acted very wisely, in that he. tried to keep down the scan?. That doctor's jidvice was to clean out the town and leave the rats alone; That they could not expect the plague I before next- summer, if it, was coming, [and could not get ii at'all unless there j was a suitable nidus; that, all the ■Sanitary Commission was doing was simply calculated to create a scare. I (Hear, hear.) Dr. Martin also expressled his doubts as to whether the case 'in Auckland could be one of plague at jail, and pointed out that, sunlight was ; the great enemy of plague, because sunlight killed it, and added that there ■was absolutely no cause for alarm. The ! Mayor said it was a very unwise course j for' any medical man to put down a. lease as one of plague unless*absolutely i certain. He believed Mr Seddon had j come to Auckland and made these ! statements aboiit the place because j they had asked him to close the port of Sydney, and he wished to show that iit was tlie people who wanted Sydney 1 closed. There was no fear of the plague breaking out in Auckland because of uncleanliness. If they did get the plague it would be because it was brought from outside. The effects of Dr. Baldwin's report would be serious I unless promptly contradicted. Even at i Whangarei people were objecting to receive goods from Auckland, and some parents in the country were already taking their children, away from the secondary schools in the city. It had been a terrible scare created by ' very unwise persons, to say the least lof it.

I Cr. Hannan said he quite endorsed :the remarks of the Mayor. He was j certain the effects of the scare would ibe serious to trade. He was quite satisfied there was no plague in the city. They should notscare the people. Cr. Warren said it seemed to him that the Premier was too severe on Auckland. The boy's case was merely one of blood-poisoning, and yet here they had to pay a lady doctor ten '■ guineas a week, two nurses, and a cook, high salaries and all for noI thing, and all that when there was no 1 proved case of plague in the city. i Cr. rarr said it was to be regretted ' that ill-founded reports had been airI culated. The results must be serious ito the city. He heard of cases of teu- ! ants giving notice to agents, as they were going to leave Auckland for fear of the plague. He proposed a motion ;to the effect "That this Council is ! pleased to be able to emphatically deny the suggestion that there is any 1 proved case"of the plague in this city, ' and most strongly deprecates that any ■ feeling of scare or panic has been most ! unjustifiably created by the statement :of Dr. Baldwin, the. Sanitary Commis- ! sioner." Cr. Parr said it should go j forth to the rest of the colony that I Auckland was as free from the plague as any other part of New Zealand. Cr. Jamieson in seconding the motion said as regards the case of the boy, what, were the facts? He was bitten by a rat about ten days before he went 'to the hospital. A young lady there examined the stun 1 that came from his arm, and could "bake nothing of it. Then a young lady only about three months out of college was put in charge at a salary of 30/ per clay, and two nurses. They then got hold of a man who was bitten by a flea, but that could not be made into a case of plague. Cr. Stichbury said he was very sorry that Dr. Baldwin had been supine in this matter. He had always found Dr. Baldwin fairly firm in matters connected with his profession, but they should remember that he was appointed a Sanitary Commissioner by the Government at a moment's notice. Cr. Farrell said the fact had been overlooked that there was in Auckland a gentleman who should have been consulted in the matter. He referred to Professor Thomas, who was well qualified to deal with microbes, but he was never approached. The first thing they should have done was to see what the microbes really were. There was no doubt they had a plague, but it was of officialism. The motion was then adopted.

Cr. Jamieson said he laid poison for rats and found none touched it. They might as well lay poison for fleas. Cr. Kidd moved as an amendment "That the Council take no further action in the matter of distributing poison for rats." He did not think the practice quite safe. As a matter of fact he found one packet of poison lying1 in his window, which had not even been opened. He thought a great deal too much was being- made of this matter. If they got1 up another general hallelujah against the rats people would never quieten down. Cr. Salmon seconded the amendment.

Cr. Parr said it was a wise prerentative measure to kill all the rats before they got the plague. In Sydney they recognised the importance of killing the rats. Tt was the best preventative against the plague coming to Auckland to kill off the rate. . The amendment was carried by nine to four.

The Mayor moved that notice be at once given to the persons under section :;02 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, that it having been certified that the respective buildings., mentioned are respectively in a condition unfit for occupation and dangerous to public health, such persons be required to pujl down their buildings before 4 o'clock on the oth of -May, 1000.

Cr. .kunieson said at one place there were only three closets for six houses, and there was. a bakehouse there as well. If some of the houses were pulled down the timber should certainly be cleansed before it was removed.

Cr. Kntriean said houses were now being' built of old timber in Welling-ton-street.

The .Mayor said at present there was. no by-law to prevent over-crowding1 ot buildings.

Cr. Stichbury said three of the houses belonged to a widow, and he thought a chance should be allowed to repair the buildings.

Dr. King said in explanation that it was only buildings that could not be. repaired thai were condemned.

The Mayor said the matter had better be left in the hands of the doctors, the Co.une.il had better not interfere: with them. The doctors should be allowed a free hand in the in attar. The motion was then adopted.

Sanitation Rate.—Cr. Entriean gave notice he "would move at next meeting: "That, the City Solicitor be instructed to draft a bill empowering the Council to levy a. sanitation rate sufficient to cover the removal and disposal of night-soiJ and refuse, interest on cost of destructor, and thorough sanitary inspection. That with a^ view of getting the consent of ratepayers, a poll be., take]'i at Ihe earliest possible date so that the bill may be put before th>House without delay."