ANOTHER RESPITE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1913, Page 5

ANOTHER RESPITE.

CITY CLEAR OF EPIDEMIC. MEVEW MOKE PATIEHTS DISCHARGED. SIXTY STILL IN HOSPITAL. I ~ Once again the outlook with regard to i the current epidemic is more reassuring. In bis daily telegraphic bulletin to i headquarters, this afternoon, the District , Health Officer stated:—"So casus have . been reported in Auckland city or sub- ■ urhs during the last twenty-four hours. f It is n further satisfaction to ftUUc that two suspicious easca which were [ taken to the Auckland Hospital yestor- . dny have been registered as " not smallpox." A somewhat strange development Has , been reported hy the Auckland Hospital , authorities. Recently n, European lud, . aped iibaut 15, was admitted, suHennff from abdominal trouMe, and an opera- , tion for appendicitis was decided on. Yesterday, however, a auspicious rash ', ni observed on the patient, and the \ Henlth Department has been advised i thnt he is -suffering from roodiGed small- ' pox. He will, therefore, be taken to tho [ Isolation Hospital. AT THE ISOLATION HOSPITAL. Dr. Spoiling reported this morning that he had discharged seven more pati- ■ ents from the Isolation Hospital—two ! native males, two nativj females, two European females and one European ' male. There are still sixty patients m ■ the institution, a<s follows:—Twenty-five ! native males, nineteen native females, fourteen European males, and two European females. Taking into account the seven paticnt3 who were discharged lost ! week, it will be seen that seventy-four 1 people have been treated at the Isolation ; Hospital feincc tho epidemic broke out, TALLY FOR JULY. The District Health Officer reports that during the month of July the cases . of .infectious diseases notified to him , included tho following:—Chicken-pox: City, 21 cues; suburbs, 50 cases; coun- : try districts, 73 cases; total, Ui eases. Smallpox: City, 9 casts; suburbs, IB naoes; country districts, 100 cases; total, 100 oaiM. POSITION 7 15 THE COUNTRY. Reports of additional cases continue to come in from tho country. Four new cases (Maori*) biVL- been notified to-day from Some fTesli cuacK are also repnrtcil from Marnoron, twelve, miles from Itawcno. NeiM comes from Kairara, Northern Wairoa, to the effect that no fresh cases have come under notice, hut that several of those already reported have assumed virulence. With reference to a- telegram from ■Dargavillc, itating that sick people at, Poroti had been unable to secure ntten- j tion, the Health Department reportn that a nurse wns sent away from Auckland yesterday to render assistance at that settlement. NORTHEMC OUTBREAK. MORE VIRULENT FORM. SIS CASES AT POROTI. (Dy Xdegnpn, —rrcsa Association.) WHANGAREt, Tuesday. Epidemic information rcceivetl from a reliable source this afternoon shoivs that a deplorable state of affairs exists in Hugakahia Valley, also that the prevailing disease lias mado its reappearance in a more virulent form. Six fresh casna -have occurred at PorotL pa within the last two days, two of the cases being in a very severe form. It is stated that urgent appeals to the Health Department for help and a nur3c have not been responded to, ilic afllictcd ones having to rely on medicine and treatment provided by the teacher oi tho Pornti uhool. It is recorded that one member of n family who have the disease was himself attacked and toJc into Tangiteroria yesterday, but was prevailed on by the wise counsel of a settler not to help .spread the epidemic. The bet remains that there is nothing to prevent untlvcs from Poroti, which miyht practically be called the back door of \Vhan™arei, from travelling into tlic more thickly-populated area. It is stated that two Maori women died from thn| prevailing malady on the gumfields at t!ie back of Nukutawhiti, four days ajo. Four days after these women died thfy were brought into Niikutavhiti for burial. Was a tangi held! The best answer perhaps is that o! a who was interrogated on tliis matter. ■"I don't know. 1 think bo; out in the bush." Dr. Jluck, 51.P., is supposed to arrive in Xukutawhiti to-day or to-morrow, and no doubt with liis advent something will bo done to meet the exigencies Df thu present situalion in this district. IK THE THAMES DISTRICT. (IV Telegraph.—Oi. n Corrcsponilenl.) TIIAiIES, lliia day. A report that several cases of virulent smallpox have been discovered at I'arami, Thauie.?, is incorrect. Evidently I'arawcra U meant. There is only one ca«e at Thames, a J!ati>- - c who c.iine from Auckland. When the disease mnnifo.strd itself proper action was taken by the Health Department, tlic -man bein/; isolated at iho hospital, where he is making pond progress towards rctho Thames district, at Woikaka, .Miranda, Knrcpeclu, and Waitakaruiii. Tlio nearest rn?e is sixteen miles distant from the borough. All the pitienta arc isolated and nrc paid to be well. The wholesale vaccination insisted on by the Health Department and the proper ieolation of attacked natives baa undoubtedly had the effect of keeping live disease in check. UTILITY OF VACOIKATIOK. A DEBATE AND A VERDICT. "Is Vaccination Necessary?" was the subject of a debate which took place last nijrht at the Cirafton Library under the aiiapiees of the newly-formed club, Mr. J. H. Gregory presiding. Mr. Hail Skclton spoke in the aflirmativr>, and quoted statistical to show the numbers of people who had-been successfully vaccinated in places where outbrraka had occurred. The speaker also contended that a community of vaccinated people was t!i« most effective- resistnnco that could he offered to the dread disease. Mr. Hoskin cited various medical authorities in mipport of vaccination. Tho Rev. Mr. Kcay tpoke In tlia negative, contending that vaccination Wμ not unly v.i'.i'.c:-::p.r;.-, but.-vu bucd oa

superstition, v the discoyertr of vao cino had admitted, Ho relemd to (ortj eminent men in tho Old Country whu had expressed tho deliberate opinion that vaccination was not baaed an ;i cominoiisciigq foundation. Mr. J. J. aullivnii sii]>jiortcil tho prm-ioiis speaker, ninl aultmilled mriiiul tcatimony ia favour ol his arpimenta. On a voto t.ikea, 34 signified in tho nflirmjtivc, nnd 50 in tho negative.