TYPHOID NEAR MORRINSVILLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1922, Page 9

TYPHOID NEAR MORRINSVILLE.

FIVE CASES RETORTED.

Five cases of typhoid are reported at Kukuarooana settlement, near Morrinsville. This is the village at which Tnpn Taingakawa. the leading chief of the district lives. Tainga kawa is the son of the famous WLreruu Tniuihana. known, in more modern Maori history as the King Maker. He was so named from having taken a leading part in confederating the tribes of New Zealand under a kinjr, as a political movement Io safeguard their rialns with regard to land. At KuUumoaua stands a large council house, built for holding the meetings of the late King Mabuta and his councillors. Before the Council House stands a flue bronze statue of the late King.

Of the fresh oases isolated, one has been convalescent for some time, and was probably onp of the first to get the disease. The patieut.s ure isolated in two houses close together. They ure kept spotlessly i-leau by women relations of the patients, working undpr the direction of Nurse Jarrett, the Maori Health Nurse for the district. She is being assisted by Nurse Oakden, Maori Health Nurse for the Waikato. Both these nurses have considerable experience in treating Maori typhoid cases in the field and have an intimate knowledge of Maori ways and customs.

The settlement has been cleaned up under tlie direction of Senior Inspector Franklin. Some shallow wells that looked suspicious have been condemned and bur'.eil over. Houses from which patients came have been disinfected.

Inoculation of Maoris against typhoid has been carried out throughout the settlement and the surrounding district. The Maoris sive no opposition to this step, but most are anxious to be done. One or two excep tions have been followers of Ratana; they wishe<l to wire to this prophet for permission. This has been the only discordant note.

The Maoris themselves are anxious to assist in the stamping out of the disease Dr. Buck interviewed Tupu Taingikawa and others, explained the whole matter to them, and they expressed their hearty support in assisting the health nurses in every way, and encouraging their people to become Inoculated against the disease. It would be unjust to say that the Maoris have been concealing the disease. In one or two cases they have waited in the hope that the sickness was only oi a temporary nature. They have all, however, been warned find instructed in the first symptoms of tbe disease, and told to notify any case of departure from the normal to the nurse. As practically all have been Inoculated, the chances of fresh cases have been minimised. The only fresb cases that could occur are those who may have been infected just before inoculation, or during the period before the resisting power of the lilood had been raised. As time gDes on these chances become more remote. Dr. Seville, of Morrinsville, who is the local subsidised medical officer to , the