SMALLPOX.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16812, 19 April 1920, Page 7

SMALLPOX.

SUSPICIOUS CASES IN SOUTHLAND. Friday's "Southland News" states that the medical men of Invercargill have been studying a perplexing case during the past few days. A young woman who arrived from Ihmedin lately developed symptoms that created suspicion of smallpox, and was immediately isolated with her family. A sister had" previously suffered from the same ailment in Dunedin, and other cases ot a suspicious nature have also been recalled since attention was concentrated on the Invercargill one. The disease presents some of the features of that prevalent in North Auckland some years ago, and although it is not definitely decided whether the ease is one of mild smallpox or chicken-pox, all the precautions necessary have been taken. Although the patient is convalescent the quarantine will not be lifted by the Health Department until the disea.se has been proved of a less serious kind, or until afi danger of infection is past. The attention of Dr. Hughes, the district Health Officer, has been drawn to a similar case in Gore. It is understood that the only means by which the doubt can be solved is by vaccinating someone who has had tlu* disease, T>ut this way out of the difficulty is closed by the refusal of tbe sister, who has recovered. to submit to the test. It is stated that a Dunedin convalescent whose symptoms were identical, has consented, and this may prove in a negative manner whether or not the disease is a mild form of smallpox.