Dysentery Epidemic In Malvern County

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30927, 7 December 1965, Page 16

Dysentery Epidemic In Malvern County

An epidemic of dysentery has broken out in Malvern county, the Christchurch Medical Officer of Health (Dr. L. F. Jepson) said yesterday. Six cases of sonne dysentery bad been confirmed in the county and specimens from 70 suspected cases were being examined. The cases were mainly children in Springfield and Sheffield. “It probably comes from children travelling there from other affected districts.” said Dr. Jepson, “but that’s only guesswork.” He said the epidemic was not bad enough for the department to take the step at dosing schools, as was done in Stratford. Cleanliness Essential “This emphasises the absolute necessity for complete cleanliness in food-handung,” said Dr. Jepson, “and for scrupulous attention to handwashing, particularly after using the toilet It is very

important that children should have Individual towels. Where Dr.Jepeon said that when an epidemic such as the one in Malvern county occurred, the organism would be In persona’ bodies for up to a week without any symptoms of illness. They were unknowingly a danger to others and the prevention of intestinal disease had to be largely a matter of personal hygiene. Two of the Malvern county cases of dysentery were reported in last Week’s list of notifiable diseases. There were also two cases in the city, two in Paparua county and three in Waimairi county. Four eases of infective hepatitis occurred last week —two in Waimairi county, one in Paparua county and one in Cheviot county. There was also a case of eclampsia, one of leptospirosis, and three of opthalmla neonatorum.