THE SMALLPOX OUTBREAK.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXX, Issue 2, 4 July 1913, Page 6

THE SMALLPOX OUTBREAK.

MORE CASES. SYDNEY, July 'J. A few fresh .cases of smallpox .have been traced, but all arc mild. E ght were removal to quarantine. NEW ZEALAND PRECAUTIONS. WHOLSESALE VACCINATIONS. WELI.INdTOX. July 2. Every possible precaution is being taken by the Public Health authorities to nrevont inti'odiiction of ,sni;ill]>ox into the Dominion by passengers "!i H'-b-)iits arriving from Svdney. The <"■!) led announcement this morning that there was: a serious outbreak of small '.wx in Svdney led to immediate acton. I'or the Maungainii was hourly expected £0 arrive from the New South Wales wort. Soon alter midday she was in harbor and made as though to come directly alongside the wharf, as is now tlio •ustom of the weeklv Sydney steamers. She was, however, directed to nroceed to anchorage in the .'tream, and there wait inspection. Out in the stream she remained all the afternoon. The Health Department cabled to the authorities at Sydney for complete ill formation respecting the outbreak, and ilso in regard •to precautions token '■here to prevent the soread of tl*se-:-c----!?e|'oro very long Dr Yalantine (Chief ■rtealth Officer) was informed that 60 '•ases bad been reported; that all were nikl, and that no deaths had pccurved. Instructions were then given hut overvbody on the ..Maimganm vho did not show evidences of suc; es.s----1 ill vaccination should be vaccinated forthwith. No excuses were to 'be 'aken. Immediately Dr Pollen (port "lealth of lit ■er), began bis work. In this he was .assisted by two local medical '"en and a. lady doctor, us well as by Drs Thacker (of diristcliurch) and ftuck, M.P., who were passengers hy tile vessel. The six doctors were busily ; engaged for the rest of the afternoon, for about 300 people had to be closely examined. Many of these were found to have been vaccinated successfully beiore, but 162 who did nT)t pass the test ".'pre vaccinated at once. It is reporteel that not one of them refused to subnit to the operation. In addition to the vaccination the officers took the wine and destination of every passenger. This was done for the information if tho district health officers, whose task it will be to keep .a sharp watch i'or the development of any oases. A little before five o'clock the ship was cleared by tho port health officer, and ; he berthed soon .after that hour. The people on board complain that no warning was given them by wireless of the 'impending hold-up, so that there was no opportunity to make arrangements lor expediting the examination and vaccination. In conversation with a, reporter this (■veiling I)r Valintine Raid that the Department could not afford to take any risks at all in, a caseof this sort, even though considerable inconvenience was thereby caused. It must be remembered that medical inspection of schools in New Zealand, so far as it had gone, hadi shown that only five per cent, of th« children here were vaccinated. For this reason every precaution must be taken to prevent the introduction of the disease.