TYPHOID OUTBREAKS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 99, 21 January 1936, Page 5

TYPHOID OUTBREAKS

No Connection Between Foxton and Hawera

AUTHORITIES ACTIVE Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, January 20. There was absolutely no connection between the suspected outbreak of typhoid at Foxton and the outbreak at Otakeho, reported in a Press Association message from Hawera, said Mr, W. J. Guinan, health inspector stationed at Levin, when asked by “The Dominion” to comment on this. The family at present in the Palmerston North Public Hospital, the inspector said, had come originally, from Bulls and had been living at Springhills about three miles away from the Paroutowhao pa. It was an isolated outbreak and proper control had been observed. In view of the fact that a gathering of possibly 5000 Maoris was to take place at Otaki about the first week in March on the occasion of the opening of the new Raukawa meeting house, the health authorities had decided, purelv as a precautionary measure, to innoculate 30 or 40 Maoris who were neighbours of the suspected carriers at present in hospital. In this way the chance of an outbreak starting among the Maoris who would be camped for ten days at Otaki when the ceremony in connection with the opening of the meeting-house was being held, would be effectually minimised. Position Disquieting. Referring to the general health of the Maoris in his district, Mr. Guinan said a report prepared by him and submitted recently to the Palmerston North Hospital Board showed that the position was disquieting. There was a considerable amount of sickness, including pulmonary tuberculosis, influenza and various skin diseases, but the health authorities were constantly moving about the district. He would not like to say, however, that in his district, illnesses among the Maoris were being deliberately suppressed and patients secluded in their homes or removed elsewhere, Mr. Guinan added. There was 1 a tendency among the Maoris due to stress of circumstances, to try and nurse themselves. Many of the men were o n relief and in country areas doctors’ fees on account of the mileage Involved were apt to be considerable. Consequently the Maoris tried to cure themselves; sometimes they were successful and other times they were not. Thus when a doctor was called in it was often tQ£> late and the patient died. The attitude of the Ratana followers who did not believe in doctors and the Government’s social service was another difficulty the authorities were up against. There had been no further cases where typhoid was suspected, Sir. Guinan said in conclusion, and he did not think there would be. The hospital authorities had no more definite information to-day than that, it was very doubtful whether two of the eases had actually contracted the disease and that the third, a woman, was suspected as a carrier. Commenting on the Hawera message, Mr. S. B. Reed, senior health inspector stationed at Palmerston North, whose district covers the counties of Manawatu, Oroua, Kairanga, Kiwitea, Pohangina, Woodville and Pahiatua, said that there had been no suppression from the health authorities of illness among Maoris in his district. There had been an epidemic of colds at Onepuhi and Kakariki, and as a result he and' the district nurses had been in close touch with the natives, and all had recovered. There were no cases or suspected cases of typhoid in the area under his control.