SMALLPOX

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 45, 21 August 1913, Page 8

SMALLPOX

THE LOST LUMPERS HEALTH OFFICER'S DIFFICULTIES LINER DELPHIC INCIDENT. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) is much exercised in mind at the fact that the quartermaster of the liner Delphic (now quarantined off Somea Island), who is suffering from smallpox, had had such a, good run ashore while the disease was upon him and before his condition was noticed. It lias already been explained that the Delphic, arriving from a New Zealand port, would not have been visited by the Port Medical Officer in the ordinary coarse, the rule being that all on board must be inspected at the port of departure. The quartermaster's itinerary while in his infected condition included the General Post Office and other places of public resort. But there are forty-five other men missing. These are the men who were working cargo on the Delphic while she wa* alongside and while the quartermaster himself was also on board. To them an invitation was 'extended by the Health Department to roll up at the waitingrshed and there be vaccinated free of charge. Dr. Pattie attended this morning, and of all the men present only two were then vaccinated, but tney had not worked on board the Delphic. Of the forty-five men who were working cargo on the Delphic four have since availed themselves of the protection affdrded by vaccination. The others are not known to have taken any means to protect themselves or to help the authorities in preventing the possible spread of smallpox in Wellington through their mingling with other people on the ships, the trams, and in the streets, or places of entertainment that they may visit. These forty-five waterside workers are exclusive of the ooal'working gangs on the Adderley who were detained on the Delphic. They have already been vaccinated, and, moreover, in most cases have offered no difficulties to the Health Department in vaccinating those of their families or households with whom they came into contact. THE MAYOR. AND THE MINISTER. The Mayor despatched yesterday a fairly strongly worded letter to the Minister for Public Health (Hon. R. H. Rhodes) 'jomplaining of > slackness in carrying out the Public Health Act in the case of the Delphic. The Mayor has now received a reply from the Minister in which Mr. Rhodes entirely concurs with the Chief Magistrate that the introduction of a case of smallpox into Wellington by the «.». Delphic is a ihatter of much concern to the people of the city and district, as ! minted out by Mr. Luke in his letter published in Tuesday's Poet). By invitation of the Minister, the Mayor will interview Mr. Rhodes to discuss fully the question of further precautionary measures. The Deputy-Chief Health Officer (Dr. J. P. Frengley) has been asked to attend. GENUINE SMALLPOX. The health authorities have no doubt whatever that the symptoms of the. ill* ness of the quartermaster of the Delphic (who shipped at Auckland) are identical with those of the Europeans who were attacked in Auckland by what was generally admitted to be smallpox, and,'* if not smallpox, then as like it as one pea ' to another in the same pod. ■ Medical reserve, which sometimes prevents a spade being called by its right name, is sometimes inclined to go so far as to admit that, at any rate, it is "a broad blade of iron or steel with a handle used for digging." But it is not difficult to infer from the health authorities' attitude at the moment that it_ ie now inclined to call the disease which started in the Auckland province, and has affected both Maoris and Europeans alike, and which has in a number of cases ended fatally, straight oat smallpox. THE CASE OF, THE DELPHIC. On the Delphic, now lying off Somes Island, there is a fairly large number of men. The weather is fine, and if there were plenty of mussels available the fishing should be good from the ship } but a heavy loss to the owners is going on while the ship isddle. Two men of all that ship's company refuse to be vaccinated; and they, it is understood, are holding the ship up. She may, .and very likely will, remain at anchor for full fourteen days.