SPINAL MENINGITIS CASE ON BOARD

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 154, 27 December 1918, Page 8

SPINAL MENINGITIS CASE ON BOARD

VESSEL IN QUARANTINE,

(BY TEIBGRAPH.—PREBS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 26th Dec.

A sensation was caused to-day when it was learned that the Maori, which.was to have sailed for Wellington to-night, had been held up. The facts, as far aa they can be ascertained, are that at midday a fireman named William M'Guirewas seized with sudden illness, the symptoms pointing to meningitis. A doctor was called immediately, and the health authorities ordered the vessel to be held vp i until further notice. The man was removed to the Christchurch Hospital. Later, Dr. Chesson stated that the case (which is expected to be cerebrospinal meningitis) was a serious one, and possibly would prove fatal by the morning. I

Arrangements have been made to inj stal inhalation apparatus on board the I Maori to-morrow morning, and the whole crew and all passengers will have to go through the inhalation chamber. Asked how long it was intended to hold the Maori up. Dr. Chesson replied that, pending further investigation and. developments, he hoped it would not be long, but the boat would be held up till he was assured that it would be safe to let her go. When, about 4 p.m., Dr. Chesson diagnosed the case as meningitis, he ordered no one to be allowed to enter or leave the Maori, and that the vessel be moved into the stream as soon as possible. At 7.150 the vessel was' taken into the stream. Later information states that , the Union Company was able to Ret the Monowai, which was in port, and which was originally scheduled to' leave tomorrow for Wellington, Napier, Gisborne, and Auckland, ready to °"et away to-night, taking over 250 passengers for Wellington, who had booked passafjes by the Maori, and the mails. She sailed for Wellington at 10.30 p.m.