SMALLPOX AT LYTTELTON

Evening Star, Issue 11889, 18 May 1903, Page 4

SMALLPOX AT LYTTELTON

THE GRACCHUS QUARANTINE]). Two cases of smallpox, one of .which proved fatal yesterday morning, were discovered on the steamer Gracchus at Lyttelton on Saturday. The steamer came from Calcutta via Melbourne, Port Chalmers, and Timaru. The patients wore Johnson, the third officer, and Bell, the third engineer. They were ill.on arrival at Port Chalmers on May 12, and were medically examined there and at Timaru. It was not thought necessary to quarantine the vessel there, and it is stated that the opinion was that the disease from which the men were suffering was German measles. At Lyttelton, where the Gracchus arrived at 9.50 a.m. on Saturday, the Port Health Officer (Dr Upham) apparently considered the rases smallpox. Dr Finch, the District Health Officer, who returned from Wellington by the Zealandia. examined all on board with Dr Upham, and the vessel was ordered into quarantine. The crew of lascars were vaccinated just before leaving Calcutta, but the patients have not been recently vaccinated. The steamer went out to the quarantine ground at 8 p.m. on Saturday, and on Sunday morning was fumigated with formaline. Johnson died at 3 a.m, on Sunday, and was buried out at sea in the afternoon. The Rev. A. H. Treadwell, Presbyterian minister, of Lyttelton, read the burial service on board the tug Lyttelton. Hr Finch, the chairman of the Lyttelton Harbor Board (Mr A. Kaye), and the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr W. Radcliffe) had a conference yesterday forenoon concerning- the measures to be taken. Under the direction of the Health Officer, No. 7 wharf, at which the Gracchus lay, was washed with sea water and disinfected. The cargo (mostly gunny bags and the like) which had been landed from the vessel was isolated. The lumpers who had worked on board (some twenty-four in number) and others who had handled the cargo were assembled and given the option of being vaccinated or quarantined. It is intended to disinfect their houses and burn the clothes in which they worked on board. Out- of twentyseven men affected only two consented to be vaccinated. The remainder were sent into quarantine. [Special to the Stas.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 18. Although the Acting Chief Health Officer pronounces the outbreak on the Gracchus undoubtedly to be smallpox, a doubt is still expressed .in some quarters. It is reported that on the day before the Gracchus reached the Bluff the third officer, who died yesterday, and Bell ate- some tinned fish, which ' they noticed had a peculiar flavor. Very soon afterwards both became unwell. DR VALENTINE’S OPINION: UNDOUBTEDLY SMALLPOX. [Per United Pbkss Association.] ' CHRISTCHURCH. Mny 18. Dr Valentine, the Acting Chief Health Officer for the colony, who arrived from Wellington early this morning, states that the outbreak on the steamer Oracchus is undoubtedly smallpox. He urgently advises that all persons who have not been vaccinated or not been recently . vaccinated should undergo the operation at once. Today Dr Stewart at Christchurch and Dr Pairmain at Lyttelton will be in attendance as vaccinators. Other doctors will also be in readiness if needed. Captain Sutherland’s report on Bell’s condition yesterday afternoon was that he was no worse. On the return of the tug to Lyttelton the first care of the visitors was to procure a good supply of fresh milk for the patient’s use. It was sent to the Gracchus. There are no other cases of illness among the Gracchus company. It is understood that persons who handled cargo from the Gracchus have the option of being vaccinated or being sent into quarantine. So far no steps have been taken for the vaccination of people who boarded the vessel but did not work the cargo. A nurse has been obtained to attend the patient. It is desired to get the services of a doctor to remain on the vessel. Dr Finch went to Quail Island by the launch Canterbury late last night to inspect the accommodation there. The lumpers who handled the cargo of the Gracchus, after reluctance, consented to be vaccinated. The patient Bell is in a very critical condition, suffering, it is thought, from confluent smallpox. There is no room to place a threepenny piece between the pustules. The eyes are nearly closed. All members of families of lumpers who handled cargo will be vaccinated, their houses disinfected, and clothes burned.

LYTTELTON, May 18. William Bell, third officer on the Gracchus, supposed to be suffering from smallpox, -was visited by Dr Finch, the Christchurch Health Officer, last night. The doctor says that Bell is in a highly critical condition, and suffering from confluent smallpox. Dr Valentine, Acting Chief Health Officer, Arrived in Lyttelton at three o’clock this morning. He states that Drs Finch and Upham are firmly convinced that the cases on the Gracchus are smallpox. He ridicules the suggestion that the illness was caused by meat poisoning, saying that the symptoms are entirely different. In the first stage the symptoms are similar to those of German measles, which possibly explained the opinion of the Health Officers at Port Chalmers and Timaru. The cases are not serious. The weakest feature in the precautions taken against a possible epidemic is that it is not known who boarded the vessel at Port Chalmers and Timaru, also the wharf laborers who handled the cargo at Lyttelton, and getaway home before she was detained, with the result that all the families have to be vaccinated. This morning the work commenced of disinfecting the houses of contacts, the burning of clothes, etc. Sixteen lumpers were vaccinated, as well as several others who boarded the vessel. A telegram has been received from Sir Joseph Ward stating that all the men ,who are vaccinated shall receive three days’ full pay, covering the period they are incapacitated. Dr Valentine has telegraphed to Port Chalmers and Timaru to isolate all the cargo landed there. Pending further instructions the crew of the Gracchus, consisting of seventy-two Lascars and sixteen Europeans, will bo removed to QuarantineIsland, leaving only sufficient men on board to look after the ship. It is considered that even if thirty other contacts are quarantined there is ample accommodation on the island. The doctor lias telegraphed to Wellington for a doctor to attend to patient Bell, the local medical man refusing to stay on board. A nurse is on board. Dr Valentine visits the vessel and quarantine station this afternoon. After visiting the Gracchus this afternoon Dr Valentine states that the patient Bell is progressing well, and seems cheerfnl. Dr M'Dougall, of Wellington, arrives to-night to take charge of the case.

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN. We are indebted to the Minister of. Public Health (Sir J. G. Ware)) for the following information:— The following are the arrangements made and carried out regarding the smallpox outbreak :—All persons who boarded or worked at the steamer Gracchus at Port Chalmers or Timaru have been ordered to be vaccinated and kept under observation by the Health Officers. Any cargo that was landed there hns been followed, stopped, and disinfected. The Health Officers have been instructed to at once destroy all articles they consider necessary. This, upp’ies also to linen (whether soiled or otherwise). The actual nature of the disease was discovered by Dr Finch on his arrival at Lyttelton at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday. The ship was immediately ordered into quarantine, and those who had been on the infected shin were ordered to be vaccinated and kept under observation. If they refused to be vaccinated they were quarantined; and in addition to this a rigorous supervision was : ordered. The patients and crew land at Quail Island to-day. An additional doctor outside of those already engaged will be specially located at Quail Island. Wherever the ship has j lain at, the wharves' have been thoroughly 1 washed and disinfected with formaline. I! have authorised three days’ payment to be made to all the people working the ship j who are vaccinated, this being tie time (

which they would ordinarily be incapacitated from work.

I have taken all precautions to ensure promptitude in the matter of vaccination. Some have scruples against vaccination, but anyone who objects to be vaccinated must take the alternative of being quarantined. Everything possible has been done, and the Health Officers have received full instructions from me to do everything that may. by them be considered essential to ensure the greatest precautions to prevent the introduction of this .scourge into our colony. It is unfortunate that the Health Officers at Port Chalmers apd Timaru should have believed the cases of the two patients to have been measles; otherwise immediate precautions would have been taken at the first port the steamer touched at. I have called f dt a full report from the Health Officers in question concerning their examination of the cases at both Port Chalmers and Timaru. In addition to the local Health Officer at Lyttelton, both Dr Valentine, Assistant Chief Health Officer, and Dr Finch are on the spot and in active attendance.

Dr Ogston (Health Officer for Otago) and his, staff have been busy to-day collecting the “ contacts ” —namely, the men who in any way came into touch with the ship or her cargo. There were thirty-six' laborers actually engaged in landing the Dunedin cargo, and the total number of known “contacts’* is nearly ninety, consisting of men many of whom live in the outlying suburbs. The orders are to vaccinate these men and see them twice a day. Dr Ogston is also instructed .to employ a doctor to visit these men’s wives and families and keep a watch for signs of the disease. Numbers of the .laborers presented themselves at the Health Office to-day, and were vaccinated. Two or three objected at first, but submitted on learning that the alternative was strict isolation in quarantine. Each man who is vaccinated is to receive three days’ pay as compensation for loss of time whilst their arms are sore.