EPIDEMIC OF DIPHTHERIA

Evening Star, Issue 15513, 8 June 1914, Page 4

EPIDEMIC OF DIPHTHERIA

IN CATLINS DISIkfST. EFFECTUAL PRECAUTIONS TAKEN

An epidemic of diphtheria is at present prevalent at the Papatcwai railway construction settlement in the Catlin River district, 11 persons being stricken with the disease. The Health Department is taking all necessary precautions for the abatement of tho epidemic, and it is not likely that there will be many more cases, . The local school, which is a»n empty dwellinghouse, has been converted into an hospital, and all the patients arc- isolated there, vnder vhe charge of Nurse Veiich, of the Bvnedin Hospital, and Dx »Stenhonse, of Owaka, by arrangement with the Otago Hospital Board Of the 11 cases, all the patients belong to four families. Five are members of one family, four of another, and in each -if the other families there is on© case. It was owing to complaint* it>--> !jv ffhool children of sore throats thsA the disease was first located. The Health Department's inspectors have vifiited Papatowai, and the throats of all children who complained of soreness have been "swabbed," or dealt with so as to procure a sample of the germs, to ascertain if the diphtheria germ be among their, Th.-pe children found to be affected by the diphtheria, germ will be-, isolated with the others in tho hospital. None of the cases are serious, and that the epidemic reached ii« present extent is due to the fact that the nearest doctor is resident 20 miles away, and was not sent for till the cases of sore throats began to causo alarm.