The Hastings Standard. Published Every Evening TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1903. SMALL POX.

Hastings Standard, Volume VIII, Issue 3054, 30 June 1903, Page 2

The Hastings Standard. Published Every Evening TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1903. SMALL POX.

At the time of the outbreak "of small pox on the steamer Gracchus at Lyftclton, and the consequent activity of the Health Department to keep the disease within its source there were many people, and not a low public bodies, who looked upon * be efforts of the Department as fussy, and undertaken with a view to show a cause for its existence. Time brings its own requital-. and the news from Tasmania, where the dreaded maladj* is showing signs of establishing itself, prove the precautions of the Department to be well conceived, and it is more than probable that it is to the severe measures adopted that the colony is indented for its present freedom from the repulsive disease. In spite of the inconsideration extended to the recommenda tions of the Department, we are glad to observe that their vigilance has not been in any way and trust that the scourge will continue to he foreign to New Zealand, At the same tiaae the local bodies throughout the colony, whether inland or at the port?, must make up their minds to bold themselves in readiness to carry out the recommendations of the Health Officers, if the country is to be placed in a position to fight against and strangle at its birth the small-pox, should it unfortunately ever so happen that it got a foothold in the country. There is no reason at all that the country should scared, and the fact oi being prepared to meet a .possible crisis will not byany means help to bring it on, whilst it would certainly have the effect of stamping out the sickness in its earlier and less virulent stapes before it had time to develop into a plague throughout the Land. The public generally should re cognise their responsibility as citizens, towards each other and the State, by submitting themselves to ] vaccination, especially those who

li.ive never iftideraone the operation. Some people hold conscientious objections against vaccination, but the vast majority of offenders? in this respect are indifferent on the subject and these people should be compelled by the authorities Ho comply with the law. Lately the Department issued a report showing the good effects of vaccination, proving that, although It did not absolutely grant immunity from small pox, those who were vaccinated suffered only in a very mild form, whilst those who had not been operated upon contracted the disease in its worst and most disgusting development. It is to be hoped the Health Department will insist as far as possible on an observance of the law, in the interests of the population of the colon v.