SLEEPY SICKNESS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 200, 7 August 1928, Page 5

SLEEPY SICKNESS

FEW CASES IN NEW ZEALAND VACCINATION NOT A CAUSE The cabled report that the British Ministry of Health has found that vaccination is a cause of lethargic encephalitis has been commented upon by the Director of Public Hygiene, Dr. T. McKibbin. When asked to say whether in New Zealand’s experience there were any reasonable grounds for assuming that lethargic eneaphalitis was caused by vaccination for smallpox, Dr. McKibbin replied that it was only since about 1919 that the disease had been at all prevalent in the Dominion, and there had been very little vaccination performed since 1919 Tn certain former years, however, when there were cases of socalled mild smallpox, particularly in 1913, a good deal of vaccination was performed,' and no instances were known to the Department of subsequent lethargic encephalitis shortly after vaccination. It appeared obvious, in New Zealand’s experience, that the occurrence of lethargic eneaphalitis had been associated with inactivity in vaccination, rather than the reverse. In the year ended March 31st. last, 29 cases of lethargic eneaphalitis were notified in New Zealand, and all but five of those affected were over 25 years of age. In the first half of the present year, from January Ist. to June 30th., there were 13 cases notified. For the year ended March 31st. last, the deaths from the disease totalled 12. and for the first six months of this year the number was eight.