SMALLPOX.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9590, 6 September 1913, Page 5

SMALLPOX.

THE OFFICIAL BULLETIN. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. The following smallpox bulletin was issued this evening:—. "No cases are reported from Auckland city or suburbs. One case ie reported at Mercer from a previously infected house. Five cases are reported from Ahipara, three miles from Kaitaia."

ANOTHER CLEAN DISTRICT. CAMBRIDGE. Sept. 6. The Health Department announces that the smallpox outbreak in the Maungatautari district, whore the epidemio was experienced. in a eerero form, is now quite abated. There has been no fresh cases for some weeks. All the sufferers are oonvalesoent. A pass has been given to one native in each pah to come to town and purchase food supplies. The wharee have been thoroughly disinfected, and where they were considers! too insanitary for habitation they were destroyed by fire during the currency of the epidemic. No Europeans were affeded.

IN AUSTRALIA. (By Electric Telegraph—Coptrioht.) (Per Press Association.) SYDNEY, Sept, 5. There are seven now smallpox cases in the metropolitan area. A suspected case at Young is not smallpox. Sixty patients are now in quarantine. BRISBANE, Sept. 5. Queensland is practically free from smallpox. One smallpox sufferer remains at Ipswich.

SEAMEN OBJECT TO VACCINATION

LONDON, Sept, 5. Two seamen bf the steamer Kent got a sentence of seven days' hard labour for disobeying the captain's-orders to bo vaccinated. The accused submitted that they had been vaccinated in Nejw Zealand and had sore arms, and that another inoculation would interfere with their work as stokers. The captain stated he was unable to obtain a clearance of his papers unless all the crew were vaccinated.

STATE LYMPH

ITS SUCCESSES AND FAILURES.

'lnterviewed by a Dominion reporter in regard to the reported failure of vaccinations the Government lymph, the Minister for Public Health, tho Hon. R. Hoaton Rhodes, stated that he had now before him a comprehensive return by the Government Bacteriologist (Mr J. A. Hurley), the officer in charge of the vaccine station, and of the preparation of all the Government calf vaccine. Therein Mr Hurley shows that of 19 separate vaccine supplies issued by him in July, 1913 (the only ones issued), in the caso of sixteen of these not only have successful results been obtained, but tho amount of succcfw attained has l>een up to 100 per cent, whilo for the other three of tho nineteen the percentages of successes were 91 jier cent, 83 per cent, and 80 per cent. These data were prepared from the returned rcijort forms which it has been the practice of tho vaccine station to send out to medical practitioners and public vaccinators with each supply of lymph. Tho forms in question were received prior to tho recently published adverse comments upon tho lymph. They cover vaccinations performed from Auckland to Southland. "I want you to note particularly," said the Minister, "that tho returns show that every separate lymph supply issued from tho vaccine 6tation has boon found by .*OlllO vaccinator in actual practice to have given successful vaccinations." To explain tho failures, ho said, was a matter of somo difficulty. He quoted the following as inexplicable episodes:—Eight medical men resident at places in Hawko's Bay, Wellington, Nelson, • Canterbury, Otago, and Southland districts used one certain lymph. Five of theso have reported obtaining 100 l>er cent successes. The reports of two others art* almost as', -good, while the eighth vaccinator repom"AH failod." "There can bo no sense of justice in blaming the lymph for a collapse like that," remarked the Minister. Again, he related how one doctor had gone eo far as to bo very expressive by telegram to tho Department in his condemnation of the lymph *>nt him. An equally abrupt rejoinder might have been sent in view of the facts. Theso were that tlie same lymph in the hands of at least two other vaccinators was .reported by ii 10111 as giving 100 per ,*mt success, and more than that—one of these was much further away from the source of supply than the " complainer. With these facts before him the Minister, in conclusion, said that, lie was satisfied ■<<> mo other cause outside the vaccine station and its method must yet l>o ascertained to account for the reported inefficiency of vaccination with Government lymph. Such causes might be such as: (1) Defects in tho technique of the vaccinator; (2) neglect of care of lvmph by vaccinators; (3* conditions unfavourable to tho lymph in transit to vaccinators; (4) interference by vaocinees; (5) immunity due to previous exposure of the vaccine to cows inserted with cowpox, or acquired from previous vaccination or smallpox. Vaccines issued in August have also been favourably reported on, and when more reports come in. the Bacteriologist will furnish the Minister with further tables of the results of that month's lymph. "It is especially gratifying," the Minister added, "to bo able to announce that wo have support for the good quality of >ur lymph from a learned and eminent authority outside of New Zealand. In a letter j list to hand to Mr Hurley from Professor Welsh, dated from the University, Sydney, on the 29th ult., he writes, inter ilia: I have long intended writing to tell you that it —tho lymph supplied from New Zealand —was most, Hiccessful both on calves and in man, and that on calves it yielded an excellent vaccine, which has now been used 011 many people."