Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, JANUARY 22. THE MORALITY OF MEASLES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 17, 22 January 1903, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, JANUARY 22. THE MORALITY OF MEASLES.

A WARNING TO THE PUBLIC. THE other day a resident suffering from measles was fined in the local court for tra veiling on the railway, a public conveyancoj while ill. No doubt there is a measure of sympathy with those who, desiring to reach a hospital or a doctor, avail themselves of whatever means of transit that may be available. But on the other hand, where an ailment is infectious and it is prevalent enough to be epidemic or nearly so, selfishness or callousness cannot be permitted to interfere with the common well* being. In fact the whole question of proper and sufficient isolation of measles patients needs thorough ventilation, for it is beyond the shadow of a doubt that the apparent futility of the efforts to suppress the epidemic is due almost entirely to the circumstance that in many instances both patients and contacts disregard both the Jaw and their duty to the unaffected public. (The other day, it haa been pointed out to us, a child obviously having measles-spots all over it was taken to the Port Or the Sands in one of the_ public conveyances. It was not as if the patient was being carried id; a doctor op to a hospitalj birfc'inerely icff^n outing, tho ailment not being regarded as anything serious or worth maiding a fuss about. But 'there were others in the conveyance •who lo&i oot measles, 4id apt wist

td get them, realised the gravity of j the disaase in scores of cases where I blindness, if not death, has super- 1 vened, and naturally they enter a I protest. 1 r ■.*.*•* i "Times have changed a?id we have I changed with them.'' About a gen- 1 ei'ation or so ago, in the older I countries of the world at least,! people took tbeir ailments as a part. I of their lives, unavoidable, irresisti- 1 ble, coming as surely as fate, and, I by good fortune, going without j leaving more than its mark. Every I tenth man or woman one met had I smallpox-pitted faces. If a child in I a family had iibt yet had measles, I chicken-pox, even smallpox in a mild I form, scarlatina, hooping cough, I boils, croup, rashes of sorts, parents I began to feel actually alarmod, 1 fearing that the inevitable would J overcome their little one when it J j was no longer little and therefore I regarded as able to shake off the J ailment easily. When the denj>ue I fever went through India about I thirty years ago everybody in the J country— every white, that is to say, not counting natives — took it, and regarded it as a matte* of courae. Some died ; others bad a crick in the neck fov a few days ; others, after an opera-boufle sort of fever for less than a week, developed excruciating pains of a rheumatic nature lasting for many months. But it was all in the day's fate. No one worried. « * • But we have changed all tnatWe are now alive to the fact that Tat one needs not get ever>^>cKSod We fear andavoid.disea.se. and take precautions against it. Perhlp* we P are getting too | par ocuif n a o f n^;s! k^^ Lie to b7able to boast that one as few chances as possible, rer haps the brain L* developing at the vnense of the body-but after all tt^Tell to be on the safe side. In years goneby, when we caught a, feveri^ ™ ld < ™ took - ft l - Ule g wli 1 put our feet' overnight in mustard notifiable person who is stricken by inQuenza, and our friends find it convenient to have important engagement preventing the usual afternoon calls. * • ♦ Hue it is curious that, wln'e we : have established and realised in our modern minds the need of precaution and avoidance of infection from ailments which in the past we re- j garded as of no account, there are i still some extraordinary misconceptions. For instance, it is hard to get anyone to regard measles as a serious disease, while there is scarcely an individual who is not startled at an outbreak of scarlet ' fever. If you have the latter in your home, you must tone down the news to your friends, and make capital out of the old myth and describe it as "only scarlatina, you know." A child with actual meajsles-spots on its face may go among the community and as a rule there will be no excitement, and someone may casually remark on the circumstance without raising a scare. But let it be only whispered that the child has had or is having scarlet fever and the assemblage will scatter and' write letters of protest i& the newspapers. • • • Yet statistics show .conclusively that during the present colonial epidemic of both .scarlet fever and measles more persons, very young children especially, have died from tho latter than from t]ie former. Dr Frengjley, Health Officer at Nelson, lias sent us the Re-gistrar-General's monthly reports of vital statistics for September, October and November, and requests us to note tlie significance of the figures as showing that measles Jiavc been much more fatal than scarlet fever, especially in the Auckland and Wellington di&tricts. The incidence of the age period in wliich tho g/jea'tcs't mortality has occurred in also .significant. In September two deaths from measles were recorded, both in the Wellington district, one a child under 5 years, apd the other a person over 5 years. " Scarlet fever, Scarlatina" had an equal number of 'deaths, one at Wellington and the other -at Christchurch, tho ages of the victims being similar to the foregoing. In October, the deaths from measles had increased with startling percentage. There were 8 deaths of children under 5 in the Auckland district, 20 in the Wellington district, lin Dunedin. Four deaths of persons over 5 occurred in Wellington ; majking the total for the month 33. There were no deaths in that month from scarlet fever, and it is significant that the return of deaths from measles headed the whole list, the next, highest being 21 ; deaths from pneumonia. In November a similarly startling comparative mortality in shown., by the statistics. The deaths from measles in the colony numbered 26. -Of these 17 in the Auckland district and 6 in Wellington were of children under 5. Two persons over sin Auckland, and 1 in Well.ihgt'Qji suc?r cumbed, making up the total. Si-' multaneously the deaths from " Scarlet Fever, Scarlatina," numbered only 3 persons 5 years afid over, at Dunedin. The next highest total for the month is 25 deaths from pneumonia, and thereafter comes phthisis, with 16 victims. * ♦ * The foregoing figures should convince parents of the gravity of measles as an infantile ailment. That they take every tender care of their own, even if it be for only a toeache may be assumed. But ,thjßy also owe a duty to the children brother people, and in furtherance cf it they should exercise toe utmost pjcft, caution and thoughtfulness' in avoiding the spread cf the disease by contact and indiscriminate connnunicjution with the public. The breaking o f the new |«,W&, Me failure to notify, the absence of isola=. lion and a disregard of others; due mostly, it may be admitted, to iW coMviction- that inea.sfos are w&. worth making a fuss about, are mainly responsible for the difficulty being experienced in eradicating tj. e epidemic. But if it were only possible to mate the public realise that measles, neglected is really more fatal than scarlet fever, cuard- ' ed against, -and the figures Quoted furnish irretragablc proof— the suopression of the outbreak ahould be | within reasonable distance of accomplishment. So far as Nelson is concerned, it is hoped that the tes^ twnony of statistics may establish a mild s? ar e order that parents and_ public opinion nuiy b £ induced to insist on a discontinuance of tto ,promi,scuQus intercourse »ow complained of quite f^equeptly

At the Brigbtwater Court yesterday i before Mr Wilson Heaps, eighteen appli- ' catioDß. for renewal of pensions were granted. Two new pensions wer^niade ooit, aud tho considfiration of six applica- ! tiona were adjourned, j ■..••■■ ' ■.■■'■. ! JL hitLtty welcome was accorded Staff- 1 Captain and Me* Biabop at the Salvation \ Army Barracks last evening. The Rev W. J. Williams, who was amongst the weleomers, said that he remembered the Staff-Captain in bis boyhood, and expressed pleasure at them again meeting together. Staff-Captain Bishop said that be bad come to Nelson for the purpose of doing his best in the cause ot humanity and Christianity. Mrs Bishop spoke a few words suitable to th» occasion, and also rendered a toJo. A Wellington m*il wijl arrive here by tho Blenheim cuacb thia eveoiog. It. is btaled by a West Coast paper that when Mr Soddnn was at Seditouville reecnily he wa3 asked by a deputation of ladies for a subscription fee a nfiw church. He replied that when on lour he made it a principle not to contribute to local objects, but if lie was approached on I his retarii: to Wellington' tho matter F would receiv o his consideration. In reply to a Weptpoit deputation tbe other day the Premier is reported to bare eaid that be had practically taken over the Lands Depart merit. "In fact," be jocularly emarked, " I run the whole lot." Tho Auckland Harbour Board's new engineer, Mr W.H. Hamer, comes from Ihe resident engineership of the Albeit Decks, London, where he bad on an average over a thousand men under hU direction. Educated at Rugby, and the mechanical workshops at King's College, Mr Hamer went through an electricity course under Dra Walm.ley and Drysdale, and was articled to the waterworks engineer at King's Lynn, York, who ia also President of tbe Cou*ty Engineers' and Surveyors' 9,sßo.ialion, The salary to be paid I y the Auckland Harbour Board is £1000 a year. Mr Hamer is aged tbiitytbree years. The fli-3t Ipassengrr motor-car in VVellingU n, carrying ten passengers and a driver, made a trial trip to Island Bay c>n Monday moruing. The run fron: tbe Courtenay-place end of Keut-terraceto the Ibldnd Bay Hotel was accomplished in twenty mm lit s, and the return journey Occupied about tbe same time. The car raa very smoothly, and took the grades on i iielptr-Bpeed gear. Tins particular c»r was not built as dpasonger car, but for the purposes of a deliveryvan, and was subsequently converted into a passenger-car. The car is of ele ven horse-power, and is built for slow running. It is fcasy to steer, can. be brought to a standstill very quickly, and bus re renting gear which enables it tornn backwards. It is a handsome vehicle, and has been converted to its present use ia order to accustom traffic to Lhia class of conveyance. The Motor Car Regulatiou Act empowers local bodie3 as well as certain Other authorities to extend and apply to motor-cars tbe by-laws and regulations that they have a right to make for the use of other vehicles. By-laws made by local authorities for niotor-cais mutt, however, receive the approval of the Colonial Secretary. Motor-cars ussd as vehicles of any particular class are by the a.ct brought under the statutes and by-laws already rogulabing vehicles of that class, even if no special by-laws are passed for their cont rul. They are, moreover, compelled to carry a lUhb duriLg the period between Bunset aud one hour before sunrise, and a bell at all times to give warning of their approach. No mo-tor-tar may travel " at a greater rate of speed than ia reasonable," aud every motor-car exceeding one hundred pounds in weight is for certain, purposes brought under the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1882, Motor-cars plying for hire, either to carry passengers or goods, or for haulage, mußt employ a certificated driver. For many ytars (says the Wellington " Post ") it has been the practice of the police throughout the colony to furnish the press early jn January with tho criminal statistics for tbe preceding year, The Commissioner of Police holds that the returns should not be published uutfl the Gfovernment has seen them, and eon* Beg uently they will repoae in the pigeonholes at the (Government Buildings until Ministers have leisure to deal with them, possibly months hence. Tbe Government has apportioned the sum of £2250 for the general maintenance, repairs, painting, rebuilding, etc., of schools in Nelson. In Chambers, before tbe Registrar of the Sup etue Court, on the application of Mr Roger Kmgdon, probate of the will of Henry Sutton, of Richmond, farmer, deceased, was granted to Emma Charlotte Sutton, Leonard Sulton, and Alfred Shear, the esecu'.or.-, Darned in the said will. In the Supreme Court in Chambers, this morning, on the motion of Mr. E. B. Moo; c, tbe Registrar granted probate of the will of Amos Uarling, deceased, to John Barling, the sole executor named in the will, On Tuesday Qext at 2 p;m. MrWui Lock will sell personal effects in the estate of John f'rew, deceased, by order of the Public Trustee. On the same day he will sell furniture aud effects on account of Mr Fiak, and on Saturday weefc he will sell valuablo city property. I dwelling, and building sites on account of Mrs AJljajgttn. R. Snodgrass and Sons have immense stooks of all kinds of jars and other requisites for fruit preserving,— Ad ?b. On Saturday next, at 1 1 am. , Mesßrß W. Rout & S me, will sell wheat, chaff, cornflour, poultry, prcduce etc., at 1 i noon privileges in connection with the Nelson Athietic aad Cycling Clubs meeting, Captain G. T. T. Hull, master of the Haupiri, was charged at Wellington tbe other day with having gone to sea without a full crew. It was contended that the vessel should carry three iiremeo, whereas she carried .only two.; Vor the defence it was stated that tho fiteainer required only two foremen whfle engaged in the Wollngton-Picton ferry service, but. as a matter of facf; she carried threo^ ; the third, however, being signed on »a donkeyman, though he was an eype. ienced fireman. The Magistrate $aid he did not wiah jo lay down a definite precedent, but when, as here, a donkeyman was a superior fireman, and tb& vessel carried a donkey- man, she really carried three fire? men. lie therefore dismissed the case. California haß a larger fleet of abipr. listed for tbe carriage of giain and tim ber from the Northern Pacific ports of America to Australia than erer before, Half a hundred vessels of all sin s and rigs from u> 0 0- ton American schopmr to the 2700-ton sbip Ditton, flying the Biitish flasr^ are actually under charter, and many of them at present are on tho seaams king for Australia. About 45 vossels are mentioned in tlco list of vosI sels ttpeefced at Australian poi-y, and i abouc five Qtliers aro to be added, thus making the total of half hundred sailors heading for Australia Sydney conies in for abou|i 28. The cargoes consist of wheat a&d timber chiefly. Bndyard Kipling, who was Captain jßolleßton's. guesi on the Nile during the naval manuiuyres, tells a' story about himself. Ho bad been presented to a young iady ; who almost immediately began to whijapor, and whose eye's were so full of tearß (hat he fell; compelled to ask if she were Ul. or if anything were the matter. Looking at him between her sobs, tho disappointed maiden broke out : " Oh, I thought yon were so. tall and so handsome."— M. aV. II you want to like noises, buggies, Carriages, Cabs, etc., ring up F. N. JONES, Tattersali's. No. 39 (thirt^F-niue) iios't forgjet it.-'Advt j KozieTea—theenprmo^s sales testify to its real w^rtbv , #sjf our Agent, Mr E. Snodgraißsy for:it.-%4d^5v ;;^ •■.■;-: ■■-'. . ; ■V- V : ••■.:•'■ '' \. ■ '■-"' ■ : '' t 'ig^pr' V " ■■'.", Tiwa p iin; greau aaLger ironavfaliiiig UMp =jjfc;tiinbera **&£ ■mmmo, from petflainesi Na^flrei |tii^fin/BjD* v is ■? eqUJprofl '>yjst-to£- burns a^d- bruises, bne application gfvea "Wlvst. Try & Robert SBOiigrjws, %rdy ' Street, sells it. • •/.;,. for purity, btrengtli, ajoui* and full ohness in the oup y Kozae Tea excels all others.r—B. Snodgcass, agent. -Ad? .

: fcThe.bi-aoniialelcQlion of the Nelson I .Harbour Board will be held on Monday, I 9fch prox., ia both city and comity. Noni- 1 inationa close at noon to-morrow week, I with Mr Glen, the retnrning-cflicer. I Mr C. E. Aldridge has been appointed I Deputy- Registrar of Births, Marriages, J and Deaths for Nelson. I | Mesmrs Levin and Co., local agents for I the Shaw Savill and Albion Shipping 1 Company forward the Shipping Comnaiiv's I calendar for 1903. It supplies the "dates I of steamers leaving London for New Zea- I land and rice versa. I A South Australian deep-sea I fisherman made a record haul last I month at a place called Tickera. He 1 saw four whales floundering in the I shallows which abound on the coast I line, and managed to drive them I still further aground. After some I time he succeeded in despatching all I the whales, the smallest of which I measured eighteen feet long. I In consequence of the occurrence I of sickness at some of the native I pahs*, in the Wairarapa, Mr H. D. I Parata, sanitary inspector, acting imder the advice of the Public Health Department, has visited the pahs and stopped all native meetings. He has also disinfected the houses of the infected villages, and distributed disinfectants alnttng the natives. A former West Australian Minister for Works, on his return from England, stated that the loss of confidence in West Australia by Brir | tish investors is partly due to legislation against capital. The Nehon people will shortly be call- . Ed on to decide upon a drainage scheme, ami it will be necessary that agool one U ' chosen. Mr* Timkins saya she is not in favour of the Friendly or any Microbe or Skeptic bank syfatein that empties its Uueuce ou thu umdflat, while Mrs Gherkin Bays she is not in any scheme which is costly and does not use the present sewers and connections, and Bob is agin paying more rates. But everyone agrees that Lock, tho Universal Provider and Cheapest Honse Furnisher, is still selling bia great stock of new and etylisl goedd at low prices much lower than so called clearing or stock-taking Bales. Mr Lock sells everything required to make the home cosy. He sells for cash or on bis literal Easy Payment systjui. No home is complete without one of Lock's t> o Carts or Alias Sewing Machines.— Advt. Delicious butter — first grade. Ask for the Victory Butter, ma<Ze by the Nelson Co operative Dairy Company Ltd. Brighfcwater.— Adet. Uoldeu tipped Kozie at 2s Gdis the most delicious Tea ever offered to the New Zealand public, and will be greatly upr eciated by connoisseurs. E. Snodgrass, Age&tv— Advt. English Furniture. — We have just landed* large shipment of Duchess pairs, marble top washstands, new designs, which we are clearing at £4> 17b (3d per pair. Bisley Bros. & Co.~ Ad ft. Received a large shipment of Linoleums ex Niwaru from London. Splendid quality and patterns in '3, 6, 9, 10 ft 6in and 12 feet widths at greatly reduced prices for 21 days. BUley Brus. & Co.- Advt. Carpels, Bugs, and Mats.— During our stock-taking sale we are making substantial reductions. Our stock is new and di signs oxcellent. Bisley Bros. & Co. — Advt. Special Price. - 15 Lndtes' Le Roy Bicycles, assorted colours, with brakes and sundries, for 21 days, £H 17e 6d. Bisley Bros. & Co. -Advt. To buyers of Furnitute, Carpot -, and Linoleums. — During our stock-taking sale we are making big reductions in all departments. See prices on each article, Bjeley Bros, and Co.— Advt. Xozie Tea contains only the finest leaves of no doubted quality, and no common or exhausted leaves, — R. Snodgrass, Agent. -Advt, House, Farh and Station The recent ex ensjve alterations ia Messrs Bisley Bros, and Co, 's premises enables them to cany larger stocks of gr cedes, hardware, and produce, which they are now offering to the public at wholesale bates. Parcels delivered to any part of the City. Bail way Station or Port. Stocks include 500 bags AI sugar at 7s 6d per 401 b bag, best Ceylon teas in 51b, lulb, and 201 b tinß and 601 b chests from Is 3d per lb, Price's sperm candles from 6£d Nelcon soap from 6s 9d per box, rice, oatmeal, coffee, et<\ Produce— bran, pollard, chaff, wheat, barley, potatoes, grass seeds. Also, for farm and station use— fencing wire, wire net ting from 8s per rp}l of 50 yards, rqofing iron, rjwiing felt, naps.— Enquire Grocery Department Bisley Bros. & Co., Hardy-street, kelson, -Ax>vt. Kozie Tea, Kozitj Tea, the finest and purest ever offered to the public. Try c,— K Snodgvass, Agent.— Advt.