SCHOOLS REOPENING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 22 November 1928, Page 6

SCHOOLS REOPENING

VA ISLET FEVER OOTRREAK IN UliiiSTl lIURCII

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

CHRISTCIIIIIM.:II, 30lb Nnvemi.i

Kollowtug ;t eonleri nee held In day be r.trtx ti rep;v-„>.,t iltve.s oi the Health Department .id th ■ Ci'iteibuiv Education P.oiird, (he i e.-l rid ice-, imp.'.. I'd on (he :iltendance i I children under (en years of age at schools in the I hrislcbiirch metropolitan area have been Idled. The icwer ela; -cs in the majority i f the schools will he resumed to morrow, and pupils .at several of the schools will he medicalh examined hv ollicors of the Health Department.

Dr. Valiutine stated to day thai scarId lever was a disease which in New Zealand had usually run ils course of from two to three years. An epidemic about twelve years ago, and one again approximately twelve year, before that,

more serious effects lh.au was the ease with the present epidemic, which had been running through the Dominion for nearly two years, and in Cliristehureh in particular for over one year. In former epidemics. \h\ Valiutine added, as many as ninety deaths would occur in one year. Last year throughout the Dominion there wen' sixteen deaths from scarlet fever, and tip to date this \(\ir the number was about twenty. The reason the Department considered it advisable thai a elese examination should be made of children attending certain schools was that in addition lo dear cases of scarlet fever there were some instances of children with red growths who. while not suffering severely from the disease probably were- a factor in its spread. It is probable thai the school dental clinics will shortly be reopened.