MAORI EPIDEMIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15351, 12 July 1913, Page 8

MAORI EPIDEMIC.

PATIENTS RECOVERING. FEW CASES IN THE CITY. CHECKING THE DISEASE. PRECAUTIONS IN COUNTRY. CABINET DELIBERATES. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. SAME AS SYDNEY OUTBREAK. Fourteen patients are now isolated in the Point Chevalier Hospital Buffering from pustular rash, the prevailing Maori epidemic. Of these 12 are males, one being a European and the remainder natives (six of whom were sent in from Mangere yesterday morning), while two Maori women complete the list. The white man referred to was residing in a Vincent Street, boardinghouso. and was sent out to the isolation hospital yesterday morning. In addition to the 14 patients there are two cases under observation, both of which are suspected chickenpox. Each of the sufferers is a European, one being a resident of Mount Eden and the other, who first came under notice yesterday, living at Avondale. They are at present under treatment at their own homes. Three chickenpox patients at the district hospital are fast re covering. Dr. Maguire stated yesterday that tho condition of the patients at Point Chevalier is satisfactory, and that several of them will be discharged in a few daj'3. No cases of suspected smallpox were reported to the district health officer (Dr. Monk) yesterday from any of the city districts. Notification was, however, sent to him from Poroti, near Whangarei, of a whole family of Maoris who had been stricken with the mysterious disease. Am outbreak at Ngahwa Hot Springs, near Ohaeawai, where there are 60 cases, was advised, and single cases were also reported from Huntly and Whananaki. The Public Health Department has notified tho Auckland City Council that tho carriage of Maoris in any public vehicle, unless they hold a certificate that they are free from disease, is prohibited. Work of District Health Office. The efforts of the district health officer are being concentrated upon clearing the city from infection as far as possible. In J order to do this, Dr. Monk is having all the native settlements close to Auckland 1 visited and inspected. In this work he is ' being assisted by various medical men in j the surrounding districts, and by four assistants, who are carrying out disinfec- ! tion wherever necessary. Dr. Spending is j due to arrive from Dunedin to-morrow j morning, and his services will be enlisted j to assist in vaccination, to vist suspects, and later to relieve Dr. Maguire of the care of the patients at Point Chevalier. In the meantime any native found showing spots allied in nature to chickenpox is being sent to the isolation hospital, all others being vaccinated. Dr. Monk stated yesterday that Mangere has been inspected and cleared, that Orakei was undergoing the finishing stages of inspection, and that Shoal Bay, where more natives are congregated, was the next on the list. All the boardinghouses in the city in which any Maoris are residing have now been visited and vaccination carried out.

"I am seeking to throw a protective barrier round Auckland." said Dr. Monk, " and as no Maori is allowed to travel witlicut a certificate of vaccination this ring of vaccinated natives should nave the effect of staying the progress of the disease in the immediate vicinity of the city." Coastal shipping is being closely watched for any unvaccinated Maori workers.

Infected Schools as Hospitals.

Dr. Monk telegraphed to the Public Health Department yesterday suggesting that he should be allowed to utilise country schools attended by Maori children in districts where the epidemic is rife as isolation hospitals. The district health officer, in explaining his proposal, stated that these schools are already infected, and might, therefore, readily form useful encampments in which to collect the sick, until such time as. it should be safe to let them resume their ordinary avocations. UndeT any circumstances, he said, such schools would have to be disinfected, and their use as temporary hospitals would consequently only mean a little more disinfection and cleansing, both of which operations are often urgently needed. The Health Department approved of Dr. Monk's suggestion, and telegraphed to him yesterday afternoon authorising him to ' utilise the three schools at Otiria, Kaikohe, and Ngawha Hot Springs for the purpose suggested. Large Numbers Vaccinated. The Public Health Department in Wellington is kept very busy in manufacturing supplies of lymph. So great is the rush in Auckland for this lymph that 700 tubes which arrived yesterday morning had all been distributed by the district health officer, amongst various medical men and chemists, by 11 a.m. All day long thereafter the health office was besieged by inquiries for more, but had to be content to wait until to-day, when fresh /supplies are due. Doctors are vaccinating numerous people during the daytime at their city rooms, and several have found it necessary to devote soma hours in the evening to the same work. To date 2700 tubes of lymph have been distributed from the local health office—a quantity sufficient for the vaccination of 5400 persons. A request for 2000 tubes from Sydney has had to be refused. The number of "Maoris in the city is daily decreasing. Many are attending at the district health office, where at noon each day Dr. Monk and Dr. Dudley are engaged for an hour or more in vaccinating natives anxious to obtain certificates enabling them to leave for their homes. Some of the local doctors have been engaged during the past day or two in vaccinating the pupils at various private schools and inmates of certain institutions DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. EVERY PRECAUTION TAKEN. PUZZLING NATURE OP DISEASE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Friday. A statement in regard to the epidemic amongst the Maori* was ■ made by the Minister for Public Health (tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes) as the House of Representatives was about to rise this evening. Mr. Rhodes said that the Cabinet had to-night found it necessary to adopt certain precautions in regard to the epidemic which had broken out in several districts in the Auckland Province. There was still a difference of opinion amongst the doctors as to whether the disease was smallpox in a mild form or chickenpox in a virulent form. It was certainly the same disease that was prevalent in Sydney, and the Health Department had deemed it advisable to treat the disease us smallpox. In reply to Mr. Sidey, the Minister said that, a case of chickenpox had been isolated at the Wellington Hospital. This case was that of a European. Mr. Bradney (Auckland West) asked whether it was known how the disease had been introduced to the Auckland district. Mr. Rhodes said that it had been reported that it was brought from Sydney | by a Mormon missionary. There was no I doubt that it came originally from Van-

couver to Sydney, and from thence to Auckland. Mr. Bradney said that for some years it had been the custom in Auckland to carry on the medical examination of passengers on steamers from Australia in the stream, but lately this rule had been relaxed. Steamers "had been permitted to come to the wharf before the passengers were examined. A great mistake had been made in regard to this matter. Mr. A. E. Glover (Auckland Central) spoke to a similar effect. Tho Prime Minister assured the House and the country that the. Government and tho Health Department were fully alive to .the seriousness of the position, and would do everything possible to meet it. The natives were quite willing to work with tho Government in whatever was necessary, and were willing to submit to vaccination. In fact, many had already done so. Another point was tluit it might become necessary in tho next few days to insist upon passengers between Wellington and the South submitting to vaccination. This would be in the interests of tho people in the South Island, and ho was certain that if it was necessary it would be supported by the people. Mr. Russell inquired about passengers between Wellington and Auckland being vaccinated. Mr. Massey said that no natives would bo allowed to travel except with certificates. It was not proposed to interfere with Europeans travelling. Tho Hon. It. H. Rhodes said that in Sydney, as in New Zealand, the disease had for some weeks been looked upon as chickenpox, but if it was chickenpox it was a form of that disease with which the doctors were not familiar. As to tho suggestion of the member for Avon that the kaingas should be isolated, this had already been dono in a number of instances. Another member had asked about natives travelling by way of To Kuiti. If To Kuiti were isolated there would be no travelling from that town. There had been no laxity in regard to ships arriving at Auckland. Every passenger had been examined. He did not think that at the present time it was necessary to enforce the compulsory provision relating to vaccination. The people at Auckland were coming forward in crowds to be vaccinated. Tho natives, ho believed, were fully awaro of the seriousness of the outbreak. He had received more telegrams from natives regarding the disease than from Europeans. In reply to a member, Mr. Rhodes said that the proclamation regarding the epidemic had been printed in Maori and would be circulated to-morrow.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES AT HUNTLY. NATIVE SCHOOL CLOSED. [BY telegraph.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hcntly, Friday. Acting on the advice of Dr. MacDiarmid, the native children were this morning sent from school to their homes, with instructions not to return until they had been vaccinated, there being several suspected cases of chickenpox in the native settlement. A case at Waorenga has been isoI lated, Dr. J. C. MacDiarmid going there to-day to report on it. OASES NEAR MOERINS7ILLE I i ONE REPORTED TO BE SERIOUS. I [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Morrinsvtllk, Friday. Four cases of the pre vailing diseaso, one ! of them being serious, have broken out at i the Maori settlement at Kiwitahi, near ' Morrinsville. Dr. Seville, health officer, i visited the pah this morning, and all the j cases were isolated. The persons attacked ! are a child and three adults. Another case i is reported from Waharoa, near Mata- ! mata, where a tangi was held about 10 days ago, when natives from Cambridge and other districts were present. The doctor is without sufficient lymph, and has telegraphed to Auckland for a supply. The whole of the Maoris will be vaccinated when the supply of lymph arrives. The local constable has ordered all the Maoris to leave the township, and the shopkeepers have been instructed to prevent them from entering business premises, unless they can produce a certificate of vaccination.

Tlie health officer and police are cooperating with the chairman of the Town Board, and it is hoped that the disease will be confined to the Maori settlement. POSITION IN KING COUNTRY. TANGI BROKEN UP. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Te Kuiti, Friday. - Dr. Zobel has been appointed by ' the Health Department to investigate matters in this district, where many Maori settlements exist'. To-day Dr. Zobel, accompanied by tho health inspector, Mr. Calderwood, visited Otorohanga, where a tangi was in progress. They discovered three Maoris suffering from the disease—a woman, a girl about 14 years old, and a child. Tho patients and contacts were isolated. Mr. Calderwood remained to take charge and prevent the Maoris from leaving. A large crowd of Maoris is expected at a tangi to-morrow. These will be isolated also. Dr. Zobel also discovered three cases of acute tuberculosis at the tangi, and is reporting on the subject to the Department. The settlements near Te Kuiti have been visited. No indication of any outbreak was discovered, though one or two deaths from typhoid have occurred recently. Dr. Zobel reports numerous applications for vaccination, but a supply of lymph has not arrived, although the Department promised to supply it four days ago. The lymph is expected to arrive to-morrow. SAFEGUARDING THE SOUTH. PASSENGERS BEING VACCINATED. [by TELEGRAPH.— PRESS association.] Wellington, Friday. All passengers leaving for tho South by to night's boat are to be vaccinated before leaving, as tho disease prevailing in the North Island has not yet appeared in the South Island. MORE LYMPH COMING NORTH. DR. MAKGILL GOES TO SYDNEY. [BY TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL correspondent."] Wellington, Friday. The Chief Health Officer (Dr. Valintine) states that 30 extra medical officers have been appointed in the North of Auckland with special powers in regard to vaccination, detention, isolation, and disinfection. The Health Department has an ample supply of lymph. Five hundred extra tubes, sufficient for the vaccination of about 1500 people, wore despatched to Auckland by to-day's express. Dr. Makgill, district health officer at Auckland, left for Sydney this evening. He will inquire into the circumstances of the outbreak of sickness there, and forward a report to the Health Department.