SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15358, 21 July 1913, Page 7

SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC.

NEW ZEALAND BLAMED NOW.

LYMPH RUNS SHORT.

SUPPLIES FROM OUTSIDE. COMPULSORY VACCINATION. LIMITED TO INFANTS. (Received July 20. 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, July 20. Fovr fresh cases of smallpox were reported on Saturday and one to-day. There is a temporary shortage of lymph, but- a supply from Noumea will arrive tomorrow. A local firm is already turning out lymph, but it will not be available until the end of the week. Seven thousand people were vaccinated a* the public depots on Saturday. It is reported from Newcastle that the lymph obtained from New Zealand has proved ineffective. One doctor at Newcastle used it on 300 people, but all must be revaecinated. Sydney, July 19. The health authorities in Sydney are compelled to recast the belief that smallpox was introduced by a steward aboard the Vancouver steamer Zealandia. This steward has been successfully vaccinated, showing that the eruption from ■which he suffered was not smallpox. Some doctors believe that the disease came direct from New Zealand, and are convinced that the New Zealand., Sydney, and Canadian outbreaks are all of the same type. It is extremely likely that the disease came to Sydney from New Zealand after the Maoris had been infected with the Canadian vims. ,

Mr. W. A. Holmau (Premier of NewSouth Wales) states that the Compulsory Vaccination Bill will apply to infants only. Since the contagion first became known 5538 cases of smallpox havo been treated. Fifty-five patients and 164 convalescents are still in quarantine, while 69 have been discharged. The Maheno's passengers and crew were examined, 'those not successfully vaccinated were revaccinated before release. Melbottknt:, July 19. Fifty thousand have been vaccinated. All but a few of the Karcola's contacts have been traced, and no further ca&es are reported. Hobart, July 19. The statement that the Maunganui' had four of the Karoola's passengers aboard, though official, is now proved to be groundless. No passengers from the affected area landed here.

INOCULATION SCEK7SS.

DOCTORS MAKING RECORDS.

[FROM'OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Sydney, July 12.

" Still spreading" is the current daily report in connection with the epidemic of what, is described as a mild {the American) form of smallpox; which has up to date been responsible for the sending of over 230 persons into quarantine in Sydney. No sufferer has yet died, and the health authorities assnre us that there is no prospect of any cases ending fatally. However, they join in strong nrgings to all people in and about Sydney to get vaccinated at the first opportunity. , There is actually more alarm in the other States, especially Victoria, than in New South Wales over the outbreak ; but the steadilyrepeated injunction, "Be vaccinated,' has brought about such a condition of the public mind that at present some 13,000 persons, old and young, are being treated daily at the free public vaccination depots which have been opened in Sydney and suburbs.

Some interesting scenes are to be witnessed at the "public vaccination depots. Grownup, or nearly grown-up, persons seem to make much more of the simple business of vaccination than do children. It is surprising how many go off into a faint and obstruct the heavy stream of waiting, bare-armed folk who are marshalled into squads by policemen. There is also apparent a rather surprising uncertainty amongst some people, including ladies, as to how much clothing it is necessary to displace in order to allow jte operator to do his work on a bare patch on the left arm. So expert have come of the doctors become at the work of vaccinating that they are probably putting up some world's records. So fast do they work—they have to—that one cannot help hoping 'hard that the rapid sterilisation of their instruments is complete, because one sees in the ranks of those awaiting treatment people some of whom look like potential distributors of other evils as bad at least as smallpox. As regards vaccination, the catch phrase of the hour is "Everybody's doing it."