DIPHTHERIA IN NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21893, 31 August 1934, Page 13

DIPHTHERIA IN NORTH

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN TREATMENT NOT COMPLETED STATEMENT BY DR. D. COOK [by telegraph—own correspondent] WHANGAREI, Thursday Referring to cases of diphtheria in the Awanui district. Dr. D. 'Cook, medical officer of health for North Auckland, said to-day that the position in the Far North had been carefully watched since last December. All precautions had been taken by the department, and all known cases isolated. Any evasion of the procedure was without the department's knowledge. Unfortunately, one quarter of the children at the' Awanui school did not complete their treatment. Dr. Cook said, the parents having lost their faith in the interval which elapsed between the first and second inoculations. The efficacy of the treatment was demonstrated by the fact that one case only had occurred at the Awanui school since March, this beine a child from a home where inoculation was not agreed to. "Any child can be rendered immune from the disease by inoculation." continued Dr. Cook, "a facility which has been available to the public since March. The position is well in hand and there has been no development to my knowledge to warrant the calling of a public meeting at Awanui."