TYPHOID CARRIER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23488, 27 October 1939, Page 10

TYPHOID CARRIER

SUPERVISION IN HOSPITAL BRIEF HOLIDAY GRANTED PREPARATION FOR OPERATION [BY TKIjEGRAPJT—OWN CORRESPONDENT] GISBORXE, Thursday The fact that an established carrier of typhoid infection had been under supervision at the Cook Hospital for some time, and recently was permitted a "holiday" of a few days to relievo the tedium of existence in the wards, was referred to at the meeting of the Cook Hospital Board, when the medical superintendent, Dr. R. J. B. Hall, stated that careful instructions had been given to the carrier to avoid closo contacts with the general public. The patient is a Maori, and according to tho report of the medical superintendent, seven cases of typhoid fever recently under treatment in the Cook Hospital have been traced to contact with this man. Dr. Hall stated that the. man had been placed in hospital by the district health officer, after it' was established that ho was the source of a fairly nerious infection. The man had taken the position philosophically, up to tho present, although he had become tired of enforced residence at the hospital. Tho board was informed that an operation of a delicate nature would remove the source of infection from the man's body, but that the choice of having the operation or not was entirely a matter for the carrier himself. Already he had been operated on extensively for other causes, and doubtless it would take time to adjust his mind to the necessity for undergoing further surgical treatment,

Dr. Hall added that the man was a good patient, and that the medical staff was anxious to show him every consideration. He was unfortunate in that ho had to accept enforced residence in the hospital, or to some other form of restraint at the instance of the Health Department, so long as his condition remained as at present.