SMALLPOX AT CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1664, 20 January 1904, Page 20

SMALLPOX AT CHRISTCHURCH.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 13. Dr Crooke reported to the Hospital Board this morning that a case suspected to he smallpox was taken to the infectious disease® hospital at Bottle Lake yesterday. The patient is Mrs Grove, of Marton, who came three weeks ago to stay with her sister, Mrs Ayrey, in Limvood. She was ill for some time, but the nature of the disease was not suspected till yesterday, when Dr Finch, District Health Officer, ordered her removal to Bottle Lake. Dr Mason inspected the case this morning, and, pronounced it undoubtedly smallpox. He states that the patient i® improving, and lie has every hope of her recovery. She has been in a very dangerous condition. This evening Dr Mason placed in quarantine six houses whose residents had been in contact with the patient, and he sent two families to' Bottle Lake for isolation.

Mrs Ayrey was also sent to Bottle Lake as a convalescent. It is stated that she ha® been suffering from smallpox, but is now almost well again. Dr Mason-has made arrangements for the treatment of the disease, and has isolated the other patients already in the hospital. Ho will remain here for some days. The Hospital Board has requested Dr Mason to take charge of the Bottle Lake Hospital, as it has no funds for the purpose® of the case. Dr Mason communicated with Sir Joseph Ward about tbk, and the latter agreed to provide funds up to March. Seen just before midnight, Dr Mason stated his stay in Christchurch must he prolonged indefinitely. Every effort was being made to trace the origin of the outbreak, concerning which he hoped to make a statement to-morrow. It is reported that there have been other cases than those now in hospital, and the outbreak is much larger than at first supposed. CHRISTCHURCH, January 14.

Three additional cases of smallpox have been reported—viz., a child in Colombo street, another child in Kingstreet, anti a man in Sandyford street, ail in the Sydenham Ward. This makes a total of five cases with those of Mesdarnes Smith and Grove. All those, suffering from the disease have been, or are being removed to the Bottle Lake Hospital. The Chief Health Officer states that so far as his investigations have gone Mrs Smith’s was the original case. He is advertising a list of public vaccina--tor®, and advising all who have not had smallpox to get vaccinated. Later.

At a late hour to-night Dr Mason stated that the five smallpox patients at Bottle Lake were doing well. All arrangements he had ordered were being carried o;at satisfactorily, and he was of opinion that the outbreak was now well in hand, though its origin had not yet been traced. . CHRISTCHURCH, January 15. The smallpox patients at the Bottle Lake Hospital are doing well. The public vaccinators are being kept busy, and in some instances whole families are being vaccinated. It has been suggested that the outbreak is due to kapok from the Gracchus, but the Chief Health Officer.states that he has been unable to trace the source of the disease. Mrs Smith (not Ayrey) is supposed to he the original case. She is said to have stated that apples, probably from Tasmania., were the cause of her contracting the disease. . A man from dining-rooms in Colombo street, Central Wand, and a boy from Byron street, Sydenham, were removed to the infectious diseases hospital todhy. The Chief Health Officer is not prepared to say they are suffering from emaillpox, but in both cases a rash is present, the nature of which requires isolation.. . .. _ inspector Shaw,.. of the Health Department, who arrived in Christchurch

this morning, fyad the dining-rooms fid Colombo street, v from whence a man. hass been removed, locked up immediately,, and a constable stationed to prevent anybody entering or leaving the place pending a thorough disinfection. The discovery of the man’s condition wad made just before noon, and a little lateb.l the proprietor of the rooms (Mr R. CL David) suites that about two hundred people would have sat down to lunch. The man first complained of feeling ill laso Monday, but no doctor was called in until his symptoms were examined by the Health Officers. Ho is stated to have lived very quietly in Christchurch, leaving the dining-rooms imme>« diateiy after aufl associating with few people who frequented them., Only direct contacts with the patient will be sent to Bottle Lake, and the attendants, servants and other® a,t the) dining-room will merely have to submit to vaccination, and will then be allowed their liberty.