SMALL-POX.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1666, 3 February 1904, Page 59

SMALL-POX.

’••'‘CASE AT SOMES ISLAND.*,

' QUTBREAK IN EBOR STREET. Sovne days ago one of tho clerks in tha-.Goverument Health Department,Mi H. B. 'McGrath, developed a gaspte.ous looking rash, which caused the medical officers of the department to immediately isolate the patient. He was removed to .Soanes Island, with his wife and child. The case has -been kept under close supervision for five days. It was at first thought that they were nothing more than ordinary symptoms, but ;an fortunately on Thursday ample proof w: as afforded that the disease with which Mr •McGrath has become affected is smallpox. ... , Prior to the patient’s detention at Somes Island the house in which he resides, in Karori crescent, was thoroughly fumigated, and every precautionary measure taken by the officers of ' the Health Department to prevent possible contagion. The case is a mild one and hopes are retained that the outbreak will be confined to its present limits. The officers of the Health Department visited a house in Ebor street, off Tory street, on Thursday, in which a ’ suspicious case occurred. The patient, a girl, was removed to tho Berliampore -Hospital, tho case being diagnosed as undoubtedly one of smallpox). The house, in which there are five people, and the house adjoining it have been isolated, arid a constable placed on guard there. Dr Mason stated on Thursday, in an-

swer to inquiries from a representative of the “New Zealand Mail,” that the two cases were undoubtedly smallpox, but fortunately of \a mild type. He ■explained that the Ebor street patient had hCen taken to the Berhaiinpore Hos.pital, instead of to Soanes Island, for the reason that the Berhampore Hospital is the proper place for any case occurring within our own city. Any such future case will he sent there.' whilst patients from outside places will be isolated as usual at Somes Isiland. Dr Mason was asked whether lie could assign any cause for the appearance of smallpox in Wellington. In reply, he pointed out that- the disease had been floating about Christchurch for some time before it came under the notice of the department—a fact which prove® How difficult it is to trace the cause of such an outbreak. The Chief Health Officer repeated what he has already urged as to the importance of vaccinatiem, pointing out that safety depended upon this individual safeguaid. SUSPICIOUS CASES DETAINED. On Saturday two suspicious cases developed on tho steamer Takapuna, which trades beetween Onehunga, New Plymouth, Wellington and Nelson. On the vessel’s arrival from the north two of the crew were detained for medical examination. ' The men displayed symptoms of the illness preceding the rash incidental to smallpox, and in order to he on the safe side, Dr Mason ordered their isolation for a time on' Somes Island, so that the patients might be kept under close observation. The berths occupied by the men on the Takapuna were thoroughly fumigated. Everyone on hoard! was vaccinated, the vessel then being passed, by the medical officer. Close observation, however, has shown that the men are npt affected by smallpox, and they will be released from quarantine. Another man, a mate of these two, was detained »t Nelson, and he also is to he released. The smallpox patient already at Somes Island, and the other at Berhamas well as the contacts, are reported to be progressing very favour- . ably. Large numbers of people continue to present themselves for vaccination at the offices of the Health Department and at the residences of private practitioners. “The only protection,” observed the Chief Health Officer, “is for every man to pnt on his own individual armour,” and by being vaccinated they are safeguarding themselves against pos- ' sible'ihfec?tion. " .T^§ ;e officers of the Health De--1 partipent,.are, of course,, being kept exceptionally busy just now; and’ the work whicji I Remands their chief . attention dotejhqt,camo before the public eye; at : alLr /jihjifl t is the duty incumbent upon them-,’ of travelling to every quarter of the compass, at any moment at which auspicious cases may be reported to them. Elvery such case must necessarily be reported at once by the doctor in attendance, and this naturally involves considerable extra work for the health officers, though, of course, it is. essential that this 'system of examination should be rigidly pursued in orger to safeguard the public health. . , , . Otoe doctor m Wellington- vaccinated about two hundred people one day last week, and a Vaccinator in Christchurch treated four hundred in one day. In view of the-prevalence of smallpox, ait Ohristchurch, the members of Mr J. C. Williamson’s Dramatic Cpmtf pany, fiteded by Mr Cuyler Hastings, forty in itumbbr," -were • vaccinated at the Theatre Royal', Timaru*

CHRISTCHURCH, January 29.

A possible case of smallpox was discovered at Richmond this morning. The patient was recently inoculated, and may only bo suffering from vaccination rash.

INVERCARGILL, January 30. An Orepuki resident named Alexander Forbes has been isolated, but Dr Ogston, after two- examinations, has pronounced the case one of severe eczema, not- smallpox. SYDNEY, January 29.

Medical inspection of the passengers by the Mokcda, which arrived to-day from Auckland, was not finished at a late hour to-night, and the _ vessel anchored down the harbour till tlie morning. The mails were landed. SYDNEY, January 30.

Three of the Mokoiia’s passengers refused to he vaccinated, and will be landed at the quarantine station this morning. The vessel will then come to the wharf. The passengers are dissatisfied at being kept on board all night. SYDNEY, January 31. The President of the Beard of Health has issued instructions in regard; to the smallpox scare that all persons arriving from New Zealand not vaccinated within six months and not less than fifteen days, will have to undergo twenty-one days’ quarantine. The President says that it is not necessary to take the same precautions as were taken with Tasmania, because the outbreak has been promptly, intelligently and thoroughly managed since January 12tli; .and also on account of the number of separate towns and their widely-separated geographical positions. Further, on account of tne extensive commercial relations and New Zealand being the port of call of several lines of ocean steamers. At the samo time.' incoming steamers will he subjected to- a searching scrutiny. RESTRICTIONS AT HOBART. As the Union Steam Ship Company has been advised that t-h© regulations at Hobart are being so rigidly enforced that those who cannot comply with them will not he allowed to land there, the company has decided that it will not book passengers for Hobart who cannot so comply with the conditions laid down, which are as follows:—Passengers from New Zealand for Hobart must show evidence' of having undergone successful vaccination in four places not more than two years and not less than fifteen days prior to arrival. If three unsuccessful attempts have been made to vaccinate, and the latest is five days old, re-vaccination will be necessary on arrival.