HOW DISEASE IS SPREAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4978, 30 May 1903, Page 7

HOW DISEASE IS SPREAD.

THE RECENT SCARLET FEVER ’ EPIDEMIC. IMPORTED WITH SOLDIERS’ BAGGAGE. PRESS ASSOCIATION." AUCKLAND, May 29. At the hospital inquiry to-day. Dr McKenzie said he was in South Africa, and came back on the troopship Montrose. When -they arrived there was scarlet fever on board. What struck him was the way the baggage was sterilised. It was not sterilisation at all. What ■ was done was almost absolutely useless. -. The men were paraded on the troop deck, and a mam went round with a garden' syrino and solution of fonua-lin-and' squirted a little into each kit. ’Possibly it'was difficult for the Health Department, then in its infancy, to deal with such a large amount of infected material, but terrible risk was run and terrible results accrued. An epidemic of scarlet fever spread throughout the colony, and a largo number of lives were lost, which, ho believed, was due to tho fact that tho Health Department was in its infancy, and was not in a position to deal effectively, with infected material in large quantities. Ho thought tho kite should have been thrown overhoard or burned. There would havo been no.hardship if every man. had got £1 for his kit, and it would have saved tho country an enormous amount of expense. The British'Government was now making inquiry -bo find out who was responsible for putting the first scarlet fever kits on board the Montrose, and ho believed evidence would be taken in New Zealand. To show how the scarlet fever spread through tho colony. Dr McKenzie stated that 'ho himself attended tho family of one trooper in Otago. Tho trooper had not had scarlet fever himself; ho had measles, but his family got scarlet fever, which had probably been, carried in his baggage. Mr Alison asked Dr McKenzie whose fault. 1 that was.—Dr McKenzie said it was the-fauit of those who sent scarlet fever .cases on board tho Montrose.

Mr Alison: Why did you say tho Health'Department was in-its infancy ■if the Department was not to blame?— Dr McKenzie said tho officers of the Health Department knew as well as he did that tho system of dealing with baggage on tho Montrose was not by any means perfect, but they did the best thev could with the facilities they had at their disposal at the time. With perfect apparatus tho baggage could have, been - sterilised in a couple of days'.,;'He Aid "not attach any blame to -the .Health Department. \