SMALLPOX EPIDEMICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15822, 22 July 1913, Page 5

SMALLPOX EPIDEMICS

~~1 POSITION AT SYDNEY.

SUPPLY OF LYMPH. MANY RECOVERIES AND NO DEATHS. Press Association-By Telegraph—Copyright. ■' SYDNEY, July 21. A satisfactory supply of lymph has arrived from Melbourne. All the vaccinating depots are open to-day. The case at Ulmarra proved to le chickenpox. So far 115 victims have recovered, arid there have been no deaths.

EFFECT ON COASTAL SHIPPING,

THE PASSENGER SERVICE,

BIG LINERS TAKEN OFF.

SYDNEY, July 21.

The outbreak is affecting the passenger traffic steamers so seriously that the big liner Canberra has been replaced on the coastal running by a smaller vessel. Another new boat, the Warilda, will be taken off next week, and possibly the Wandilla, out of the Queensland service.^

THE SCARE AT MELBOURNE.

EXCITEMENT SUBSIDING. MELBOURNE, July 21. . The excitement here is subsiding, though vaccinations continue to be numerous. An authority* on smallpox is confident that with the extensive vaccinations that have taken place the disease will reach its end in Sydney in about four weeks.

ARRIVAL OF THE MANUKA.

PRATIQUE GRANTED. MELBOURNE, July 21. , The Manuka on her arrival was granted pratique. CASES AT BRISBANE. BRISBANE, July 21. Two cases are under observation here, one of which is from Sydney, There is a case at Toowoomba also under observation, but its nature is not yet decided. PRECAUTIONS AT HOBART. NEW ZEALAND PASSENGEHS V HOBART, July 21. Arrangements have been completed for examining all passengers on New Zealand steamers. The suspected cage at Deloraine is progressing favourably.

ORIGIN OF THE OUTBREAK.

BROUGHT FROM NEW ZEALAND,

MELBOURNE, July 21. (Received July 21, at 10.35 p.m.) Dr Cumpston (Federal Director of Quarantine) and other quarantine authorities have reached a definite conclusion that smallpox was introduced to Sydney from New Zealand..

FOUR NEW CASES.

SEVERAL OTHERS DOUBTFUL.

SYDNEY, July 21

(Received July 22, at 0.40 a.m.) Four smallpox patients were removed to quarantine to-day. The cases of several others whose conditions indicate the likelihood of smallpox will be completely diagnosed to-morrow, Country reports state that two people at Ulmarra and one at Parkes are suffering from smallpox. The vaccinations are falling off again in the city contemporaneously with a decrease in the smallpox cases. PRECAUTIONS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. ADELAIDE, July 21. (Received July 22, at 0.40 a.m.) The Government is making chickenpox a notifiable disease, with a View to preventing an outbreak of smallpox through a mistaken diagnosis. POSITION IN AUCKLAND PROVINCE. THREE SEVERE CASES. DEATH AT POINT CHEVALIER. BORROWED CERTIFICATES. (Per United Puess Association.) AUCKLAND, July 21. News was received at the district health office to-day that three very .severe cases had been, discovered amongst the Maoris at Tarawera, near Te Awamutu; these being declared to be time smallpox, even to the marked characteristic odour. Six less severe cases wero reported from the same place. The death of a Native patient was reported from Manganui, where other cases had been isolated. Further cases notified (all amongst Maoris) were as follow:— Matapuna, near Taumanui, one; Kawhia, one (a contact with Auckland cases); Okoroire district, one; Tauranga, one. In the Okoroire district vaccination, isolation, and quarantine have been .enforced. A definite statement regarding the nature of the epidemic' in the Auckland district was made by Dr Frengley, of the Health Department. "The Health Office," he said, ''has, from the outset, declared the cases isolated at Point Chevalier to be modified, smallpox, and all our precautions have been based on that diagnosis of the disease. All the patients now at Point Chevalier are considered by the department to be suffering from modified smallpox. The department's fear that this mild or modified form of smallpox might r become more virulent in a comparatively immune aboriginal race such as. the Jdaori," added Dr Frengley, "seems unfortunately to have already been demonstrated in the occurrence in the Te Awamutu district as reported to-day."

"There is no doubt th.-t two diseases are prevalent," remarked Dr Monk, health officer. "Some people are suffering from chickenpox and others from smallpox." Supplies of lymph are coming to hand irom Wellington daily, except on Mondays, when no main trunk express arrives. On Sunday 1000 tubes were received, and these were all disposed of by this afternoon.

At least one instance has been reported to the health officers o£ unvaccinated Maoris in the North Auckland district travelling upon a certificate borrowed from vaccinated friends. "The department considers this practice to be very ill-judged on the part of ignorant or designing Maoris," said Dr Frcngley in discussing the matter. "If such actions continue there is just a likelihood that still more .drastic measures will be imposed upon the whole population shoidd the epidemic make itself manifest. Instead, therefore, of persons who hear of such cases enjoying them as a joke against department, it would be well for them to look upon them as very serious with re-i gard to their own interests and those of the people of Auckland generally." A Maori woman died in the isolation hospital at Point Chevalier to-day The other patients are progressing favourably. The nine Europeans, all of whom are "contacts," aro only slightly infected. Two more Europeans were found to be suffering from the disease to-day, one at Ponsonby and the other at l*amell. Both were immediately sent to the isolation hospital.

CHECK AT HASTINGS. THREE THOUSAND VACCINATIONS. (Pub United Pbess Association.) HASTINGS, July 21. The smallpox epidemic apparently has been checked, and the scare is dying, but about 3000 people have been inoculated in the .district. UP THE WANGANUI. NO SIGN OF SMALLPOX. (Pib United Press Association.) I WANGANUI. July 21. Dr Mackenzie returned to Wellington to-day from up the Wanganui River, where he h'as been busily engaged for several davs vaccinating Maoris. He is returning to-day with a fresh supply of lymph. He reports that there is no sign of smallpox amongst the Maoris, but there are several cases of Ake Ake.

VACCINATION IN PARLIAMENT,

EFFECT ON THE HOUSE,

AN ADJOURNMENT POSSIBLE,

(From Orm Own Co-respondent.) WELLINGTON, July 21. There are in all about 10 members of the House severely affected by the results of vaccination. If they are not able to attend the House to-morrow it is quite possible that the Government may consider the question of adjourning the House for a week or 10 days pending their recovery.

DR VALINTTNE'S BULLETIN. (Peb United Press Association.), WELLINGTON, July 21. The following official bulletin was issued by Dr Valintine (Chief Health Officer) at 9.30 this evening:— "The present position is as follows:—In Auckland City, some 40 persons are isolated, including two Europeans from Onehunga, and another European admitted to the. hospital to-day from Ponsonby. A. European case was reported at Otahuhu yesterday. (Owing to a breakdown in telegraphic communication the exact returns are not to hand.) Dr Gunn reports three severe cases among the Natives at Parawera, and six ca6es of a less severe tvpe. Inspector Calderwood reports a case at Matapuna and another at Pungapunga. Dr Will reports cases near Tauma. runui. Dr Will reports cases at Mangomii, and is using the Rangiawhia hall for isolation purposes. Dr Douglas reports some 30 cases in various stages of the disease in the Waikato district. All the cases are isolated, also the _ contacts. No further news has been received from the Bay of Islands, where several cases are reported. A case has been reported at Pahiatua. Dr Mackenzie reports all clear or. the Wanganui River, and Dr Couzens states that he has come across no cases in the Tokaanu districts. The latest report from Auckland states that a Native woman died at the Point Chevalier Hospital today, the first death recorded in AuctcI land."

UNVACCINATED PASSENGERS,

CONCERN AT NELSON. MORE STRINGENCY DESIRED.' (Per United Press Association.) ■ NELSON, July 21. There is considerable adverse comment in Nelson owing to the regulation regarding the vaccination of passengers from the. North Island not being enforced. Arriving passengers report it to be purely optional, and many are coming across the strait unvaceinated. It is reported that a passenger arrived by the Pateena Saturday who had come from the King Country and had not been asked either to submit to vaccination or to produce a certificate. The newspapers urge that greater stringency be observed, also that vaccinated persons be not allowed to travel until the lymph has had sufficient time to take effect.

There is also-some uneasiness on account of there being practically no lyrapli in the town for vaccination purposes.

NEW ZEALAND LYMPH. THE NEWCASTLE REPORT. STATEMENT BY DR YALINTINE. WELLINGTON, July 21. Referring to the cablegram from Sydney stating that' New Zealand lymph had proved ineffective, Dr Valintine informed a Post representative that he could not understand how any New Zealand vaccine got to Newcastle. The only vaccine sent from here was sent directed to the Public Health Department in Sydney in response to urgent demands from the authorities there. The only other supply secured was put in charge of Dr Makgill to vaccinate people who went across in the boat with him.

With reference to the effectiveness, of New Zealand lymph, Dr Champtaloup states that ho has treated a considerable number of cases during t/he past fortnight, and in every case the result has been satisfactory. Both he and the local public vaccinators have been getting excellent results, and Dr Champtaloup naively adds that any information required may be readily had from those who have been treated.