UP THE WANGANUI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15824, 24 July 1913, Page 7

UP THE WANGANUI.

INEFFECTIVE LYMPH. A MAORI TANGI. (Pes United Press Association.) WANGANUI, July 23. _ The crusade of! vaccinating the Maoris is still being pursued vigorously. Last week Dr M'Kenzio vaccinated the Putiki Maoris, but the lymph has proved ineffective, and the operation will have to be performed again. It is estimated that in 75 of the cases here the lymph used by the local doctors has been Dr M'Kenzie is still up the river visiting the various pas. He found 110 sign of smallpox, ana reports that the vacoino is takin-; well. Wlule he was at Pungareliau a tangi over a chief was in progress, and thy pa was full of visitors. A careful inspection was made, and Dr M'Kenzie will probably have something to say later regarding the sanitary conditions and mode of living during a tangi.

NATIVE LAND COURTS. SITTINGS ABANDONED. (Fbom Odh Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 23. Owing to the outbreak of smallpox the sittings of the Native Land Courts in all districts with the exception of Port Awanui (East Coast) have been abandoned for the time being, and the judges are now in Wellington dealing with arrears of office work. Judge Jones is holding a court at Port Awanui, but has received instructions to close it immediately. He hears that the disease has broken out near the locality in which he is now sitting.

PRECAUTIONS AT CHRISTCHURCH. PREPARED FOR AN OUTBREAK. (Pee United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 23. The measures taken by the Christchuich Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to fight an outbreak of any such disease as smallpox was referred to in the reports before the board at its meeting to-day. A report from the Public Health Committee said: "Owing to advice received from the Health Department that an outbreak of a pustular disease (probablv smallpox) had occurred in the North Island, the committee has made arrangements to cope with it should an outbreak occur in this district. The isolation hospiWl at Bottle Lake is ready to leceive patients. Splendid accomodation has been arranged for the "health inspectors so that there shall bo no contact with the office staff. The chairman of the committee has been granted authority to act, should an emergency arise, without calling the • committee together. The need for vaccination has been urged upon the members of the' board's staff, and all those likely to be exposed to infection have been vaccinated."

CURE FOR SORE ARMS. (Fkoji Our. Own Cobmspondent.), WELLINGTON, July 23. Sore arms are so plentiful that many people will read with interest the announcement in Sydney papers that the Director-general of Health (Dr Paton) hy offered to the public a prescription for tlfe treatment of arms which have become very sore after vaccination. "In cases of re* vaccination," 'he sdid, "the lymph we are using is fairly mild. In nrimary vaccinations of adults the lymph is fairly active, and the arm becomes inflamed, often to the elbow.. The best way to treat it is to paint All over the sore spot and inflamed part with tincture of iodine. Make this i plain tincture of iodine, not- liniment.' Liniment is too strong. This will relieve the arm very much." PHOTOGRAPHED CASE. BODY COVERED WITH PUSTULES., (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 23. _ A photograph of one of the Maori patients now in isolation at the Waikato HosDital (Hamilton), which has been forwarded by Dr Donglas to the Health Department, was exhibited to members of the House this evening. Almost the whole of the body is covered with pustules, and Dr Douglas states that he has no doubt that the case is one of smallpox. DR VALINTINE'S BULLETIN. THE CASES AT OTAUA. NEWS FROM DR MAKGILL. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON July 23. Dr Valintine, Chief Health Officer, issued the following smallpox bulletin this evening at 10 o'clock. "There are 49 patients in the isolation hospital at Auckland, 10 being Europeans. The following telegram was received from Dr Te Rangihiroa, M.P., dated Kaikohe, 10.20 a.m., July 23: 'Made house-to-house inspection entire village of Otaua, even to bush camps. Saw 57 cases of smallpox; totalling 69 cases with those seen with Dr .Cawkwell. All the cases give typical constitutional symptoms followed by rash on the fourth day. Very considerable extent of pustulation, discrete and almost confluent. In one house I saw five cases,of hemorrhage into pustules on arms and legs, umbilication distribution typical. No doubt in re-diagnosis. Three deaths, one on Monday night; all adults. Peculiarity more severe on adults. Have vaccinated the village. So far, in this part, vaccinated people immune. Maoris have noticcd this, and' are anxious for vaccination. Consider every unaffected Maori-must be vaccinated; hence it is urgent that this affected district have good supply of vaccine _ in preference to unaffected areas. Will you see that Kawakawa, Ohaeawai, and Rawene are kept supplied.' Thus there have been 10 deaths recorded from the disease to date; all Natives. With the exception of a suspected case isolated at Kawliai, no further cases' are reported from other parts of the Auckland Province. There is now an ample supply of lymph, and not less than 20,000 inoculations will be forwarded to Auckland by the main-trunk train to-mor-jow. Dr Makgill reports from Sydney that he has seen a large number of tho isolated smallpox cases there, and is satisfied that the epidemic is identical in nature with that existing in the Auckland province. As is the case with the New Zealand epidemic, tho majority of the cases there are young adults. Dr Makgill further reports that it is well established that vaccination protects against the disease, and that those who have recovered from the disease are immune. No one recently vaccinated, that is within five years, Dr Makgill adds, has contracted the disease, and those who axe vaccinated during the incubation stage, up to perhaps eight days of tho appearance, take it in <% mild form. The.measures here are almost entirely in tho direction of vaccination. Already over 100,000 people have been vaccinated and kept under survcilance, but are not isolated as they were at first."

THE DUNEDIN SUSPECT. NOT SMALLPOX. It is now definitely stated that the suspected case of smallpox in Dunedin is not smallpox at all, and yesterday afternoon Dr Champtaloup, Dr Falconer, and Dr Ogston revisited the isolation hospital at Pelichet Bay and examined the "suspect" who was sent there yesterday. ■ The doctors found that the man's symptoms had cleared up sufficiently to make diagnosis certain, and they now state that the case is not one of smallpox, and the man will be examined .again to-day, and, all being well, will be discharged in due course.