DIPHTHERIA CASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 12

DIPHTHERIA CASES

TWO DEATHS REPORTED NO CAUSE FOR ALARM NEED FOR EARLY ATTENTION (Feb United Press Association! WELLINGTON, June 6. Two deaths from diphtheria and 13 cases of the disease were reported to the Wellington office of the Health Department from the Central Wellington area last week. The number of cases was stated to be approximately the same as for the corresponding period last year. Commenting on the two deaths, Dr F. S. Maclean (Medical Officer of Health) said they were both children. In the past, he said, investigation had shown that where deaths occurred it was usually be* cause of some delay in getting treatment. In nearly every case if a doctor were consulted immediately the child would recover. Children, however, were sometimes ill for two or three days before a doctor was called, the parents making the mistake of thinking that all that was wrong was a sore throat. The department was concerned at the number of cases in the Upper Hutt district in proportion to the population, Dr Maclean said, but as the cases were well spread and were not confined to any particular school or class it was not possible to carry out any intelligent search for carriers. A certain amount of swabbing had been done, but the department was putting its faith in its immunisation campaign among school children.

"It takes a little while to build up immunity,'" he added, "but in the course of a few weeks the disease in the schools should be a back number. The department very much regrets the two deaths, but is not alarmed at the position as regards the district as a whole."