SMALLPOX IN AUSTRALIA: Melbourne, February 16.

Otago Witness, Issue 2295, 24 February 1898, Page 17

SMALLPOX IN AUSTRALIA: Melbourne, February 16.

The original smallpox patients by the Caledonien are dead. The others are progressing favourably. The "original patients" referred to are doubtless two or three Lascar sailors from the French mail boat who were landed on Torrens Island on the arrival of the steamer at Adelaide, and were there placed in quarantine. On the voyage of the steamer fiotn Adelaide to Melbourne another Lascar member of the crew began to show symptoms of smallpox. The first case was of the kind known as low variola, the patient having been previously vaccinated, and the disease in consequence nob developing to its i«ll intensity. Dr Giwswell, health officer at Melbourne, states that cases of smallpox may ba exported lo be brought oa to Australian noita on au avecftgfi

at leasb once every 12 months. The Himsilaya about eight months ago, and the Nineveh about a year ago, had to endure the rigours of quarantine from this cause, while prior to them were the Austraii m and the Cuzco. The cases of disease which develop in Aushi-alian waters are generally tracfd buck to the Suez Canal. If contracted all an English, French, or German p^rb the disease is, of course, in a very advanced stage before the steamer's arrival here, and quarantine eti route happens in those circumstances. The principal places of infection are Port Said, Aden, Colombo, and the Mauritius. Owing, however, to the prevalence of vaccinp,tion in India and Ceylos, the result of the B/.tish control, the disease in these latter parts of the Empire now occurs but rarely to the extent of becoming an epidemic. Formerly it u»sd to sweep away the population wholesale.