OUTBREAK OF SMALLPOX

Otago Witness, Issue 2927, 20 April 1910, Page 19

OUTBREAK OF SMALLPOX

SYDNEY, April 14. A man reported to be an Otway passenger was admitted to the Sydney Hospital suffering from a suspicious disease. The doctor declared that it was not smallpox, but nevertheless strict precautions are being taken pending a further diagnosis. The suspicious case in Sydney Hospital has been diagnosed as smallpox and removed to quarantine. Mrs O'Hana, who developed smallpox at the quarantine station shortly after giving birth to a child, is dead. A patient who called at the Sydney Hospital so aroused a doctor's suspicions that he was suffering from, smallpox that he had him placed on the roof of the building in the casualty room, where he was first examined, and all who came in contact with him were fumigated. April 15. The case of smallpox in the Sydney Hospital is a very mild one, and there is little risk of infection.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) MELBOURNE, April 6. Considerable disquiet has been occasioned by a rather serious outbreak of smallpox which has occurred on board the E.M.S. Otway. A youth was taken on at Colombo, who had come down from Bombay. Before Fremantle was reached he was found to be suffering from smaiipox, and he and two others—one suffering from the disease and one a- suspect—were ordered into isolation, while the other West Australian passengers were quarantined. The vessel came on to Melbourne, where ail the passengers were quarantined in the station at the heads. The Otway discharged her cargo and left for Sydney. When she arrived there one case of undoubted smallpox and one suspicions case were reported. The passengers went into quarantine and within a couple of days no fewer than 11 cases were reported. It is amongst the Melbourne passengers in quarantine that the outbreak has assumed its most serious form. Mr T. B. Walker was all right when the passengers went into quarantine. Next day he was treated as a "-suspect," and the following day he was dead and cremated. He had developed what is known as the hemorrhagic form of the disease, which is very deadly and very rapid in its effects. Two other cases were at this date serious, and there were seven patients in all. Mrs Sherman in a>cldition was being watched, when suddenly she developed the same form of the disease, and died.. She was coming out with her littie girl of two to join her husband, wno has been in Bendigo for nearly two years. Her death under the circumstances is extremely pathetic, especially as her little child

is now in the station without a relative to attend to her. Mrs Sherman's death had a good deal of effect on those who up to the time of its occurrence had resolutely refused to be vaccinated. There are now only six second class and 11 third class passengers who refuse to be vaccinated. The disease did not attack any of the first class passengers, and these are heing released in batches as their life history and their vaccination records allow. They will have to report themselves at intervals up to 21 days from the time of their release.