SMALLPOX IN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3102, 27 August 1913, Page 32

SMALLPOX IN AUSTRALIA.

CARELESS FATHER PUNISHED. INCREASE WITH COLD WEATHER. COMPULSORY VACCINATION URGED. SYDNEY, August 19. The first prosecution arising out of the smallpox epidemic took place to-day, when a man was fined £3O for failing to report that his son was affected by the disease. Thirteen cases of smallpox were reported to-day. It is feared that the disease is working its way north, as it was reported at a late hour that a girl, aged 11 years, had developed a suspicious illness at Tamworth. There is a mild case at Cootamundra. August 20Eleven cases of smallpox were reported in the city to-day. There are 73 patients in quarantine and 166 are convalescents. The total number of patients to date is 536. Another case has been discovered at Lithgow, where an hotel waitress has been infected. She has not been in Sydney, and has not been in contact with anybody known to be infected. In replying to a deputation from the Health Society Mr Flowers said there was nothing worse than panic legislation, but a Bill dealing with compulsory vaccination would be introduced shortly. It was proposed also to enlarge the powers of the Board of Health. The suggestion to proclaim Sydney a city from which nobody would be able to move unless vaccinated would be a very drastic step, and would lead to chaos. In replying to a question in Parliament Mr Flowers said that 72 contacts had been quarantined since the outbreak started, and four of them had become infected. One of the smallpox patients in the city hospital is dead. August 21. Seventeen cases of smallpox were te-porte-d to-day. including two from Oxley, a country township, upon which an official accidentally stumbled while investigating the Balranald case. The latter is not smallpox. The metropolitan cases include a letter carrier, one of a lew who were not vaccinated. A member of the Million Club declares that the epidemic is causing a loss of £120,000 daily in Sydney August 22. The increase in smallpox is coincident with a cold snap. Vaccination steadily progresses, though there is no rush. The improved quality of the lymph and the experience gained by the operators have rendered the operation less fearsome. A few have had reactions. Three of yesterday’s smallpox cases had previously been unsuccessfully vaccinated, and the parties declined to have the operation repeated. Eleven cases of smallpox were reported to-day, one or two being of a fairly severe type. The cases include a Chinese cabinetmaker. He is the first celestial to be attacked since the outbreak. A rather bad case of concealment occurred at Surry Hills. V hen the ambulance called for a woman patient the husband and child had disappeared. The Tamworth case has been proved to be chrckonpox. August 23. The Lord Mayor strongly advocates compulsory vaccination as the only real means of checking smallpox. The interests of "the community, he says, must come first, and vaccination must be undergone by everyone, excepting under vigilantly-guarded clauses of exemption. August 24. j Nine fresh cases of smallpox were reported on Saturday and 15 to-day in the metropolitan area. The bulk of the patients, as usual, come from the southern and eastern suburbs. Those suburbs beyond the harbour have been practically free throughout, j August 25. i In order to combat statements that are appearing in English and American papers the Government lias cabled its agents to publish the fact as widely as j possible that the smallpox epidemic is oi ! a very mild kind. j The Minister of Justice, referring to the ■ New' Zealand Seamen’s Union’s protest in j collection with the seamen on the Devon pointed out that three men out of foul , were undergoing punishment for refusing ' duty iu addition to a breach of the ship’s articles in declining vaccination. | The agents for the steamer Devon explain that when the. vessel was in England I a special agreement between the mastei I and each individual member of the crew ! was embodied in the ship’s articles that j they would be vaccinated if required. ! When the time came for vaccination only ! four men refused, and the master eu | deavoured to discharge them, but the Government shipping master declined tc discharge them on the ground that they had refused vaccination, and the regulations prohibited them from obtaining a clearance until all the crew and passengers had been successfully vaccinated. Consequently the fact that four unvaccinatec

men were on board meant indefinite delay, and there was no option but for the master to prosecute them for refitsing to carry out the agreement. The men were prosecuted under the Merchant Shipping Act for refusing vaccination, and also in the case of three, of them for absenting themselves without leave. Four vaccinated men took their places. Nine fresh cases of smallpox were reported in the metropolitan area to-day. The recent spurt in the number of smallpox cases has increased the stream of vaccinees. Some of the suburban depots have been re-opened. MELBOURNE, August 22.

Three of the touring Empire parliamentarians—Messrs Black, Crooks, and Jones —decline vaccination on conscientious grounds. They are members of the British Anti-vaccination party. Two other members are averse, but their objections are less strong. Fiji has proclaimed New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia to be infected States.

Mr Watt has decided to protest. He says that Victoria is not infected, as the sole case occurring there came from Sydney. August 25. The whole of the Empire parliamentary party has agreed to vaccination. The objectors gave way in order to prevent the disorganisation of the arrangements made for their tour.