AMERICAN SMALLPOX

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 46

AMERICAN SMALLPOX

STATEMENT BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER.

The District Health Officer (Dr M'Kibbin) has communicated the following statement to us:—

" The incidence of American smallpox in both Otago and Southland is on the increase. The illness is .severe enough to occasion considerable incapacity for work", and, in the event of its spreading, maycause disorganisation of local industry. Though it would be alarmist to state that the province is in imminent danger of an epidemic of virulent smallpox;, some of the cases that have been seen are severe enough to necessitate immediate and active preventive measures. The constitutional disturbance, pocking, and after-effects on the general health produced on the patients are far greater than those due to simple vaccination. lam informed by my department that vaccination with calf lymph has proved valuable as a preventive in this disease. I urge the peopie generally, therefore, to seek vaccination not only for their own protection but to deter the spread of the disease. The following preventive measures have been adopted by the Public Health Department and the Otago Hospital Board:' Patients are isolated, so also are all contacts who refuse vaccination. Vaccinated contacts are under observation for 1& days, but are free to resume their ordinary occupations, with the exception of school children and staff, who are exempted for 18 days, and those engaged in the handling of foodstuffs. Contacts are restrained from frequenting public entertainments. "The Otago Hospital Board is taking steps to provide extra isolation accommodation:. I hope that the medical profession and the general public will ensure the immediate isolation in hospital of even mild cases of the disease, the vaccination of coit tacts, and the general adoption of these preventive measures. "I would ask members of the general public to co-operate with the local authorities by informing the Publio Health Department, Dunedin, should instances of the concealment of the disease, or breach of the preventive measures adopted, come to their knowledge."