MYSTERIOUS EPIDEMIC

Patea Mail, Volume LII, 27 February 1931, Page 4

MYSTERIOUS EPIDEMIC

LIKE GASTRIC IXELUEX/iA. -M AX AND 2 CIIIEDIMOX SI'CCTM <>■ Till'd' deaths have occurred am! least 100 people, mostly children, tu'c ail'ected as the result of an outbreak of whiat is believed to be gastric inliuenza in the mining town oj' Tu.ke mini. The victims are: .Mr, A -I. Edwards, butelier, aged To, who died in the VCaikato Hospital, at Hamilton. A boy named Hillier, aged, abort five years. A girl mimed Tolian, aged about tour years. The two last-named died at ITikemiro. ’Hi. 1 outbreak is causing m-m'ider-alde anxiety at I’nkemiro. The symp- ‘ ins are peon 1 'ae and leave tlm effectI persons practically helpless. The victims are mostly the ehiidrea of miners employed in the locality. Dr. I’atterson (medical otiicer to the D ikemini Medical Association) staled that it was not authoritatively certain that ihe malady was gastric influenza. It has been suggested that tli• > dis"ase has been conveyed through milk, and it is understood that this theory is being investigated by t h-v ilealli' .Dejiartmeut. Hr. .]. Hoyd, medical of : eer oh health for .South Auckland, said an inspector had been sent to I’ukemiro to investigate the outbreak. His opinion had not yet been reeeived. It is reported that all the children ail’ected attended a picnic on Sunday, ami it has been suggested that ptomaine poisoning may be the cause of the widespread illness.