SMALLPOX

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9753, 26 May 1903, Page 3

SMALLPOX

THE GRACCHUS PASSENGERS. ANOTHER MILD CASE. (Per Press Association.) GHRISTCHURCH, last Right. This afternoon it was reported that a case of smallpox had been discovered at Lyttelton. Enquiry proved that there was some foundation for the rumor, inasmuch as John Cousens, railway platelayer, living on Ticehurst road, had developed symptoms which were considered suspicious. He was attended by Dr. Pair man, who, as a precautionary measure, vaccinated the inmates of the house during the afternoon. The District Health Officer, Dr. Finch, went to Lyttelton in the afternoon, and made an inspection of the case. It was understood that he had decided to send the patient and till who had come in contact with him to Bottle Lake, but later on it was ascertained that the authorities had decided to isolate the house and keep ifc and its occupants under observation. There are persistent rumors here that a woman passenger by the Gracchus, who landed at Dunedin, and is now there, has been attacked by smallpox, though the disease is in a mild form. The local health officer says that nothing official has come to his knowledge. At a late hour to-night, the medical men had not declared any definite decision as to whether the case of Cousens was one of smallpox. Neither Cousens nor any of the inmates of his house had been on board the Gracchus. His work was partly about the wharves, but it does not appear that he was specially exposed to infection. The borough authorities of Lyttelton last week, in order to be prepared for a possible outl reak, made arrangements for the transportation of any ease to the infectious diseases hospital at Bottle Luke ( and it was understood in town this afternoon that these arrangements would be carried out. It was finally decided, however, to defer action till to-morrow. DUNEDIN, last night. So far as is known, there is no development of any suspicious symptoms among the Gracchus contacts, but as a lady passenger who was landed here is not recovering as quickly from her illness as was expected, Dr. Valentine, Acting Chief Health Officer, has given instructions that all precautions should continue. Dr. Valentine, witli the Mayor, visited Quarantine Island to-day, to inspect the buildings there, to ascertain their suitability for suspicious cases of disease. A conference is called for to-morrow between representatives of the local bodies to take the matter of providing a proper hospital in hand at once. The matter has become urgent also in connection with scarlet fever. It is thought the epidemic has largely abated, but there are five cases in the hospital, developed in the institution, for none are admitted, and it is certain that it is from one of these that Dr. G. P. Brown, house surgeon, contracted fever, from which he died. There is no isolation ward, and the medical staff are not inclined to perform any serious operation while there is scarlet fever in the hospital. Dr. Valentine and Dr. Ogston have arrived at the conclusion that the lady passenger who landed here from the Gracchus had suffered from an undoubted case of mild smallpox. She had a severe attack of cowpox seven .years ago ; this probably accounts for the mildness of the. present case. She has been isolated since landing, and all persons in the house were among the first vaccinated. DUNEDIN, this day. | The case of the female passenger of the Gracchus proves to be smallpox of a mild character. The patient is isolated. WELLINGTON, this day. In view of the case of smallpox, discovered at Dunedin, the Public Health Department has issued a circular letter to the Mayors of the various towns of the colony, directing that everything should be in readiness to meet possible danger in case the disease spreads further.