SMALLPOX

Southland Times, Issue 18834, 29 May 1920, Page 5

SMALLPOX

NO FRESH CASES. POWERS OF HEALTH OFFICER. No fresh cases of smallpox were reported to the Health authorities yesterday, and the examination of one or two suspected cases by the Health Inspector fortunately proved them to be free from the disease. A i; rest nurnoer of people are. evidently realising the need to take even - ste to •> t the disease, and vaccination is becoming quite fashion, ole. me niciit o vaccination officer, Dr McCaw, was so bu?3' yesterday that he had to make special arrangements in order to attend to the large number of people reporting to h.ai for vaccination and all the other local doctors were also busy vaccinating, and a steady demand for lymph is being received from the country physicians. The Department yestercay issued sufficient vaccine for 300 vaccinations, and the supply had b:cn exhausted early in the afternoon. A fresh stock is expected to-night, however, and It is expected that the present demand w.ll continue for some time.

A feature of the outbreak in Invercargill is that, with one exception, the cases admitted into hospital have been patients who have never been vaccinated.

The Public Health Department states that every possible precaution is being taken to prevent infection, and no delay is made removing cases to hospital. While contacts arc not advised to stay away from work except in cases where they mix a great deal with the public, they are cautioned not to attend picture theatres or other picxes where large numbers of people congregate. Contacts are also immediately vaccinated, and they generally submit to the Department’s wishes with a good grace, it may be thought that the local Health Giiiccrs have no power over contacts but under the Public Health Act, 1908, they possess very wide powers indeed.

The s.ct sets out that the District Health Officer may’ from time to time, if authorised by T the Governor, exercise the following special | oy.ers lor toe purpose of more effectually preventing the spread of any dangerous infectious disease; He may require persons to report themselves or submit themselves for medical examination at specified times and places. He may require persons, places., buddings, ships, animals and things to be isolated, quarantined, or disinfected as he thinks lit. lie may forbid persons, ships, animals or things to come or be brought to any port or place in the health district from any port or place which is or is supposed to be infected .-it a any dangerous inlectious disease. He may forbid persons to leave the health district or the place in which they are isolated and quarantined until they have been medically examined and found to be free from dangerous infectious disease. He may forbid the removal of ships, animals, or things from the health district or from one port or part thereof to another, or from any place where they may he isolated or quarantined, until they have been e-ammeil and found to he free from infection.

Unfortunately there are a few who do not realise the importance of following out the instructions of the Health Inspector. One young lady, who is said to be a contact, has been seen reading books in the Athenaeum.