THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144150, 21 July 1913, Page 3

THE EPIDEMIC.

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. SOME MORE CASES REPORTED. SOUTH ISLAND UNAFFECTED. BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT. SYDNEY, July 20. Four cases of smallpox were reported on Saturday. Thoro is a temporary shortage of lymph, but a supply from Noumea will arrive to-morrow A local firm' is already turning out lymph, but it will not be’availablo until the end of the week. Seven thousand people were vaccinated at the public, depots on Saturday. It is reported from Newcastle that New Zealand lymph has proved ineffective. One doctor at Newcastle used it on three hundred patients, but all must bo re-vaccinated. EXCITEMENT SPREADING. (Received July 21. 9.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 21. The Manuka, on arrival, was granted pratique. The excitement here is subsiding, though vaccinations continue to be numerous. The authorities are confident that with the extensive vaccina-tions-‘'which iiave taken place the disease will roach to its end in Sydney in about four weeks. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. (Received July 21, 9.50 a.m.) HOBART, July 21. Arrangements have been completed for examining passengers on New Zealand steamers.. The suspected case at Deloraino is progressing favourably. QUEENSLAND CASES. (Received July 21, 9.50 a.m.) BRISBANE, July 21. Two cases are under observation, on© of them from Sydney. A case from Toowoomba is also under observation, but its nature is undecided yet. SYDNEY’S RECORD, (Received July 21, 9.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 21. The case at Ulmarra proved to be ono of chicken-pox. So far 115 have recovered, and uo deaths have been recorded.

STEAMERS LAID UP. (Received July. 21, 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 21. A satisfactory supply of lymph has arrived from Melbourne. All the vaccinating depots are open to-day. The outbreak is affecting the passengertraffie so seriously that the. big liner lanberra has been replaced on the coastal running by a smaller vessel. Another new boat, the Warilda, also goes off next week, and possibly ' the Wamlilla out of the Queensland service, PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, July 20. ' The health officer’s'bulletin for July. 19 is as follows“ Thirty-four cases* are in the isolation hospital at Point Chevalier. Two Maoris were brought, in to-day, one from Onolmnga and one: -from Mangera, and one European from Parnell. A honse-tb-house inspection "is being made through Nelson Street, Auckland. The following cases are re.ported from tho Auckland district:— Two at_Awakana, ono at Waikaha, one at To Teko, ono at Pungapunga, and one suspected case at Ohinemutu has been removed to the Rotorua isolation hospital. “The Mormon elder suspected of having introduced the disease has been discovered and taken .to Kaiheke for medical examination.- In addition to the case reported in Wellington, and ono in Napier, a suspect lias been isolated at Pahiatua.” Dr. Valintino stated this afternoon that there wore four new cases in Auckland and eight, at Hnntly. There are no further developments in the local smallpox scare. Tho patient isolated on Friday is reported to be making excellent progress, and none of the contacts, who are being kept in rigid quarantine, have developed any indication of disease. The hospital authorities are confident that nothing more serious is likely to follow. The public vaccinators continue to be well patronised. There is at present a good deal of chicken-pox prevalent in the city and district. The health officer is urging that in all cases there should Lbe no delay in calling in medical advice, as chicken-pox is now a notifiable disease. *

AUCKLAND, July 20. Yesterday morning four fresh cases of the prevailing epidemic were discovered in the city and suburbs, and the patients were immediately sent out to ' tho isolation hospital at Point Chevalier. All were Maoris. Two of tho cases were located at Ouehunga, tho third was a waterside worker residing in Marion Street, and tho fourth was a Native who was discovered walking down Queen Street. In tho latter case Inspector Kumiss, of tho Public Health Department, saw tho man walking aimlessly along the street. His face was badly pock-marked, and the inspector immediately “arrested” him and conveyed him to the Health Department’s office, where his trouble was at once diagnosed as an undoubted case. The man was placed in an ambulance and driven without delay to tho isolation hospital. Questioned with regard to the actual number of cases considered to be really smallpox, Dr. Frengley said there were 35 such cases in the isolation hospital. Five of these were Europeans and tho rest Maoris. All the patients were doing well He was well pleased.with the results so far obtained by the health authorities in combatting the disease. The supply of lymph is still short of the actual demand, but fresh quantities were arriving daily. Complaints have been received from country districts that Natives visibly suffering from pock complaint aro travelling about without restraint, because, despite the evidence of tho state of health they aro in, they possess certificates indicating that they have been vaccinated. The matter was referred to Dr. Freaigley, and ha stated that the district health officer was now awaitipg in-structions-fram .Wellington as. to what

should be done to restrict the movements of. contacts, -whether vaccinated or not. The strictest supervision is being maintained by the department in regard to shipping. Every boat belong-, ing to the coastal Hoot is boarded by* the doctor on arrival, and those "whof have not been vaccinated have to sub-; mit to the injection of lymph or stayl aboard ship. Tho doctors are still .besieging the Health Department daily for fresh supplies of lymph. Nearly all the medical men have been appointed public vaccinators, and tho people may be treated free by any doctor holding such an appointment. Word was received late this afternoon’ that throe more cases have been discovered in the city, including one European at Parnell. Eight severe Maori cases are reported from Huntly. PAHIATUA, July 20. Considerable consternation was caused'hero to-day by tho announcement of a local case of suspected smallpox. A middle-aged man fro;n the Auckland district, who has bebn staying at a local boarding-house, developed very suspicious symptoms of the disease this morning. Dr. Dawson was notified, and he ordered the immediate .removal of tho man, who is a European, to the isolation ward at the Pahiatua Hospital. An officer of the Health Department was wired'for, and' a Special nurse has been obtained from Masterton. ■ CHRISTCHURCH, July-20; Inquiries at the health office go to show that there is no apparent cause for alarm regarding the reported outbreak of chicken-pox at Bennetts. The doctor who inspected the cases, which comprised throe adults arid a number of school children, states’ that ho is satisfied that tho disease is only chicken-pox, and nothing more serious. Some cases of chicken-pox occurred last-month at Bennetts School, and it has been rather prevalent in South Canterbury and Southland, but so far North Canterbury with this exception has escaped. WANGANUI RIVER NATIVES. WANGANUI, July 21. Dr. M'Kenzie returned to town today from up the river, where ho has been busily engaged for several days in vaccinating the Maoris. He is returning to-day with a fresh supply of lymph. He reports that there is no sign of’ smallpox amongst tho Maoris, but there are several cases of ake ake. STILL THEY COME. AUCKLAND, July 21. There are now forty cases in the isolation hospital. Two Europeans wore removed there yesterday from Onehunga and two more Europeans from Ponsonby and Otahuhu to-day. THE JOYS OF VACCINATION. M.P.’S SUFFER BADLY. BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, July 21. Several of the members of the-House, who were vaccinated last Saturday week have had a far from enviable experience. Their arras have given them considerable trouble, and it is stated that tho fact that several of them were consequently in anything but fit condition for work was to a largo extent responsible for tho House rising at such an early hour as ten o’clock on Friday evening. At least oho member has had to seek medical advice, and one, a prominent Oppositionist, had his arm m a sling yesterday. Several additional members Tvere vaccinated on-Saturday. The patient who has been isolated as suffering from tho prevailing epidemic is a European 1 maid in the employment of Mr. Vernon Reed, M.P. She came from tho Bay of Islands recently. She is now doing well. Mr. Reed and all members of his" household have been .isolated and vaccinated. A policeman is on watch in front of tho house day and night to see that nobody enters or leaves. An inquiry by telephone last night elicited tho fact that all members of the household are well, and that the vaccinations are proving successful. ,Mr. Reed says that ho expects to be back in the House this week.

The local supply of lymph is quite exhausted, and there is not a tube in the town. Although the Health Department has;ordered that all the Natives in the district be vaccinated it has so far supplied enough vaccine for throe hundred persons only. Supplies have been quickly used up, and unless fresh supplies are received at once grave inconvenience will be caused to those who have to travel to other parts of New Zealand and in consequence require to be vaccinated. It is to be hoped that the Health Department will realise its responsibilities and send sufficient supplies to be used in event of emergency.