The Star. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1876.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2424, 29 December 1875, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1876.

"What is Scarlet Fever P Upon this pomt the learned of Ohristohuroh are not agreed, and as is usual in such eases, the learned are ahowing signs of rancorous feelings. There is every appearance of a pretty war of that controversial order which is sometimes incomprehensible, but always amusing to the lay observer. Whatever the result, the public are not likely to become much wiser about the appearances of scarlet fever, nor are they by any means certain to allow that their friends and guardians of the faculty possess any greater familiarity with the dreaded scourge. Thus the question with which we have headed this article is not likely to be answered by the literary efforts of our local experts. We only hope that Mature will not throw a disagreeable light on the path of enquiry, through the medium of the Mortality Bills. That there is any prospect of such a result in the immediate future m a point no one can pronounce upon with certainty. All that can be gathered is, that whether the " rash " so much referred to is scarlet fever, or whether it is not, no one seems much afraid of it. One doctor says it is not, while others may it i«, but of fln ; e*ceedingly mild

type. Seeing that the thing itself is harmless, its name may well bo allowed to be what anybody likes. One good result of the little agitation ;in the correspondence columns of > pur morning eoutomporary, the Tiities, will be to take the sting out of the ci'y of " wolf." It is only a lamb, though a somewhat rash animal, that is running about amongst us. There is no doubfc, however, that there exists a wolf of a dangerous and ferocious description, that is called by men scarlet fever, and that this wolf has appeared in countries not far off. In Melbourne, the word epidemic is freely used, and a groat deal of bustle and making of: regulationa has been, and still is, . the order of the day. Nearer home, at Dunedin and Auckland, there is trouble too. In the latter place, the telegraphists report a " soare " whioh is setting people wildly,, to work , 4^ipfeoMng % and ' isolating. , In I) un|d|n| the ]&e|ys|a!p§rß are loud in their" "'denunciations' of Municipal tyranny, and want to know if tho .City is to be given over to be governed on Brewl»onian principles. They are sarcastic about the "family straightener," and his discipline applied to the poor afflicted victims of the fever. There seem 8 Ht/tlo doubt from all this thatscarlet fever of a malignant type has appeared in New Zealftn^. The jpejijtjtan naturally arises how do our 'authorities propose to deal with the subject? The Central Board of Health have ordered the inspection of intercolonial steamers by the Health Officer. The idea is good. It is nevertheless insufficient. Wby^are^not all intercolonial vessels included in the instractions P Surely no one Contends that steam has an affinity for scarlet fever not possessed by innocent can* vas. Tnyiriijiedtion has -here a very weak point;. It has another, viz,, that unless the intercolonial vessels are carefully examined at all the various ports of arrival, there is little use in doing so at occasional ports of call. HCf we want to be safe in Canterbury, we must attempt the impossible feat of organising a medical patrolling force for the various roads ond ferries of.lhe Province^ kJAs* the measured t&ieMare only calculated to do good in a few instances, it Iwo^ld jbjp satisfactory and reassuring to tfie public to know that there was some plan of action deter* mined upon for vigorously dealing with the first serious case that occurs. The discussion of such a plan would reflect more credit on the learned than fighting over the name of. a disorder which every one . Boemfl to. consider harmless. '