UNFOUNDED SUSPICION.

Wairarapa Age, 21 October 1937, Page 4

UNFOUNDED SUSPICION.

DEATH OF AUCKLAND WOMAN. NOT DUE TO PARROT’S DISEASE. AUCKLAND, October 20. The suspicion that the death of an Auckland woman budgerigar fancier was caused by psittacosis, or parrot’s disease, is unfounded. Seven birds were .collected from her home by the Health Department and were destroyed. Post-mortem examinations were carried out in the laboratory of the Auckland Hospital and there was no trace of the disease in the birds. Health authorities expressed the belief that New Zealand at the present time is free from psittacosis.—(P.A.) (A later message from Auckland stated that although an examination of seven birds which were removed from the home of' the victim by the Health Department had revealed no trace of the disease the tests would not be completed for several days. Unjisual difficulties were presented in conducting pa'thologieal investigations. The fact that the first examinations had revealed no apparent infection was regarded as encouraging but that result required confirmation by a minute examination of the birds’ organs. There had been no mortality among budgerigars at the home concerned). NO ACTION MEANTIME. ATTITUDE OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WELLINGTON, October 20. No action is to be taken by the Health Department in connection with the report from Auckland that a woman’s death was accompanied by symptoms of psittacosis until the investigation of the case is completed. An official of the Department referred to the rarity of the disease in the Dominion to the current prohibition of importation of birds, of the parrot family. These factors, he said, made it advisable to treat the report with some reserve in the meantime. There was nothing to be gained by alarming the owners of parrots and budgerigars. He thought it was quite unnecessary to discuss possible precautions.—(P.A.)