DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 18024, 20 May 1930, Page 6

DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK

POSITION AT POKENO. SOME SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS. HEALTH AUTHORITIES’ LAXITY. (By Telegraph—Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Tuesday. Laxity on the part of the health authorities in connection with the diphtheria outbreak was alleged today by Mr. G. Rogers, of the Pokeno Committee. The first outbreak occurred six weeks ago and although the matter was reported immediately, says Mr. Rogers, no steps were taken to close the school or to take swabs. There are now 10 families affected. If the health authorities fiad done their duty infection would have been stopped. Even the fumigating of the school had been done at the committee’s expense. Infected people had been riding in trains and service cars and 'he knew of two cases in which car drivers had driven infected children to the hospital, then continued carrying passengers.,

Dr. Boyd, medical officer of health, said that if they had any evidence to the- effect that car drivers were taking infected children to school the department would take action against the drivers. It is not the policy of the Education .Board to close a school for a few cases of diphtheria. If that happened most of the schools in New Zealand would be closed. Although some swabs had been taken at the time of the outbreak the carrier was not discovered, with the result/that infection was spread at a school function. The swabs of all children would be taken next Monday and the result would enable the department to' determine when the school could he re-opened. „