TRACHOMA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 10

TRACHOMA.

VIEWS OF PORT HEALTH OFFICE^.''' The Port Health Officer, Dr. Pollon, wlio is/under engagement to tho Union Steam Ship Company to»examine every steerage passenger booked to San Francisco by the company's, steamers, stated), in answer 'to' questions by a reporter, that trachoma'was not by any moans, prevalent; in.New.Zealand, and most certainly did.. not ' exist among the Maoris, as far as his ■ extensive experience among them wont. As a matter of fact, there were few .cases, of, real trachoma on this side of tho world. .It might, : at times, bo detected in'its initial, stagos, but moro often than not it cured itself. Where it .did ocour was in the Old. Country, and in Ireland, in asylums, and workhouses, where tho inmates wero in tho habit of using the same towel, which was tho most ordinary .means of communicating infection. . : ; ■ '... ,

Dr. -Pollen is pf opinion that tho law regarding tho barring of peoplo who show tho least sign.6f trachoma was originally-meant as a check on the afflicted, who pour iiito the United States: from crowded European centre 3 every year. -He does not think it was ever meant-to bo-applied so harshly in-the caso. of peoplo from a healthy country like New Zealand. Of .courso, when: trachoma did establish itself, it .yfae a. .-very serious disease;indeed, and was often tho cause of blindness. . ;FutUTO steerage passengers booked here for San Francisco aro to bo very,-strictly examined for affections of the eje- '~''.' ■.••'.■ •■ — ■•;■• :".■■:' '■''.:■ ■.

■;■■:'■• ',A "REJECT ,, : INTERVIEWED..: //: .Ode,of two Europeans, who were rejected at San Francisco on the score that they were, suffering from trachoma, was ■ inforvietred by o. Dominion representative yesterday., Ho was on his way to Vancouver, but, thinking ho would like to havea look at San: Francisco, ho booked by the Manapouri for Tahiti,' and : went'on. from there to San I'Vaneisco^by.'the Mariposa. ■ ■•'■ ;.' ; "Before I left Wellington I was examined' for trachoma, and pronounced, 'clear, , and was also examined by. an American' doctor at Tahiti, who also made mo out 'clear. , "What made ;tho Health Officor moro.suspicious, on our arrival at San/Francisco was tho; fact- that we had. some cases of typhoid on board—three; or four, cases developed on the' trip from Tahiti." ' ; , . ■'.- What sort of an inspection did you undergo, at '.'Frisco ?■•. :/; ■; ■'.':";.•. ~ :'■■ ■ . •.',;

■ "The/doctor .just.looked at me, pulled down my lower , oyelids, and pui' back my top ones—rit was ..'all over in half a,minute." .What did the doctor say?". ..., ■ ' "Ho didn't- say anything.- , E<- riad , our namesj. and .all: about us on a. sheet/, and simply.-mado a mark against them, as they passed through bis hands," . - , ■... : ■, ...■.'Who.told-yon that you wero , blocked?'., '■The immigration officer—about an hour and a half after the inspection. ...Wβ got into port on-Friday; aud went into , dock ..the nest day—Saturday,) when 'the Shipping Company caUcd 1 in'a specialist to examine us.; He .pronounced mo clear.'of trachoma, but .that did not'seem to do any good. All the time we were kept on: board! On-, the following Tunrsday, ;tho first.specialist cam o on board again, bringing .anothor with him,'said .to bo.'the bestill;California.'. Ho overhauled us again; ;and- said .we:'-. were dear of trachoma.-Ho also inspected. tho Maoris,bringing tho number of those affected down fronv;eighteen to .three." .■■■:■ ''...'.' .:•■ .'-."Thon wo went into quarantine. To show ■how .much tho Port .Health^Officer.know, dn.e of tho.Maoris who bad bcen"pa9sbd as clear got'.among those' placed in Quarantine, and when he. mado his, protest lid was pronounced to have traclioraa.:! On the- way up to San- . Francisco tlicre . was ,a v German passenger from' Christohurch. On leaving .Wellington ho was told 'to batho his eyes, as they vrcre' i littlp : inflamed., /Ho got. nervous as -to' .whoiher.thef authorities, would allow him lo lflnd;Vat San . Francisco, so,' , on arrival"- at lahifi,'ho-took'out a ; saloon ticket for tho rest"of-;tfieijoUrney.''i-'': \ : '.-!:'-V ' '.:''■'■■:'.:•.'.■;-■■■■ '■; Our -informant,"-.(frhoso- eyes'-looked quito norpinl,; said .that.-'.he -had .never had 'any l trouble-;with' 'thorn- in his Hfol , 1 -! l ' , Whi'f r would,liko to say.is, that'tho-idoa-df getting' av.coHiuoateVliero -\(asi : .suggested : !,by. : ;the Oceanio 'Company's';. agent. in -Tahiti) - is. 1 no good.; ',-Thfiy' don't taktt'- any 'notico'. of licates at .'prised.. If .the' Health', Officer says you've ,got .trachoma,;' you've■ got it. and .there's au end of.it.". - : ~' . ' ;. .-