TO FIGHT SMALLPOX

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 5

TO FIGHT SMALLPOX

FIRST STEPS HERE,

SCENES ON S.S. MAORI.

DOCTORS AT WORK, HOUSE CONSIDERS THE POSITION. MEASURES ON FOOT. Word spread rapidly through tlio city yesterday that passengers leaving Wellington for thi> South IslAnd would "require to bo vaccinatcd," and immediately everyone was talking: "smallpox." It was tho foremost word on almost every tongue, and, though some made light of it, others (especially women) who had booked by the night mail for Lyttelton hardly seemed to look forward to the ordeal of vaccination with cheerfulness. It turned out; however, that for last evening's trip at Least tho <f co^ipulsioll ,, as affecting passengers per s.s. Maori was, liko Mark Twain's deathj "slightly exaggerated/' - Although the Health Department's officers aro not inclined to -think that tho outbreak of a mild form of smallpox in the north is likely to develop into serious dimensions, every precaution, is being taken to provide against such a contingency "here or elsewhere. Such measures will no doubt bo regarded as prudent and necessary by all people having tlio faintest notion of tho extraordinary virulenco of the ordinary form of this disease. So far there have only been two deaths—lx>th Maoris, well on in years. Had tho disease been ordinary smallpox it would, in all probability, havo spread a deal more rapidly, but at tlio same timio there is no telling whether tho milder form of the malady might not develop into tho major disease.

Dr. Valintihe, Chief Health Officer, stated yesterday that n, notice liad been issued in Maori and English, under penalties, to those travelling beyond the boundaries of the infected districts, unless they can produco a certificate from a district health ofliccr. The prohibition Telates to travelling by land, rail, or steamer. All persons shipping from Auckland have to undergo inspection before being allowed to land- Tho ships were also iJdng inspected.

As indicated above, some consternation ■was caused in tlio city by tlio issue of an order from : tlio Publio Health Depart-, mont that all peoplo travelling from tlio North to tlio South Island must, if accessary, undergo vaccination. Tlio "if necessary" qualification .means that persons already vaccinated, and who can still show good marks, may be allowed to travel without undergoing tlio operation. Tlio result of this order (which was issued to tlio shipping companies and to Messrs., Thomas Cook and Sons) meant considerable activity—not to eay worry and dislocation of arrangements—on tlio part of thoso who had booked passages to tho south by tlio Maori ksfc evening.

CHEMISTS BESIEGED. In ■ this connection, it was interesting,; and iiatlicr 1 amusing, to learn that several mid-city chemists had been etormed by people wishing to bo vaccinated. "1 could havo done real good business today,"said one, "if I had been a public vaccinator. People have been dropping in all tlio.afternoon, asking if I coulil hot oblige them, and wcro quito disappointed on my having ,to refuse thorn." Tho mistako made was justifiable. Under an old Act, ccrtain chemists were appointed public vaccinators, but an amendment to the Public Health Act decrecd that all public vaccinators must bo duly qualified medical men, with the exception of thoso appointed before that provision of the Act became law. Tho Act, which is specific on the 1 point, says:—"(a) No person sha.ll bo deemed to bo qualified for appointment as a certifying officer unless lie is a medical practitioner; (b) any medical practitioner shall bo deemed to bo qualified for appointment as a public vaccinator; (c) except in the case of, a medical practitioner, no person shall bo deemed to be qualified for appointment as a public vaccinator until a certifying officer certifies in writing that ho is a competent and proper person for such appointment; (d) save in exceptional oircumstances, and for remote localities, no person shall be appointed a public vaccinator unless ho is a medical practitioner." In Wellington there only remains ono chemist who is a publio vaccinator, Mr. H. Brittain. The others nro: Drs. PlattsMills, Agnes Bennett, Edith Huntley, Ewart, Mackin, Perkins, Gilmer, Shane!, Kemp, Pollen, Elliott, Herbert,' Gibbs, Begg, Couzens, Bowerbank and Anderson. The. Government pay public vaccinators' 2s. Gd. for every person treated. There is only ono case of chicken-pox in the hospital hero. Two' children are similarly suffering at' tho Hutt, and . a Brooklyn caso is under observation. There is nothing alarming in the exist--enco of this disease. There were, as a matter of fact, hundreds ■of cases of chicken-pox amongst ohildren in Wellington last year. In cases tho attendances at some of the schools were seriously affected through tho malady, which is not at all dangerous, ON THE SOUTH BOAT, Sucili short notieo was given yesterday of the Health Department's decision to requiro all passengers to southern ports to bo vaccinated that some troublo was anticipated at the wharf side. The Maori, the south boat, got away punctually at 8 o'clock, however, as at tho last moment it was decided not to make tho vaccination compulsory. Tho majority of tho passengers were not aware of this, and for tlito most part were quito ready to undergo tho operation. Notioes were posted at both, gangways of the Maori, to tho effect that passengers would not be allowed to land at their destination, until they had been subjected to vaccination. A staff of doctors, . under tho Port Health Officer (Dr. Pollen),_ were kept busy for about an hour prior to tho vessel's departure. Tho sceno in tlio smoke-room wa3 an animated one, and llieerful, too, as, all tlio passengers took the restrictions in good part. There wero one or two anxious inquiries as to tho lymph used, but Dr. Pollen was able to quell all fears in this direction. Questioned by a Dominion reporter, tho Port Health Officer stated that it had been decided not to make tlio vaccination compulsory, as tho Health Department recognised that the notice given to tlio shipping companies was very short. As a matter of fact, tho greater number of tlio Maori's passengers had bcokod before tho Union Company were notified. Had the compulsory vaccination beon enforced, it would necessarily havo considerably delayed tlio boat, and it was decided only Vo vaccinate thoso who offered themselves. Betweon 30 and 40 wero treated beforo the boat left, and the ship's crew wero vaccinated earlier in tho evening. To avoid any delay, Dr. Scott went couth with the boat, to vaccinate any of tho passengers who desired to bo treated, or as many as could be dealt with. Ladies and children wcro not treated before tho vessel left, but Dr. Scott anticipated that a number would be attended to lwforo the boat readied Lyttolton. In addition tho stewardess? and steward'! will bo subjected to tho operation before tlio vessel berths. Passengers leaving by tho boat this evening will havo to bo vaccinated. The many depots in the, city wero yesterday assailed by a large number desiring to bt> treated, and no doubt to-dav the rush will bo greater. The passengers bv the Sydney lwat la-cl: evening, for the greater part, bore evidence of recent treatment, and many will bo treated on the way to Svdney l\v Dr.- Makgill (District Hcollh OffiM"!-, Auckland), who Is a passenger on tlw boat.