CITY INOCULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1803, 16 July 1913, Page 7

CITY INOCULATIONS

RUSH CONTINUES. FIVE THOUSAND TREATED IN TWO DAYS. SLUMP IN SHIPPING. STATEMENT BY THE U.S.S. CO. The campaign • against the smallpox epidemic is being rigorously carried out. The Department of Public Health is sparing no pains, and officers are being sent to every district where there is the .slightest possibility of infection. Dr. | Mackenzie was dispatched from Welling- 1 lon yesterday to vaccinate Natives along tho NVangaiiui 'River, and Dr. Couzena has left to work the Taupo district. The Government proclamation which provides for the confinement of Maoris lo infected : districts is being rigidly enforced. Wellington citizens still show considerable anxiety to bo vaccinated. Yesterday a larger number presented themselves to the public vaccinators than on any previous day since the "scare" started. The offices of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, in Marion Street, were thronged all day. In all about 500 persons were inoculated by the staff of doctors 011 duty during tho day, and a noticeable difference from Monday's contingent was the largo proportion of women and children. .As one of tho attendant nurses explained, Monday was washing day, and women could hardly be expected to leave their household duties on that day, even for such an important matter a2i vaccination. It is expected that the number of people presenting themselves for vaccination at Marion Street will increase daily, as the fact that doctors are constantly in attendance thrre is becoming more widely known. The surgeries of all tho medical practitioners in the city, and the shop of the only chemist who is certified as a public vaccinator in tho city, we.ro full all day yesterday. It is estimated that at least 5000 persons submitted themselves to the operation during the last two days, and that almost; one person out of five in the city has recently been vaccinated. Many of tho mercantile in the city havo had the members of their stalls vaccinated, in case the outbreak of the i disease in Wellington should result in tho ! quarantining of their business premises. Members of the polico forco ,havo been Jimongst the most noticeable attendants-at the vaccination stations, although it has not yet been made compulsory that they should submit to the operation. The fitaff of tho public hospital have been ordered to undergo tho ordeal. They arc presenting themselves .to tho operators in instalments, so that they will not all bo affected at tho same time.

CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLVE. MAYOR & OFFICERS: FREE HANI). At last night's meeting of the Wellington City Council, Councillor Trcgear drew attention to the question of tho smallpox epidemic. Ho said that in AitclclfiTid it had been ordered that Maoris sliondl not travel on tramcars, nnd the Wellington Racing Club was considering whether Maoris should not bo excluded from its course at tlio forthcoming meeting. Tf it was not safe for Maoris to attend tlio races, it was still more unsafe for themselves to rub shoulders with Europeans on tho tramcars. '■ The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Lulte) said that tho council had so far exercised nil its privileges to tho full. The council's inspectors had been co-operating with tho officers of the Public. Health Department for the past few days. He was ablo to say that the state of the phblic health was a little more reassuring than it hod been ou tho previous day. Ho would suggest that the council, if it saw its way clear, should give the Mayor and tho executive officers of the council a free hand to deal with the situation.. Tf tile occasion arose, ho would call an extraordinary meeting of the council to consider the question. Councillor Tregear moved that tho Mayor nnd officers bo given power to tnko such slens as they thought necessary. Tho motion was carried without discussion. '

U.S.S. CO. STATEMENT. SMALLER STEAMERS MAY GO -ON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Duncdin, July 15. Inquiry at the Union Company s offico to-day elicited a statement that the shrinkage in the passenger traffic between New Zealand and tire Commonwealth is so great on account of the smallpox, quarantining disabilities, etc., that, if the falling-off continues, it is possible that smaller steamers will be placed on the routes affected. Tho cost of running large steamers is very great and a rearrangement of the intercolonial service may become necessary. "THE REAL THING." CASE AT A MAORI COLLEGE. (By Telegraph.—Preso Association.) Hastings, July 15. A rumour was current tnis afternoon that a caso of smallpox had been dotected in tho students at tho Maori Agricultural College at Bridge Pa, about nine miles from Hastings. At the request of tho Health Department, Dr. Barcroft left for tho college this afternoon to make an examination, and declares the caso to bo ono of smallpox. Tho patient is a youth' of 17. He arrived at tho college from the north on July 11, and lias well-marked ovidenco of recent infection. A number of otlior students aro showing symptoms, but tho doctor is unable 'to form a definite opinion regarding them until tomorrow. Steps have been taken to isolate sufferers, and tlio students And staff aro to bo vaccinated to-morrow. LIST OF CASES TO DATE. In a statement last evening, Dr. Vnlintino (Chief Health Officer) stated that there wero now 2G cases of tho epidemic at Auckland, of which 21 wore Natives. Cases, lie said, had been reported from Raglan and Kaikohe, but these wero beill" attended to 'by Dr. Ross and Dr. Baker respectively. Dr. Cavlnvell lvad isolated a case near Wbiuigarei. The report of a caso at Ormondvillc (Hawke's Bay) liad proved to be inaccurate, but there was a suspected case at Hastings. Dr. Valintine added that there is nn ample supply of lymph. Forty thousand doses, ho says, will be immediately available. Of tlieso ton thousand doses will bo sent to Auckland. Tho balance will be distributed in otlior parts of the North Island.

DR. FRENGLEY IN AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, July 13. The Chief Hoalth Officer's deputy (Dr. Frongley), who arrived from Wellington on Sunday to co-operate with Dr. Monk, visited the isolation hospital at IViit Chevalier yesterday afternoon. When asked about the condition of the patients Dr. Frenglev said that they wero all doing well, although eomo were suffering more severely than others. A few had so far recovered as to bo ablo to walk about, while one or two cases were still acute. There were ten females and thirteen males under treatment ! n isolation, this numlier including a young mnlo European. Tile latter, however, had almost recovered. in answer to a request for nil opinion concerning the nature of the disease. Dr. Fiengley said that ho preferred not to mid to the conflict of opinions. However, tho interviewer gathered that he is of the same opinion as tho Chief Health Officer, namely, that the trouble is modified smallpox. . This afternoon the District Health Officer reported that another European had been discovered with the prevailing disease. He went to tho consulting rooms of one of tho public vaccinators in Queen Street, ami was then discovered t*i 1)0 affected. The man was conveyed to tho isolation hospital at Point Chevalier this beiiiß the twentr-fourth admission to that

institution sinco tho outbreak occurred, The health officer also renoi'ted the receinl of telcßrapliic advic.:- ircmi Kaikohe cjiicerniuu another Maori ca>i'. NURSE ON VACCINATION. Nurse Kvc-riit writes as follows :--"PiTmit mo spate to reply to some remarks undo by members in the House yesterdiiv. Having been encased in liur.sins Ihe sniallpux epidemic of IHl.'i and IS'.lli. in London, by tho Metropolitan Asylums Board, 1 should like lo state that no(hiiiK but vaccination protected all tlio-o employed in fighting tho scourge. In Loudon every child is compelled to bo vaccinated, unless the parent can claim an exemption order from a Magistrate. The law is the same hero in -New Zealand, and it is not enforced. Smallpox is now controlled in London, because vaccination uf coloured crews, who carry infection from India and oilier place's, is enfarced. Through contagion the disease is carried into a healthy community, to find one weakly subject; hence an epidemic. Vaccination is not only a preventive, but a protective measure. It draws poisonous matter to ofie healthy and less vital part, "tho arm," to protect the eyes, head, and face, which can l» so fearfully mutilated by the disease. The oflieacy of vaccine has been proved in confluent cases by Hie very mild pitting of a, vaccinated patient to that of an unvacciuated patient. The arm-to-arm system has been abolished twenty years in London, and certainly is not good. Is the Gloucester epidemic forgotten,' when those who once syolTcd at vaccination, and then had to Ikjr for vaccine, and their loss was great? GIRL WITH CHICKEN-POX. Auckland, July 15. A case of chicken-pox was udmitted lo the district hospital to-day, the patient being a female Kuropeah aged about 19 years, who has l>een residing in Ponsonby. Tho hospital superintendent" stated this nfternoon that the case was undoubtedly chicken-pox. Dr. Mapiire said further that other three patients who are suffering from chicken-pox in tho isolation ward of tho district hospital arc Almost well. 15,000 INOCULATED. Auckland, July 15. It is estimated that 15,000 persons have been treated with lymph in and about Auckland sine© the rush for vaccination set in. No lymph came to hand from ■Wellington this morning,' but another consignment is expected to arrive to-mor-i row morning. Disinfecting has been car- i !- ried on extensively in all localities where the disease has occurred, and doctors feel that n steam disinfecting plant would bo ; an acquisition to Auckland. The Sani. i tary Department is preparing a report with the object of pointing out any build- , ; ings in the city ! which should. bo reno. i vated or demolished as a means of checking tho disease. : MAORIS BLOCKED ON TRAINS. 1 Hastings, July It/'. 1 The stationmaster has received instruc- • tions "that, until further advised, no 1 .Natives or half-castes are to be allowed ' to join, aiiy trains between Napier and , Woodvillo unless they can produco a , tH'rniit from Hie, Health Department ■ authorising them to do so." A number of Natives were prevented from travelling by tho mail train this morning.' ONLY CHICKENPOX. : OPINION OriiEV. W. GITTOS. Auckland, July,l4, An elderly Maori chief, visiting Auck laud tho other day, was asked whether, ' in past years, he had known a N.itivo to - die of tho prevailing disease. His reply ' was, "Of koroputapnta? Never!" Koro-. : pulaputa," it may bo explained, is tho t Native word for "chickenpox," and theret iiro those who believe that the present i ti-ouldo is identical with this disease. '' Among the number is the Rev, ..William ® Gittosi, a Methodist minister, who has t been among the Natives for sixty years, ' and htas a thorough knowledge of thoii " conditions of life. When interviewed by 1 a reporter at Devonport this morning, Mr. Gittos -said that, although lie had not seen any of tho patients now suffering, ho believed f.i'om what he had heard that their complaint was koroputaputa, or chickenpox, which,' to his personal knowledge, had visited the Maoris from time to time for half it century. [ STUDENTS' OFFER, i | Dunedin, .Tilly 15. I A number of tho final-ji?ar students-of i tho Otago Medical School have offered [ their services to the Government in any ■ capacity in ooiuieotion with the smallpox • outbreak. 'Dr. Valintane; of tho Health Department, telegraphs"Very glad to > hear students willing to stajid by. Will > call on them if ncccssary."