THE SCOURGE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1810, 25 July 1913, Page 6

THE SCOURGE.

DAILY BULLETIN. -t THE CASES TOTAL 124. HOUSE FACES POSITION. CITY COUNCIL & TRAM MEN. INOCULATE THEM? The official bulletin issued last evening by the Chief Health Officer (Dr. T. 11. A. Yalintine), reads as follows:— "There are 52 cases isolated at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Auckland, 10 Ibc-ing Europeans. "Dr. Te Rangihiroa, M.P., reports some V 2 cases in the Bay of Islands district, four being acute and IS convalescent. Dr. Cawkwell reports from Tautoro that tho disease is now more evident anions young people. A case is reported at Whangaroa. Dr. Ross reports that he has vaccinated '100 persons in the Raglan district. Dr. Couzc-ns is at TVkohi. He has seen no suspicious eases. "There is an ample supply of lymph available."

THE LOCAL CASE. On inquiry yesterday it was ascertained that the one. Wellington patient (from tho household staff of Mr. Vernon Reed, AI.P.), was progrssing favourably. All "contacts" had been vaccinated, and in each caso the operation had been successful. The residence in Hobson Street had been fumigated, and ill flll probability restrictions will be lifted to-day.

■Dame Humour is a very busy person in these scare days. Yesterday the news was industriously circulated that a "case" had been discovered in a boardinghouse in the Tliorndon end of the city, and everyone in it had been rigidly quarantined. Investigation proved that thousand-tongucd Euiuour w;ls wrong again. CREW CHARY OF THE NEEDLE. When the Pert Health Officer was out in the stream to inspect the officers and crew of tho Union Company's collier, Wairuna, yesterday, some difficulty was experienced with nine of the crew on the matter of vaccination, For some hours the men refused lo submit to vaccination, but at last gave way and "took tho needle." The Wairuna had arrived in port from Newcastle, via Sydney, on tho previous evening, and iriien pratiquo was granted sho was berthed at the wharf to discharge her cargo.

PRISONERS INOCULATED. The Government is exercising caution in regard to tho vaccination of those travelling "under its care" between the two islands.' On Wednesday evening two prisoners and a lad for the Burnham Industrial School were sunt forward to Dyttelton, but before leaving all three were vaccinated by an officer of the Health Department. THAT MEDICAL COMMISSION.. NOT NECESSARY. Tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes (Minister for Public Health) informed a reporter last, evening that lie had forwarded a reply to' the suggestion mado by the DeputyMayor of Auckland (Mr. John Court) that a Medical Commission should be appointed to investigate the character of tho prevailing epidemic. The Minister has decided not to accept the suggestion. His reply to Mr. Court states that tho Health Department has already consulted several medical men of standing in Auckland and elsewhere, and, with one exception, they have confirmed the diagnosis of the disease as smallpox. All tho doctors (including the exception) who were consulted were agreed that the precautions adopted by tho Department wore essential.

Dr. Valintine (Chief Health Officer) stated, when he was interviewed lost evening, that on the occasion of his recent visit to Auckland lie had a consultation in regard to some of |tlio patients attacked by the epidemic with Dr. Robertson (who had had experience of smallpox in Zululand), Dr. Dudley (who was formerly superintendent of a smallpox hospital in London), and Dr. Maguire. medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital. who has also had experience of smallpox. Subsequently Dr. Douglas, of Hamilton, Dr. Eraser Hurst, of Whangarei, and Dr. Harke, of Onehun?a (all of whom had had experience of smallpox), were consulted. Dr. Valintine pointed out that the officers of the Public Health Department, in order to obtain the diploma of Public Health. had to pass a scccial examination in epidemiology, including the diagnosis Mid treatment of infections diseases. POINT CHEVALIER. Auckland, July 21. Only one additional case of the prevailing- epidemic was sent to the isolation hospital at Point Chevalier. The. patient is a European, a driver by occupation. He was removed from Morningside, and is known to have been in contact with Maoris. Like the other European patients he is suffering from a very mild form of the disease. All tho sufferers in isolation are reported to be making favourable progress. The total number now under Dr. l Spedding's caro at Point Chevalier is 52. IMPORTANT STATEMENT. Auckland, July 21, Dr. Frengley states that proclamations prohibiting Natives from travelling from infected districts are proving effectual. As illustrating this, he said that complaint? were reaching the Health Office that, in some infected districts, Maoris were being so efficiently restricted . that they were having some difficulty in obtaining food supplier. In such cases the Department had taken immediate steps to see that the needs of the Maoris in question were provided for. In reply lo a question as to when the Department anticipated completing the vaccination of the Maori population of Auckland district, Dr. Frengley said that it was hoped to complete operations by the end of next wttek.

J)r. Eleanor Baker, now at Kaihou, has advised the Health Office that convalescent. Maoris in that district do not "take" after vaccination. She says that she has only found the epidemic in one patient who had l>een vaccinated previously. This was an old Maori who must have been vaccinated .40 years ago, and whoso wife had been very ill with the disease. Dr. Baker has noticed that many of the old marks left on her patients are whitening, shrivelling, and pitting. CLEAN NEEDLES ONLY. Auckland, July 21. The Chief Health Officer has written to the Hospital Hoard asking them to bring under the notice of all public vaccinators the necessity for scrupulous cleanliness in performing the operation, and also for the careful sterilisation of all instruments after vaccinating each patient. This action is in consequence of a complaint that .sufficient care was not being exorcised by some vaccinators. DEATHS AFTER VACCINATION. A POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (liee. July 24, G.lO p.m.) Sydney, July 21. Two deaths following upon vaccination have caused some public uneasiness, in view of the severe after effects which in many cases have followed the injection of Iho vaccine lymph. The first case, a. doctor has stated, was not duo to vaccination. In the second case, the coroner refused to accept (he medical certificate until a post-mortem examination hnd been held. The doctor reported that death had been due to heart- disease and kidney disorders, and in no way associated with vaccination.

Dr. i'aton now claims that the smallpox epidemic came originally from Cuba, ffhejira it spread right wawa ths..,lMted

Slates, reaching Australia and New Zealand l).y 0110 of the Vancouver mail boals. He adds: "At any rate, New Zealand did not got it from us." THAT NEW ZEALAND LYMPH. (Ilec. July 24, 9.20 p.m.) Sydney, July 21. Dr. Harris, of Newcastle, states that when lie found the first fiftv tubes of lymph received from Aueklauil to bo ineffective, lie cabled an inquiry, receiving <i reply stating that the lymph was supplied by the New Zealand Health Department. Dr. Harris says Hint the first fitly tubes were weak. Another fifty arrived later, but these seemed to be s-iight-ly difierent. LATEST BULLETIN. (Rcc. July 25, l.io a.m.; Sydney, July 24. Five cases of smallpox wore reported today—all young men. One of them came from Che Domain; ho has no permanent abode. A caso at Grcnfell has been diagnosed as smallpox.