THE OUTBREAK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 8

THE OUTBREAK.

DR. VALENTINE ON ITS NATURE. "MILD SMALLPOX." DAILY BULLETIN & OTHER REPORTSMORE RE-ASSURING. The Ohief Health Officer (Dr. T. H. A. Valintine) issued the following bulletin on Saturday, and it was not siupplors mented yesterday :—■■■•' "Five fresh cases have been moved to the Isolation Hospital at Point Chevalier, Auckland, to-day, all Maoris, three being from Orakei Bay and two from Shoal Bay (tho Oraki Bay cases being those mentioned yesterday as being under observation)'. fr No fresh casea >iro reported from the . Wellington Health District." Mr. V. H. Reed, M.P., and the members , of his family and household staff were released from quarantine on Saturday. Interviewed regarding the suggestion telegraphed from Auckland at the end of last week, that the epidemic prevailing in the north is akin to alastrim, a form of epidemic disease something similar to smallpox, the Chief Health Officer (Dr. .Valintine) said that all the indications went to show that the disease was a mild form of smallpox. It was common knowledge, he said, that many diseases were being experienced to-day in milder forms than in the past. . Scarlet fever," for inetance, was much : less virnlont than it used .to be, and tho mortality had been .reduced in this country to 0110 and a half per cent. The same thing applied to .diphtheria, once o, much more terrible ecourgo than it is now. The virulenco of diphtheria had bosn modified by the anti-toxin treatment,'but tho cases themselves were much less serious than was tho- case some years ago. True typhoid fever, again; _was unknown in this country, Dr.. Valintino mentioned that when to first came to New Zealand lie absolutely refused to believe that some patients who enmo under, his observation were suffering from typhoid fever, the disease was so nuidi milder than in cases of which he 'had had experience in London. "If we have modified scarlet fever, , modified diphtheria, and modified typhoid," said Dr. Valintine, "why not modified smallpox? Wo have not had an instance," lie added, "in which a person attacked by the disease has reacted to vaccination." Arm-chair critics had, of course,' a lot to say, Dr. Valintino went on to remark, but of tho doctors consulted, who could speak from actual observation of the epidemic, only two were doubtful, and these two stated that tho precautions taken by the Health Department were justified. There has been .a good deal, of talk in and out of Parliament about quarantin- / ing districts . with a view to preventing the spread of the epidemic. On this subject Dr., Valintine remarked, when ho ■'was interviewed,- thai while it might be ■practicable to quarantine one of the islands, the possibilities of quarantining particular districts were strictly limited. Some Maori settlements oould lie isolated with comparatively, little trouble, but to effectual]}' quarantine any large number of .districts would necessitate employing a great part of the population. In Sydney, Dr. Valintine stated, the Health authorities were relying almost entirely upon vaccination as an agent in checking the epidemic. Much has been said during the prevalence of .the smallpox epidemic about the way in whicli the Maoris have willingly co- • operated, with the Health Department in 1 its ''efforts"'to! stamp bjit the disease. That the Native --is' capable of another attitude is indicated in a story which has filtered down from North Auckland. It is related that at a ,pa in that region, where ■the disease made its appearance, the Natives, havo been living- in old and insanitary wharos. Tho Health Department .official who visited the nlace impressed upon its inhabitant? the necessity of budding new whares, and at first they declared their willingness to undertake the work. An old member of the tribe, however, intervened to advise that they should sit" down and the Government would carry out the necessary building operations. .The -advice, -it is stated, •so appealed to the members of the tribe that they adopted'it forthwith. 1 : SIXTY CASES.

AUCKLAND'S TALLY TO DATE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ' , Auckland, July 27. There are' now sixty cases, ■includ'njj twelve Europeans, in the Isolation Hospital at Point Chevalier. Three Natives were..admitted from Mangere on: Friday night, and two from Slioal Bay, who were prevented from reaching the institution as a result of the bad state of the roads, were sent out yesterday.,. Reports ..from the country received this morning at the Auckland: office are also of a reassuring nature. Dr. Cawkwell telegraphed last night that he found three • bad. ensos' at Ngawha Springs, near Ohaeivai. There were, he 6tated, fifteen convalescents at Ngawha villago. The suspicions case of a European woman at ICaikohe township had been isolated in the patient's own 'home.' The district health officer remarked that the subsidence of the'epidemic at this" stage was all the more satisfactory because it was just n fortnight since tho last outbreak occurred. That was - the period of incubation for smallpox, and if the disease was to gain ground, a fresh <;rop of oases would natuirallr have lesulted." ■

'.'DOSES'& THE DEMAND. Auckland, July 27. A quantity of. lymph,..sufficient for the inoculation of 53!i0 persons, arrived by (he express yesterday • morning, aiid before noon 40C0, doses had been distributed among the doctors. Although it is reported that a,lull in vaccination has now set in, the extensive demand for vaccine seems to' imply that numbers of people fire still anxious to avail themselves of (ho precaution. '' DEPARTMENT RIGHT. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, July 26. Dr. Crawford explains, with reference to his remarks (telegraphed on Friday) regarding the smallpox epidemic, that, while fio considers it doubtful if the present outbreak is true smallpox, he considers that the Health Department is quite right in treating it as a serious disease, and qiiite approves the measures which it has taken. THE SYDNEY EPIDEMIC. A NEW LEASE OF LIFE. (Bee. July 27, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, July 27. The small pox epidemic has taken a new taiso of life. Nineteen fresh cases were reported yesterday in Iho metropolitan area. It is now stated that the failure of the New Zealand lymph .is due to its being too pure. This is accounted for bv the fact that e-hlnroforin was blown through it for too long during its manufacture. A TURN FOR THE WORSE. (Rec. July 23. 0.40 a.m.) Sydney, July 27. Dr. Paton declares that the smallpox outbreak has taken a decided turn for the worse. Saturday's cases show that tiio disease is becoming more virulent. Vaccination is the only safeguard, and ho apnenls to all to undergo the operation. " Everyone unvaccinated is a danger to' himself and a serious menaoo to the community. ' (Rec. July 28, 0.40 a.m.) Sydney, July 27. Nino additional smallpox cases _were yoported to-day, making a total of 3;io.