THE EPIDEMIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1843, 1 September 1913, Page 7

THE EPIDEMIC.

MEDICAL STUDENTS TO THE FRONT, A DISTRICT QUARANTINED. - (By Teleirrftph—Prew Association.) Auohland, August 81. A party of twelvo senior medical students reachcd Auckland from the Otagc University on Saturday morning, hav- , ing como in rcsponso to a Tequest from 1 the Health Department for service ir the campaign against smallpox. Ilioj reported themselves during the forenoon- to the Chief Health Officer, ani received irom him an outline of the work which would bo required of them Dr. Valintino remarked that the . sludonts who went into tho country havt excellent .opportunities of becoming liequainted with a disease, which rsiwlj appeared in tho Dominion, us well as Bccnring knowledge of. tho country north of Auckland and of tho ways ol tho Maori people. Tho students luudt at quite apparent that they had ccme to tho front with much cntnushnui tint a keen desiro to have their abilities anc resourcefulness 1 put to the test. Pour members of tho party (MoSsis, Tapper, Watt, Meyers, and Hash-ttJ loft for Whangarei en route to Kaikoho to report, to Dr. Cawlcwell. Tw< more (Messrs. Serpcll and Cameron) gc to Mangonui 011 Monday to do duty under tho direction of Dr. .Will, and iht remaining six will bo kept in Auckl.iuc for the time being to do patrol v.'crli and assist in vaccinating contacts.-; As tho result of tho ■ looation of 0 secreted caso at Orakei on Thnrsdav through the activity of the Mavor .vie tho City Council's inspectors, the Chief Health Officer has agreed to dcolaro quarantine over tho whole of the Orakei Settlement until it has been declared freo. A Nativo in authority _is being allowed to oome into tho citj in order to arrange for supplios for the Natives, but 110 will report himself frequently to tho Health Offico in ordei that the freedom from disease may be cheoked. Superintendent Mitchell is acceding tp tho request of tho Chiol Health' Officer to place a constable iri charge of tlio settlement during the quarantine period. IN THE WAIKATO. STRONG MEASURES DEMANDED. (By: .Telegraph.—Vscsa ■ Association.) Hamilton, August 30. Strong comments wore made attlit Hamilton Borough Council on the . atti tude of thci Health Department wit! regard to smallpox. Tho Mayor statec that a deputation. Natives had waitec on him yesterday, appealing for mcdi cal assistance. Ho had sent to the pa& whero • there was mucli illness, aparl , from smallpox. Medical men, were ro . fusing to visit camps, which were alsc sorely in want of sustenance, some 0: • the kainga9 being on the verga of star vation. Tho Natives had no food, ant no money,, and were being'prohibited t< leavo the camps.' Theyhad 110 means 0 earning any. Tho Health Department said the iMayor, had taken, the adminis tration of the-health laws out of th hands of tho, local bodies, but imnio diately. it had struck troublo.it ha< . shirked its responsibilities. It was im possible for the local inspector to super vise all the camps in the Waikato, whicl wore very scattered, and stretched ove a wide area. The consequence was tlia Natives wandered. The deputation whicl had'called at his office was from a badly infected camp. Tho .attitude of the Dc partment all through, he-said, rival lea" t Gilbert and' Sullivan opera.. It was decided to send a strong pro test to the Minister, demanding mor< stringent measures to wipe out the dis ease in the Waikato, and moro stric supervision of the movements of Na tives and attention to thoir wants^ No bulletin was issued from the Pub lio Health Department's offioO either 01 Saturday or on Sunday, and tho'Minis tor for Public Health (the Hon. R. H Rhodes) informed a reporter last nigh that he had "nothing to report." : SYDNEY'S DAILY TOLL. (Rcc. "August 31, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, August 30. Six cases of smallpox were rcportc; on Saturday, four being females. (Rec. September 1, 0.20 a.m.) Sydney, August 31. One case of smallpox 'was reported to Hay. INTER-STATE ntAFFIO. (Rec. September 1, 0.20 a.m.) Brisbane, August 81. The inter-State traffic, which ha been considerably affected by the smai; pox scare, is gradually resuming it normal 'proportions.