STATE LYMPE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1846, 4 September 1913, Page 7

STATE LYMPE

• ■■■■■ . ITS SUCCESSES & FAILURES. MINISTER'S REMARKS. I Interviewed yesterday by a reported in regard to tho reported failure of vaccinations with Government lymph, tho Minister for Public Health, tho Hon. It. Heat-on Rhodes, stated that lie had now before him a comprehensive return by tho Government bacteriologist (Sir. J. A. Hurley), the officer iu charge of tlio vaccine station, and of' tho preparation of all tho Government calf vaccine. Therein Mr. Hurley shows that of 19 separate vaccine supplies issued by him in July, 1913 (tho only ones issued), in tho caso of sixteen of these not only havo successful results been obtained, but tho amount of success attained has been up 100 per cent., while for the other threo of tho ninotcen tho percentages of successes wero 01 per cent., 83 por cent., and 80 per cunt. These data were prepared from tho returned report forms which it has been the practico of the vaccine station to send out to medical practitioners and public vaccinators with ' each supply of lymph. Tho forms in question were received prior to tho recentlypublished adverse comments upon tlio lymph. They oovor vaccinations performed from Auckland to Southland. "I want you to note particularly," said tho Minister, "that the returns show that every separate lymph supply issued from tho vaccine station has been found bv somo vaccinator in actual practico to havo given silcccssful vaccinations." To explain the failures, he said, was a matter of somo difficulty. TIo quoted tlio following us inexplicable episodes :—Eight medical men resident at places in Hawko's Bay, Wcllintgoiif Nelson, Canterbury, Otago, and .South* land districts used one certain lymphs Five of these have reported obtaining 100 per eejit. successes. Tlio reports of two others arc almost as good, while the eighth vaccinator reports: "All failed." "Thero can bo no senso of justice in blaming tlio lymph for a collapse like that,, remarked the. Minister. ■: Again, ho related bow ono doctor had, gone so far as to bo very oxpressivo by telegram.to tho Department in his coiidomnation of tho lymph sent him. An equally abrupt rejoinder might havo been sent in view of the facts. . These wero that tho same lymph in tho hands of at least two other vaccinators was reported by, them as giving 100 por cent, success, and more than that—one of thoso was much farther away from tho source of supply than# the complainer. With these facts before him the Minister, in conclusion, said that ho was satisfied some other caiiso outsido tho vaccine station and its' method must yet bo ascertained to account for tile reported inpfficiency of vaccination with Government lymph. Such causes might be such as : —(1) Defects ill tho technique of tho vaccina-, for, (2) neglect of care of lymph by vaccinators, (3) conditions unfavourable to the lymph in transit to vaccinators, (4) interference by vaccineos, (5) immunity duo to previous exposure of the vaccine to cow's infectcij with cowpox, or acquired from previous vaccination or smallpox. Vaccines issued in August have also been favourably reported on, and when more reports come in, the Bacteriologist will furnish the Minister with further tables of tho results for that month's lymph. "It is especially gratifying," tho Minister added, "to be ablo to announce that we have support for tlio good quality of our lymph from a learned and. eminent authority outsido of Now Zealand. In a letter just to hand to Mr. Hurley from Professor Welsh, dated from the University, Sydney, on tho 29th ult., ho writes, intor alia: "I havo long intenc|ed writing to tell you that it—the lymph supplied from New Zealand—was most successful both on calves and in man, and that on calves it yielded an excellent vaccino,- which has now been used on many people." THE BULLETIN. SHEET ALMOST CASE FREE. Tho following bulletin was issued last evening by tho Deputy Chief Health Officer, Dr. Frengicy— Tho District Health Officer, Auckland (Dr. Monk), reports: "No cases reported in Auckland city or suburbs. . Thames district reported clear. Two children admitted to Kaikohe Hospital, and eleven discharged, consisting of threo monj five women, and threo children." SYDNEY CASES. 637 TO DATE. (Rcc. September 4, 0.40 a.m.) Sydney, September 3. Six cases of smallpox wero reported today. Revised figures show that tho total number of smallpox cases reported sino£ the outbreak of tho cpidemic is 037.