THE LATE EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1934, 17 December 1913, Page 5

THE LATE EPIDEMIC

SATISFACTORY REPORTS. PERMANENT PRECAUTIONS. VACCINATING MAORIS. Some factr. of interest relating to the epidemic which created such a stir in Now Zealand a few months ago were laid before, the House of Representatives 'on Saturday hy tlio lion. K. H. Ithodes (Minister of Public Health. "It is my pleasant duty to inform honourable members," he said, "that there is only one case of smallpox now in the Dominion, which, owing to complications altogether apart from the disease, has not yet been discharged, the complications being twins, which wore pock-marked. This is confirmatory cvidenco of the nature of the. epidemic. "The city of Auckland for some time past has been free from the disease. The last "case was reported on November 4. During the epidemic 1884 cases were notified; of that number 113 were Europeans. Forty-two deaths amongst the Natives wcro verified, thouzh there is good reason to believe that considerably more deaths occurred. There wcro no deaths amongst Europeans. Matter for Congratulation, "Under tho circumstances I consider that it is a matter for congratulation that the epidemic has been so readily stamped out. As Minister of Public Health I would like to place on record my appreciation of the manner in which members of the Nativo raco faced the situation, the readiness with which they complied with the requisitions of Departmental officers, and tho dignity with which they submitted to measurer, which must have been regarded by them as not only exceedingly irksome but at times unjust. In this connection I would like to mention the special services rendered by Messrs. Hoke, of Mangakawhia, and Rawiri Te Ruru, of Oheoawai; Archdeacon Hawkins, and Mr. and Mrs. Kay, of Parawera. Medical Officers and Volunteer Helpers. "Thanks aro specially duo to certain medical officers who rendered the Department most loval and efficient service. I would particularly refer to the services rendered by Dr. Rangihiroa, M.P., whose knowledge of the_ customs and idiosyncrasies of the Maoris was of the greatest value to. the country, as was also his activities of a moro direct nature in connection with tho suppression of the epidemic. To Dr. Douglas (Medical Superintendent of the Hamilton Hospital). Dr. Stapley (Cambridge), Dr. Watt (Ngaruawahia), and . Dr. Eleanor Baker (late of Aratapu) special thanks are also duo, and I take this opportunity to place on record the names of Messrs.' Cameron, Connor, Faris, Haslett, Mackay, M'Diarmid, Milne, Mvcrs, Serpell, Sharp, Short, Tapper, Wnllis, Watt, of the Duncdin Medical School, .for their services in the far north during the most-trying period of tho epidemic. As their services have been of crcat value to tho Dominion so 1 hope that .the' experience gained by the medical students will be of value to them in tho future. Thanks are also due to officers of other Departments, who cordially assisted the Public Health Department, and in that connection I have to thank the officers of the Education Department for their whole-hearted assistance, which undoubtedly greatly inconvenienced the work of that Department in the infected districts. . , ■""I haVe also," said the Minister, to thank the police officials of Auckland. As regards the Departmental officers, I have pleasure in statint: that tho officers of all branches of the Department —medical, clerical, and inspectorial— cheerfully carried out their work.

which often involved: duty by day and omit mcnliuu <:f the. serylce'V-Vif.iiiho/ (iovernmeiit Bacteriologist/a boratorv i.taif, for keeping-up-the'sup-., ply of vaccine, a matter; of the greatest; importance in suppressing an epidenm--of this nature. .Special thanks are also.; due to tho officers id' tho inspectorial stall', notably Inspectors Bennett, Cai-, denvnod, I'Vanklin, Grieve, -Middleton,;. and The above officers-were.; deterred by no obataclcs, and cheerfully) undertook duties—at times of an extremely unpleasant nature—that with reason" they iniahl have protested were not within" tho scope of the duties of. inspectors of the Departmont. In crises of this nature mistakes arc- bound - to occur, and undoubtedly wero mark.. Nevertheless, on taking into consideration tho extraordinary difficulties of the situation and other matters connected with the epidemic, I am confident* that the Dominion is well and loyally served by tho Department which I have tho.; honour to control. fIV. ■'■'';;■; Christmas Prospects. '■■*<>-& "The Australian authorities arc still imposing restrictions as against New Zealand passentrers, while demanding that restrictions be withdrawn in New Zealand as against passengers ■ .from Sydney. I am still in communication with the Commonwealth authorities, and hope that before long I shall be able to announce that all restrictions have been withdrawn. 1 might add that as far as restrictions regarding traveling within Now Zealand are concerned, it is my intention to withdraw all these before Christmas, and possibly .within a week." ""■■■" Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) congratulated tho Minister and the Health Department on tiio epidemic having been stamped out. Ho spoke of the special services rendered by Dr. Rangihiroa. and expressed a hope that certain facts as to tho effectiveness of vaccination | amongst the Natives which the member for the Northern Maori District had collected would be published by tho Department. -. •; Mr. Davey (Christchureh East): Are you prepared to take vaccination.-on again? -Air. Russell: Yes, if 1 am advised that it is necessary. He hoped that the Minister would endeavour to in-, dnco all unvaccinatcd Maoris to be vaccinated. .He acknowledged the vigour' displayed by the Department in stamping out the epidemic when it once set about the work. '-.■'' ''■■ ' ~ ■ Dr. Rangihiroa's Opinions.; "-'-. Dr. Rangihiroa thanked the * Minister for his kindly references to his services. Anything that he was able to accomplish had been a labour of love. Although the restrictions imposed by tho Department upon the movements of Natives may have Goemod severe, he (Dr. Rangihiroa) recognised that they were, necessary. Anything that the Department had done in this direction had his entire support, and as a wholo it had tho support of the Maoris. Ho referred to the services of the medical students from the Otago University, and said that although there had been a disposition in Auckland to sneer at the action of the Department in obtaining tho services of these students, they had done excellent work at a considerable sacrifice in regard to their studies. The data that he had collected in regard to the efficacy of vaccination would be placed before the Medical Conference to be held in Auckland in February next. Tho Maori Minister. Tho Hon. Dr. Pomaic said that he had taken up the work of hc.'.lth amongst the Maoris for over ten years. He returned to this country for the express purpose of being of seme service to his people. At the end of the ton years he left, the Department without ever a word of thanks from those in authority for his faithful services. He had been abused and criticised for not going-out amongst his. people during the recent epidemic. As a fact he did go out for about ten days through

'■hjsjlojyiiydistricL'T-'.and, found, that the .s;>i'l»"''<)l' tho Deportment was being caf;H(;il;(>n ij'ry..satisfactorily, and that hi" si'iyiiiMyyore not "lvqiiired.' If they had ',)>tejCh(v:\yoiihl them wiil-■'iiigl.v'.-fli'.ii'.tlu'.vjwcrcliidt/aiid his Jlinis:iWial '(lutie.sJi.-iil,.'dotaincd him in Wellington;- : K : W;.;' ■';.' ■ '~" ■y : Apprrei:Uinn' : 'of.,tho, ivoVk'dnne bv the f>fl;<.'er:i;.('if, the .'.Public Health Dqjart■mont iii,:r.up))]Tssing. iho'-- epidemic was '>xpi-csHeil-by Me\ssrs£XY'.E.. Glover and >.f.:i^A'^V()nilg.-;s: ..'■•■■ ;: ' ' ftr.^'.*''P. : '.Mfnlster'"in'Raply.':.'' '.'' replying/ : ;:aid;it!i;it:,horhad -'every-.-intention of. "makiug-.'use-df the "statistics compiled by the honourable, member, for Northern '.Maori';- and Vwould 'circulate this and ~sit her'.-information -throughout the country.': He would wait, however, until the Medical Conference had . met in Auck.land, when the matter-would be thor-oughly-thrashed out. With regard to Mr. Russell's suggestion that means should be- taken to. vaccinate-the whole of 'tho Nativa'irace; .the Minister said that, at the suggestion of the iiiemlrcra for Eastern and Northern Maori, he. had already had this .proposal under consideration. ' If-Shey could take steps to .rnrrv.it out the, Mann's,',at any rate, .eught.-.to be immune next 'year. - In tho event of any. return .of tho epcdeinic .it.might then be that restrictions would have to be placed on pakohas and not on iMaoris. . He .-thanked: members for their appreciative references to the work of the. Public. Health Department, and said he was'certain that his colleague, Dr, Pnmare, if. his' Ministerial duties had permitted,, would have taken part in tlio work.-bfi suppressing tho epi- ■„■■'..:.'■ -;;