GRAVE RISKS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2258, 18 September 1914, Page 6

GRAVE RISKS

IN FORMING A MAORI CONTINGENT. (By Tele&raph.-Press Association.) , Auckland, September "A. Grave risks will bo taken in forming a contingent of Maori volunteers, according to a statement made in an interview by the District Health Officer, Dr. Makgill. He declared that typhoid fever has been so widespread among the Native population this winter that the gathering of a large number of Maoris will almost certainly result in an epidemic of disease. Dr. Makgill stated that during the present, winter typhoid has been rife among tho Maori people of the Auckland province, and in ■ parts at least of the Wellington province. Thero are very few Native settlements in the Auckland province that have cscapeda visitation, and in some places the disease has been very severe. In July 40 cases of typhoid wero notified, 30 of thorn being Maoris, and in August there were J3 Maori cases in a total of 63 notified. The habits of the Maoris are such, said Dr. Makgill, that even with the strict supervision of a military camp, it would bo very difficult, to prevent tho spread of infection. Even if medical examination wero able to eliminate Natives sickening for tho disease, there always remains the danger of "carriers," persons who have recovered from tho disease A but.

in whose bodies the bacilli still porsist, and arc discharged from time to timo. "Carriers" aro known to havo been the causo of many epidemics. They aro extremely difficult to detect, as the infection is not always apparent to examination. It is certain that a number of "carriers" would be included in any contingent formed of Maoris. It would bo extremely dangerous to collect a couplo of hundred Natives in one camp or in one ship. Asked whether there was not a similar risk of "carriers" creating an epidemic, in the main Expeditionary Force, Dr. Makgill explained that a very much larger proportion of Maoris has suffered from the disease than in _ the white population. Not only was risk of "carriers" in the whito troops much less, but the latter were better protected by the fact that their habits were not so conducive to the spread of infection. Dr. Makgill agreed that inoculation would probably protect the Natives, but it would not destroy the danger of "carriers." In a statooi-'nt yesterday regarding the Imperial Government's acceptance of the service of the Maori contingent for Egypt, the Prime Minister said that the Natives of course would not be departing with the main Expeditionary Forcei He presumed that the Maoris were to be taken to Egypt in order that their possibilities for service at the front might be ascertained. , "I have another proposal on hand in regard to the Natives," Mr. Massey added, "but I am not ble to say anything about that yet."