CASE OF SMALLPOX ON AORANGI

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 105, 28 January 1935, Page 10

CASE OF SMALLPOX ON AORANGI

Precautions in Dominion POSITION OUTLINED BY HEALTH MINISTER By Telegraph.—Press Association Russell, January 27. The action taken by the authorities concerning the reported case of smallpox having arrived in Sydney on board tiie Aorangi from New Zealand, was described to-night by the Mi l ister of Health, Sir Alexander Young. The Minister said that on first bearing of the case he immediately communicated with the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. 11. Watt, instructing that the fullest information be obtains I from the New,South Wales health authorities, and that no effort be spared to trace all contacts with the patient who had landed at Auckland, and keep them under observation during the incubation period and take complete action to safeguard the community from any spread of the disease. Official information received from New South Wales indicated that the patient, a second-class steward, showed the onset of the disease on January 16, and the eruption appeared on January 20. The diagnosis revealed the disease to be varioloid. There are no other suspects. This information had been distributed to all medical officers of health, Sir Alexander added. All passengers who landed in New Zealand from the Aorangi were under daily surveillance until the complete Incubation period had elapsed. He had the assurance of his departmental head that ’'here were ample stocks of vaccine lymph in the Dominion, and supplies were being distributed to tiie various heallh districts If any case occurred immediate measures would be taken for the isolation treatment of patients, disinfection of quarters and vaccination of contacts.