SMALLPOX IN NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 894, 18 May 1903, Page 2

SMALLPOX IN NEW ZEALAND.

THIRD PORT RRACHHD dkkork DISCOVL'KY WAS AIADH.

JEATH OF THIRD OFFICE!

Per Press Association. LYTTKLTOX, last nitht. Two cates of smallpox, one of which proved fatal tins morniuu.were (1 is cove ret! on tilt* steamer (iracehus at Lyttelton on Saturday. The si earner tame from ('alcana, via .Melbourne, Port Chalmers, and Timaru. The patients were Johnson (third oijicer; and Hell (ihird engineer). They were ill on arr val at Port Chalmers on May Id, and were medically examined there and at Timaru. It was not thuujrht necessary to quarantine the vessel there, and it is staled that-

Liie opinion was lhat ii was German measles. Ai LyUclum. where Die Graeehus arrival al haii'-pan nine on Saturday morning, the port health I nliieer, Dr Uphatii, apparently eon-I sidered t lie* eases small-pox - . Dr Kindi, district herd ill ollicer, who returned from Wei line; ion by ihe s.s. Zealandia, examined all oil hoard with Dr Upliani, and tile vessel was ordered into quarantine. The crew i f Lascars were vaccinated just, liefore leaving Calcutta, hut the patients have not been recently vaccinated. The steamer went net to the quarantine ground at seven o'clock on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning was fumigated with forma-

.Johnson died at 3 a.in. Sunday, I and was buried out at sea in the I afternoon. The Rev. A. 11. Tread- I well, Presbyterian minister, of Lyt- I tell on, read the burial service on hoard the tug Lyttelton. Dr Finch, the Chairman of the Harbor Hoard, Mr A. Kaye, and the Mayor id' Lyttelton, Mr u'. Kadclilie, had a conference in the morning concerning measures to he taken under ill.' direel ion of the Health Ollicer. No 7 wliari, at which the Cracclms lay, was washed with sea water and disinfected. The cargo, mostly gunny hags and the like, which had been landed from the vessel, w<:. rsolatcd. Lumpers who had worked on hoard, some twenty-four, and others who had handled cargo, were assembled,

and given the option of being vaccinated or quarantined.

it is intended to disinfect the houses and burn the clothes in which tliev worked on hoard. Out of 27 men affected, only two consented to lie vaccinated. OHRISTCHURCI-I, last night.

Two eases of smallpox: were discovered on the steamer Gracchus, which arrived at Lyttelton from Calcutta, via Melbourne and southern pons, yesterday' morning. The vessel was berthed when hoarded by the health officers, and men were at, work discharging cargo, but she was .ordered into the stream. The third ollicer and third engineer were the patients The former, named Johnston, died last night. The Coroner decided that an inquest was unnecessary, and ordered burial at .sea this afternoon. Twenty-seven wharf laborers were working on the boat when the outbreak was discovered. Twenty-live refused to he vaccinated and were sent into quarantine.