SMALLPOX SCARE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 900, 26 May 1903, Page 3

SMALLPOX SCARE.

REPORTED CASKS i.N DYTIEI TON AMJ DUNEDIN.

Per Press Association, CI-IKISTCIIUKOII, last night, ij'liis aiternoon if was leuoiled that a ease of smallpox had been discovered at Lyttelton. enquiry ; roved that there was some foundai.on for the rumor, inasmuch as .John Coiisens, railway platelayer, liv.ng on Tieehurst Hoad, dad (levuloped symjjtoms which were considered suspicious. lie was attended hy Dr 2’airman, who, as a precautionary measure, vaccinated the inmates 01 the house during the afternoon. The I .strict Health Ollicer, Dr. Pinch, went to Lyttelton in the afternoon, ?lid made; an inspection or the case, ft was understood that he had decided to send the patient and all who Ind come in contact with, him to J.ottle Lake, hut later on it. was asi.rl,lined that the authorities had i tided to isolate the house and keep il and its occupants under observation.

I'lierc arc persistent rumors here tliiil. ii, woman passenger liv kite i.'raeehus, win) landed at Dunedin, :uhl is now there, lias licim attacked b-‘ smallpox, 1 iul lm ilisoaso is jn a mill) form. 'l'ho local llealt.li ( Ificor says dial- nothing official lias conic Lo his knowledge. 1 I ..'ill p.m.—A I a late hour to-) right, I lie medical men had not derailed any definite decision as to U hot her (lie case of councils was cue of smallpox. Neither Couseiis nor any of the inmates of his house. In d been on hoard the (Iracclnis. Ills nork was partly about, the wharves, hat it, does not appear Unit iie was s; trinity exposed to infection.

i'he Lorough authorities of Lyttelton last, week, in order to lie preI ■ red for a possible outbreak, made ; irangenirtils for the isolation of houses and for the transportation of any case to the infectious diseases hospital at Lottie Lake, and if was understood in town this afleriinoii that these arrangements would he carried out. II was finally decided, however, to defer action till to-mor-row.

.INFECTIOUS DISEASES HOSPITAL.

(Per Press Association).* DUNEDIN, last, night. So far as is known, there is no development of any suspicious symptoms among the (Iracclnis contacts, but as a lady passenger who was landi’d here is not recovering as qu'i-kly from her illness as was exjiecfed,’ Dr. Valentine, Acting Chief ilealtli Ollicer, who is here on a visit, has given instructions that ail precautions should continue. Dr Valentine, with the Mayor, visited Quarantine Island to-day, to inspect tlut buildings there, to ascertain their suitability for suspicious cases of disease. A conference is called for to-mor-row between representatives of the local bodies lo take the matter of providing a proper hospital in hand a t, once.' The matter has become urgent also in connection with scarlet fever. It' is thought the epidemic has largely abated, hut ttieie arc jive eases iu the hospital, developed ji> the institution, for none are admitted, and it is certain that i it is from one of these tlial Dr CL }’• Pnom house surgeon, contracted f live- from which iiu died. There is vo isolation ward, and the medical stall are not inclined to perforin any serious operation while there is scarlet level: in the Hospital.