SMALL-POX SCARE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 902, 28 May 1903, Page 2

SMALL-POX SCARE.

.MAGNIFYING OTHER COMPLAINTS

By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, last night. Dr Finch, District Health Oilicer, was informed last evenin'; that a suspicious ease had occurred at Springfield, near the terminus oi the Midland Kailway line, lie went up there to day, and examined the patient, a girl oi six or seven years old. the daughter of a man employed on the railway works, and, together with the local doctor, came to the conclusion that the case was not one of email-pox, but more likely to bo chicken pox. Sj far as is known, the child has had no connection in any way with the Gracchus or with the port oi Lyttelton. The case of the Lascar cn hoard the Gracchus is not small-pox. Ho is supposed to be only suffering from the edicts of the fumes of the disinfectants. Cousens. the Lyttelton patient, has developed no further symptoms of small pox. llis condition is unchanged. At a .inerting nf the Hospital Hoard, the Chairman read a letter Hum l)r. Valentine, suggesting that Hie Hoard should immediately erect a corrugated iron building tor the reception oi four patients, male ami icinale. the structure to be placed on runners, to facilitate its removal In any desired locality. The City Council would defray the eosl, which would amount to about bdau. Tile Chairman said that this meant an expenditure of 412 ail on a mere scare.

Other members spoke strongly against Lite el ect ion id a small-pox hospital in the neighborhood of Christchurch. It, wtis resolved I hat the Health Officer's recommendation he earned out, the proposed buildings to laplaced at a safe distance front the f resent ones, and the Infections I)is- . ases Hospital now in process of t-reet ion not. to he used for contacts. Dr Valentine arrived from Dunedin to-night. Fifteen medical students have volunteered for service in any part, of the colony, under Dr. Valentine, should their services he icquired in connection with the outbreak of disease.

Dunedin, last night. There arc no developments in connection with the small pox scare, except that a very large number of persons are being vaccinated. A lady passenger by- the Gracchus, who has been pronounced as having had a mild attack of small-pox, is progressing favorably. Tire health authorities are now fairly sanguino that the community has escaped any further infection from the Gracchus.