TYPHOID OUTBREAK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 171, 6 August 1937, Page 9

TYPHOID OUTBREAK

-Presp Association.)

Four Deaths on Great Barrier Island RESIDENTS INOCULATED

(By Telegraph-

j AUCKLAND, Last Night. 1 A prompt investigation by officers of ithe Health Department at last week'end of a reported outbreak of sickness ion Great Barrier Island led to the dis;covery of an epidemic of typhoid fever ithere, which' had caused four dieaths jand had affected in varying degrees isome 30 persons. The place most seriously affected is 'the Maori settlement in Catherine Bay 'to the north of Port Fitzroy. Having obtained the authority of the Minister of Defence, Dr. C. B. Gilberd and Mr. • W. Armour, of the Health Department, flew across last Saturday in a defence seaplane to investigate the position. They found the sickness prevalent both ainong the Maoris and a few. whites in four Maori settlements on Catherine Bay. Three Maoris and.a child had succumbed to it. Dr. Gilberd - and Mr. "Armour remained until Monday morning and during that time they inoculated everybody in t'he four settle-, ments, concerned to the number of 87. The villages were thoroughly cleaned up, and in view of all the precautions • taken the Health Department anticipates a r'apid subsidence of the trouble. Dr. Gilberd and Mr. Arpiour returned*'" to Auckland by seaplane, and' variouS, tests made have completely confirmed the diagnosis of typhoid. They propose, .if weather permits, to return to Catherine Bay this eoming week-end to give a second inoculation in all the settlements affected.