SMALLPOX.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1920, Page 3

SMALLPOX.

I SUSPICIOUS CASES IN SOUTHLAND ' ! Friday’s “Southland Ncivs” states , that the medical men of Invercargill have been studying a perplexing case r during the past few days. A young woman who arrived from Dunedin lately developed symptoms that created suspicion of smallpox, and was immediately isolated with, her family. A sister . had previously suffered from the same . ailment in Dunedin, and other cases of . ‘ a suspicious nature have also been ie--1 called since attention was concentrated on the Invercargill one. The disease presents some of the features of that prevalent in North Auckland some years ago, and although-it is riot definitely decided whether the case is one of mild ' smallpox or chicken-pox, all the pecautions necessary have ripen taken. Although the patient is convalescent the quarantine will not he lifted by the Health Department until the disease has been proved of a less serious kind, or until all danger of infection is past. The attention of Dr Hughes' the district Health Officer ,Ims been cl; awn to a similar case in Gore. It is understood that the only means by which the doubt can be solved is by vaccinating someone who has had the disease, but this way out of the difficulty is closed by the refusal of the sister, who has recovered, to submit to the test. It is stated that a Dunedin convalescent whose symptoms were identical, has consented, and this may prove in a negative manner whether or not the disease is a mild form of smallpox,