SMALL-POX ON MAKURA

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1923, Page 2

SMALL-POX ON MAKURA

THE SHIP QUARANTINED. [by telegraph— rEU riinss association*.] AUCKLAND, May 17. An. outbreak of alastrim—a mild form of small-pox —confined to two children on board the Makura produced an unexpected development when the vessel anchored in the stream at 1.30 p.m. to-day on her arrival from Vancouver. Following the medical examination, and as a precautionary measure, the Port Health Officer, Dr Sharman, gave instructions for the steamer to proceed to Motuilii Quarantine Station to-morrow morning. The two patients are third-class nmlo passengers, aged about 12 and 13 respectively. They joined the steamer at Vancouver, bound for Wellington. They wero confined to bed last Saturday, about the tinio the ship reached Suva, and were isolated hv the ship’s doctor. Tho Makura had 140 passengers for Auckland and Suva, also 070 hags of English and American mails for the Dominion as well as a quantity of cargo for Auckland. The mails have not been landed, pending instructions from Wellington. The two patients remain on the ship under the ship's doctor’s care.

The Makura’s patients and passengers will land at tho Quarantine Station after vaccination to-morrow. The cargo and mails will bo fumigated and the mails will be landed to-day. After landing the passengers, (lie ship will he disinfected, and it is probable that the Sydney passengers numbering 50 will then return on board and the vessel will proceed in quarantine to Sydney. The period of quarantine for the 100 Auckland passengers will he determined by the Chief Health Officer. The Port Health Officer says the complaint- is nearer chicken-pox than sm all-pox.