LEPROSY.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1924, Page 3

LEPROSY.

po-dTIOX IN A I S'l'i.’ \ 1.1 A . SYDNFA. Sept. 11. For some linn* alarming reports have heen eireiilaie.l alleging a serious spread of leprosy in the North-west ol Australia, particularly amongst the |,lacks. These led the Federal Government to appoint a highly qualified ollieer. Dr Cook, who made a special study of leprosy at the I rnpieal Diseases Institute in London, to make a careful investigation on the spot. On this work Dr Cook has l.een engaged since .May. and lie has now reached Perth oil his return journey with a most reassuring report, lb* said that there had heen a good many allegations made about the prevalence ol lepn.sv among the aborigines in tin* North-West. All mid. be bad not linnid a dozen eases, and be bad travelled In,m Onslow to Wyndliam. visiting most of the pastoral stations where natives were loved. lie bad not | veil to Marble Bar now along the coast north of the Liverpool Range, hut wherever suspects w. r- reported he had visited and examined the natives, and considered that he had met a thoroughly representative lot. from whom he was able In make general deductions. |)r Cook explained that there was a hizar-t at Derbv. Here he had l.mnd four native lepers. There wen* seven leprosv patients there now. i.iilu.ling one white man. Two native lepers were now isolated at Ro.-l.urne. .1 e case had been discovered at l.eagh |j„v. Naturally, the residents ol Deil,v wore somewhat perturbed by In presence of leprosy m their moist I while patient had been a pal lent m the hospital adjoining the lazaiet. a 1 it was alleged that lie had become infected while in hospital, hut there was evidence to show that he hail lontrael,.,l leprosy years prior to bis admission to tin* hospital. . . , , Dr Cook expressed the opii.mn that h'prnsv was not likely to spread rap.d . the North-West, as it did m some parts of the world, but it was a ma te. that should he taken m hand and dealt with. , .