The Maori Epidemic.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 23 July 1913, Page 2

The Maori Epidemic.

The District Health Officer (Di\ Meinhold) has carried out such an attentive campaign of vaccination among the district Maoris that there must be very few among them now unvnccinated. There are three known casos among the natives, one being at Harauui and two in the To Pua district.

Two deaths have occuried through tlio disease at Kokouui, near Makarau, both natives, oLe being a baby. The Haranui nativo who contracted the disease attended the tangi at Kokonui. The two cases in the Te Pua District are natives who came from Rewiti a fen- days ago. As Dr Meinhold was going to "Woodhill to vaccinate the

school children he met a paity of natives coming down tho river. He stopped them and made them be vaccinated. They were then moving to Te Pua, and two of the party were suffering with the disease.

It is quite evident, that some of the natives have done their hest to avoid vaccination, which explains why the disease has become so widespread.

Sore arms are fairly general localJj' and if Maoris had taken to vaccination as readily as Europeans there would be little danger of disease spreading.