The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturday WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 78, 12 January 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturday WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1876.

That the Immigration policy of the past few years has been singularly successful, in importing and acclimatising a variety of dangerous diseases, previously almost unknown in New Zealand, cannot be denied, though it is in the highest degree improbable that Sir Julius or his colleagues ever anticipated such unpleasant concomitants, in connection with it. But for the. great care that has been taken, in strictly carrying out the quarantine regulations, much worse would have happened, but it is impossible for the most scientific to speak decisively, as to where contagion or infection ends or begins, or how the germs of disease cannot be mysteriously conveyed. The first eases of small pox brought to the colony were dealt with promptly, and that horrible disease happily tailed to gain a foothold, but equal fortune did not attend on measures taken to prevent the spread of fevers, measles, &c., and it justnowhappens that the colony is suffering severely from them. The summer heats, the very groat and rapid changes of temperature, the utter disregard, as a rule, both by public bodies and private individuals, of the most ordinary sanitary laws and necessary cleanliness, have borne the harvest that might have been predicted with certainty ; when and where it will be fully gathered in has yet to be seen. In Australia we hear that scarlet fever is fatally prevalent and is spreading. Communication between New Zealand and various Australian ports is continuous, so any deficiency, in sources of disease amongst ourselves, is readily made up from these founts. Unfortunately, however, there are plenty of hotbeds to propagate it, in Now Zealand itself; In Dunedin, in Christchurch, in Auckland, and in Wellington, these fever scourges exist, though the medical men, and the Boards of Health too, have apparently entered into a league to deny their existence as far as possible. Under date of January 4th, a week ago, a Dr Patrick, practising in Christchurch, admitted that he alone had no less than seven cases of undoubted scarlet fever under his care, He is only one of the medical men of that city, so it is reasonable to suppose that there are very many more cases, as yet unknown. Even in districts but little distance from here, typhoid fever, of the most malignant type, has appeared, and it may bo fairly assumed that it exists, in a mild or aggravated form, throughout the Colony. The Government, as a matter of course, have taken the alarm and now arc doing all T their power to compel precautionary ana remedial measures. The Board’s of Health seem also to have woke up at the principal places, and it is to bo hoped thxf their exertions will he crowned wifi’ success in combatting so dangerous and insidious a foe. Amongst other things that lave been done is the very wide distribution of placards, in which precautions against the spread of typhoid fever are given, and the same have been thoroughly, advertised in the newspapers of the colony. TV o would direct the attention of our readers to these valuable directions, but would more especially impress on the' local bodies, who ( aro, ex" officio, the local Boards of Health, the necessity there is for the most stringent exercise of their powers at the present juncture, in insisting on private individuals complying with the ordinary sanitary laws. In scattered townships like this, there is certainly less danger than in crowded

towns, hut, the same causes that create disease in one way produce it in the other, ami it is at least erring’ on the right side to bo-too-careful, rather than too, careless. N«-»ne can tel! how infection may be communicated, a stray wayfarer, a passenger by one of the coaches, a new settler conic to reside in the district, may be the unconscious messengers of evil, and we would recommend a close perusal of Dr. Ogle’s very able suggestions, alike to private individuals and members of public bodies. Boards of all kinds arc the recognised conservators of public health, ami on them at this time the responsibility devolves. Their task need not he an arduous one, for then; does not appear to be any very immediate danger in the Patea district,, hut that danger does exist in many places, and of a serious nature, is evident, otherwise the authorities would not he exerting themselves so actively elsewhere, as is now the case. Notwithstanding probable immunity, ordinarily reasonable men, after such warning, should take some stops to enforce sanitary rules, without being harsh or absurd in doing so. Disclaiming in any degree, to bo regarded in the light of alarmists, wo have doomed it right to thus bring the matter prominently forward, to be dealt with or neglected as the Boards may choose. Bet them bear in mind the old maxinl, that “it is too late to shut the stable door when the-steed is stolen.”