CASE OF LEPROSY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 24, 21 September 1931, Page 3

CASE OF LEPROSY

Press Association-

"Post"

VJCTIM'S SUICIDE CHINESE FRUITERER FOUND HANGI NG IN CELLAR HOUSE LATER BURGLED

— Convrisrht.

By Telephone —

Specrd Service.

AUCKLAND, Sunday. The body of Wong Tim Poy, a Chinese fruiterer, aged 40 years, was found in the cellar of his house in Grey Avenue on Saturday morning. ( Poy was suii'ering from leprosy, and was to have been isolated on Saturday. The further discovery that Poy's house had been 'broken into and a suit-caee belonging to him stolen was made this morning. j Poy was married and his wife lives j in China. He had made arrange- j ments to leave Auckland for China some days ago, but was prevented from doing so by the health authorities. He was medieally examined and his case was defmitely diagnosed as leprosy on Friday. It is understood that Poy learned j the result although he was not noti- ! fied bv the authorities.

Prior to Friday Poy was sharing the house with another Chinese, but ' the latter removed to other prcmises early on Friday evening. He re- j turned on Saturday morning and ; found the body in the cellar. The Chinese made another visit this morning to the house which had, in the meantime, been locked up, and there were signs that someone had entered the premises by forcing a rear window. A suitcase which belonged to Poy was missing and the gas meter was broken open and the contents i stolen. ' Dr. T. J. Ilughes, Medical Officer I of Health, stated that arrangements | had been made with the hospital au- , thorities for Poy to be sent to isola- j tion before being sent to the leper ; station. There was some element of danger in the fact that Poy's property might have come into the possession of another person, but the disease was not as contagious as it was generally thought. Moreover, the c'jsease had not advanced further than the early stages. It was desirable however, that any personal property should be in the hands of the health authorities.