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South Canterbury Times, MONDAY, JULY 4,1881.

The news that an English ship with small-pox on board has arrived at Port Chalmers has created considerable alarm, following so close as it did on the outbreak at Sydney. Several times the disease has been introduced into New Zealand by ships from beyond the seas, but owing to the vigilance of the authorities it was never allowed to spread. It may be relied upon that the exertions of the Health Officers will not slacken in the present instance. The colony is now threatened from two points—Dunedin and Sydney. Fortunately, our neighbors in the South were aware of the danger in time. No one from the infected ship has been allowed to land. The Charles Worsley will be kept in quarantine till every vestige of the disease disappears. It is a different matter in Sydney, where the smallpox had spread in the city before proper precautions were taken. There it was introduced by Chinese. In Dunedin it was Britishers who brought it. So we cannot very well use it as a reason in the present instance for keeping out the Celestials. It would be an argument which would cut both ways. There is this difference, however, that the Chinese use every subterfuge to keep all knowledge of the disease from the whilst the Caucasians make all haste to acquaint them’ of the danger. Notwithstanding that Dunedin lies almost at our door, the greatest chance of contagion is from Sydney. There is a large trade between all the big ports of the colony and Port Jackson. It would be exceedingly inconvenient to quarantine all the steamers from that port, and that really -would be the only effectual way of keeping small-pox at a distance. In Dunedin the disease is isolated on the quarantine ground; In Sydney it is, so to speak, at large. Hence, it may be brought to our shores any day in spite of the utmost care taken in the examination of passengers before embarking at Sydney. An infected person may have the seeds of small-pox upon him without any of the usual symptoms, and the disease might keep under till the vessel had proceeded some distance to sea. In fact, it might be brought to New Zealand without the slightest sign of tbe disease being exhibited on shipboard. Medical authorities state that clothing will contain the contagious principle for months, and even for years when confined. There is no known disease so contttgious. An eminent physician has stated that during a long period of attention to the f disease not a single instance had occurred to prove that persons liable to small-pox could associate in the same chamber with a patient in the distemper without receiving the infection ; and that he was informed by another physician of an instance in which the poisonous effluvium crossed a river 1500 feet wide, and affected ten out of twelve carpenters who were working on the other side. Small-pox, it is said, is always most virulent on its first introduction to a new scene of action. Several countries of both 'Europe amd America have been almost depopulated by this fearful scourge of Asiatic origin. It is as deadly near fchePoles as it is in Equatorial regions. The salubrious climate of New Zealand would not mitigate its ravages. It, therefore, behoves the authorities to use every precaution to keep the disease at a distance. All the colonies so far have been exempt from smallpox, except a few isolated cases, and this has been owing to the exercise of the most rigorous measures to prevent it spreading. There is a great scare, in Sydney now on the subject. The authorities have received information that smallpox is prevalent in the Empire of China, in the British possession of Hong Kong, and in other ports and

places in the East. The Government of New South Wales have proclaimed China and its ports to be infected places. Yeasels arriving from these ports will be sent into quarantine whether they are clean or not. If the disease is not speedily stamped out in Sydney, New Zealand will have to adopt the aame course in regard, to NcW South Wales/ The public health must override eyery consideration of trade. The only product we receive in any large quantity from New South Wales* is cosl, and the mines of this colony are quite capable of yielding the requisite supply without materially enhancing the price. : To revert .to the stops taken in .Sydney to prevent the spread of small* pox, a notification has been addressed to medical men, clergymen, magistrates, householders, and others, requesting them to furnish at the earliest opportunity reliable information of all cases- of sickness of a doubtful or suspicious character. A sense of danger has made the people respond readily to the appeal. To show how the scare has spread, it was reported to the authorities that a child was supposed to be suffering from the fearful infliction. The doctors immediately proceeded to examine the child, which was found to be perfectly healthy. It had a pimple on its nose. The neighbors had told the mother that it was small-pox. A Chinaman was observed purchasing some linseed meal, and this circumstance was considered of sufficient importance to be reported to the police. They traced; the Chinaman to his house, which was occupied by fifteen others. There was no sign of smallpox amongst them. Instances like the above are common in the Sydney papers. Instructions have been issued to exempt from attendance at school children residing near infected localities, and a school has been closed in the neighborhood of Fort street, the locality where the disease made its first appearance. People are even afraid of riding in railway carriages, dreading infection, and the railway officials have been instructed to thoroughly disinfect and air the carriages day by day. Should a passenger exhibit sickness of any description, a special means of conveyance will be provided for him. The applications for.vaccination hare become so nuraerons that the supply of lymph ran short. We suppose that owing to the dangerous proximity of the small-pox the authorities here will take measures to carry out the Act, which makes, vaccination compulsory. Although it. is not an absolute safeguard against disease, a long course of experience proves that it lessens the chances of contagion, and that if a vaccinated person catches the disease it generally assumes a mild form.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT18810704.2.7

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2585, 4 July 1881, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,071

South Canterbury Times, MONDAY, JULY 4,1881. South Canterbury Times, Issue 2585, 4 July 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, MONDAY, JULY 4,1881. South Canterbury Times, Issue 2585, 4 July 1881, Page 2

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