SMALLPOX

Southland Times, Issue 18830, 25 May 1920, Page 5

SMALLPOX

TWO MORE CASES REPORTED,

VACCINATION URGED BY DEPARTMENT.

Two more notifications of the smallpox that is prevalent were received by the Health Department yesterday making 14 cases in all since the first notification. The disease has now become more general, and the source of origin harder to trace. Dr T. McKibbin, District Health Officer, visited Invercargill during the week-end and made the following statement for publication:— Within the last few years New Zealand, America and Australia have been visited by a form of modified smallpox, which though mild in character and in some respects atypical, has been severe enough to occasion considerable incapacity for work and consequent disorganisation of local industry. I am informed by my department that vaccination with calf-lymph has proved valuable ns a preventative. The incidence of the disease in Southland is increasing, nnd though it would be alarmist to state that the province is in imminent danger of an epidemic of virulent smallpox, some of the cases to be seen at the Invercargill Isolation Hospital are severe enough to necessitate active preventive measures. The constitutional disturbance, pocking and after effects on the general health produced on the patients are far greater than those occasioned by simple vaccination. I therefore urge the people generally to seek vaccination not only for their own protection, but to deter the spread of the disease. This can be effected either by appointment with their own medical practitioner or free of charge by the public vaccinator (Dr McCaw) at 11 a.m., Mondays to Fridays inclusive. In addition some of the measures adopted by the Public Health Department and the Southland Hospital Board are: — Patients and contacts who refuse vaccination are isolated. Vaccinated contacts are under observation for 18 days, but free to resume their ordinary occupations with the exception of school children and staff who are exempted for 18 days, and those engaged in the handling of foodstuffs. Contacts are restrained from frequenting public entertainments. I would ask the general public to co-operate with the local authorities by informing the Public Health Department, Invercargill, should instances of concealment of the disease or breach of the preventive measures adopted come to their knowledge. The symptoms of the present epidemic resemble those of influenza and in the preliminary stages it is difficult to differentiate between the two. The temperature runs high with severe pains in the back and limbs.

PRECAUTIONS IN OTAGO.

(Per United Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, May 24

In view of the fact that in the Southland district the epidemic of varioloid varicella, otherwise modified smallpox, shows a tendency to increase, the Health Department is now urging the advisability of general vaccination. In the Otago Hospital district the outbreak appears to be about stationary, and in the Vincent and Oamaru districts no fresh cases have been reported.