A SERIOUS TURN.

Southland Times, Issue 18833, 28 May 1920, Page 4

A SERIOUS TURN.

Tiie report that “definite small pox” has appeared in Dunedin is serious enough to demand attention by the public in all parts of the dominion. Up to the present the epidemic lias been confined to a mild form which, though decidedly unwelcome, has not been dangerous. This report, however, puts the matter in an entirely new light and following upon it there should be an instant move by the public to take heed of the department's warning to be vaccin-

ated. There has been a tendency to take ihe epidemic lightly but doubtless this attitude will change when it is known that a definite ease of the more dangerous form of the disease has been reported. One of the weaknesses in the defensive measures taken by the department so far has been in the control of contacts, but if the local officers have not sufficient power to compel contacts to submit to rigid isolation they should procure it at once. The history of the influenza epidemic surely shnuln be enough to convince the Public Health Depaitinent that in these matter? it is practically useless to rely on the good sense of Hie public, 'dost people when they are requested by Hie health authorities to cut themselves off from the public will do so, but there are always a few irresponsible*, a few people with an utter disregard for lire safety of others who will throw all caution to the winds and risk spreading the disease without any qualms. One of these is sufficient to nullify all the work done by the department, and it becomes necessary, there-

fore, to secure power to protect the community from this menace. Up to the present in Invercargill the isolation and even the control of contacts has been irregular and one argument advanced has been that ;he increase in the number of cases has made it iinpo.rible to keep track of possible carriers. While the departmental officers have no power to enforce isolation there may be something in this plea to afford an ■“sense for their inability to keep truck of contacts, but it cannot absolve the Public Health Department from the responsibility of ensuring that every step possible to keep the disease in check is taken. We expect a great deal from the department in these matters and we are entitled to do so. 'lhe government heal* It service does not exist

solely for the imrpose of keeping statistics of any outbreak of disease or of quarantining gpople who are infected. It has been established for the purpose of protecting the health of the community and its most important duties Include the direction of the

campaign to check ami stamp out aip\ disease that may .-how itself in the country.

In these mailers it is better to be sure than sorry .and the public will more readily excuse an excess of zeal than the neglect

ti) adopt :u !r-i |u;i) e measures. If more power is re'iuireil I>y the local officers of the department they should not rest until they Ret it because, whatever may be the consequences of the acts of thoughtless people the blame for the spread of the disease must fall finally upon the department in whose hands the duty of fighting it is placed.