MENINGITIS CASES

Southland Times, Issue 24826, 19 August 1942, Page 4

MENINGITIS CASES

POSITION IN SOUTHLAND AND OTAGO

There was always a tendency for cerebrospinal meningitis to appear where large gatherings of people took place, stated the medical officer of health for Otago and Southland (Dr T. McKibbin), when discussing in Dunedin yesterday a report that the disease had become prevalent in the North Island. Epidemic forms of this fever were associated definitely with overcrowding, and there was a tendency towards this in the North Island when compared with the South. The principal safeguard was to spread the people. However, while one deprecated the appearance of the complaint, it was better to see it appear in a gradual form than in a swift, epidemic form. Dr McKibbin said. Up to the week ended August 10 there were 59 cases in New Zealand, he said, of which only two were in the Otago-South-land district. From August 11 to 17 inclusive there were five cases in Otago, all of which were among civilians. •'To the extent that the Army is careful of its own hygiene,” said Dr McKibbin, “that is its own safeguard and also the safeguard for the surrounding community. Nowadays, he added, it was the accepted rule to isolate cases rather than to trace out carriers, for it was invariably proved that new outbreaks were not traced to carriers. Good drugs, which were lacking during the last war, were now available, and assisted tremendously in combating the disease. . _ , . _ While the position was far from alarming, it was wise to take precautions and to avoid crowds as much as possible, Dr McKibbin stated.