CHASING RUMOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 912, 4 March 1930, Page 11

CHASING RUMOURS

SMALLPOX PATIENT SENDS i REPORTER ON TRAIL PASSENGERS V. DOCTORS “That girl didn’t have smallpox."] A passenger from the Aorangi was I dreadfully in earnest about it when he j called at The Sun office this morning. j “No she didn’t ; . . her father told j me . . . and the ship's doctor said to one of the passengers . . A Sun reporter grabbed his hat from the waste-paper basket. Here was a real story. If the unfortunate girl was not suffering from smallpox, several hundreds of people had been put to unnecessary inconvenience, the Union Steam Ship Company had been involved in thousands of pounds of unnecessary expense. and ex-passengers off the Aorangi were daily baring their chests to medical officers for nothing. All the “pother” in Sydney too, was quite unnecessary. In fact it seemed that somebody had blundered. So The Sun reporter set out to verify a startling rumour. He had no acquaintance with smallpox. He wouldn’t know “one” if he saw it. His only information came from the indignant Aorangi passenger who had not been content with a delightful, free and sunny holiday on .Motuihi at the expense of the Union Company. THE CHASED BEGINS An Auckland man was the first to be questioned. “I’ve been told that the girl on the Aorangi did not have smallpox,” said the reporter. - “What did you really hear about it on the ship?” “The usual lot of rumours,” he confided. “They are as bad on a ship as they were at the war. A fellotvpassenger told me that another passenger had been told by the ship’s doctor that the girl was suffering from chickenpox and that she didn’t have a temperature. If that’s worth anything I leave it to you, partner." Another passenger was consulted. “The gril’s father told a friend of mine that his daughter was merely suffering from a rash,” he remarked. “She had had the rash several times. It was a complaint which was aggravated by eating any kind of shellfish and she had eaten some lobster or something just before the Aorangi reached Suva.” « Out into Queen Street again. The heat was oppressive and the rumour still a rumour. Dripping with moisture the reporterclimbed one of Auckland’s gentle slopes to call on a doctor. “Did the girl have smallpox?” the reporter queried. “Her father says that she was merely suffering from a rash brought on by eating shellfish.” “It is smallpox,” said one ol’ the doctors concerned with the case. “It was smallpox,” replied another who had been .consulted. “Of course it was smallpox,” declared another. “Four doctors held a consultation. The fact that she did not have a temperature does not make any difference. People suffering from mild forms of smallpox do not have a temperature as a rule. Had the girl not been vaccinated she .would have been a particularly bad case. Here Was definite proof. If four doctors do not know when smallpox is smallpox something must be wrong. IT IS SMALLPOX Another call had still to be made to the Health Department’s office. Groups of people off the Aorangi were waiting to undergo the morning inspection. The reporter turned to go back to the office. The lift door opened and an attractive blonde stepped out. She wore one of those, anklelengtli frocks and exceedingly smart shoes. She looked as though she had just stepped out of an exclusive Broadway shop. “Waal- Inspeeturr, heere I am,” said she to the doctor. There was no mistaking that drawl. It came from the lands of extreme blondes and business. Meanwhile the smallpox patient is basking in the sunshine on Motuihi along with her father and mother. She will be required to stay there for seme days until all risk of infection has passed. The Health Department is busy making inspections every morning and will continue to do so until there is no further fear of the complaint developing. And the rumours will naturally circulate —all to the same purpose.