SMALL-POX ON THE RINCAROOMA. Steamer Quarantined at Sydney.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 91, 28 February 1885, Page 3

SMALL-POX ON THE RINCAROOMA. Steamer Quarantined at Sydney.

While the New Zealand authorities are doing all in their power to prevent the introduction of small-pox from Australia to this colony, an incident has occurred which seems to show that the disease is already in our midst. This forenoon the following cable message was received by the Medical Officer of Health in this city:— "The steamer Ringarooma, from Auckland, has had to be quarantined, in consequence of a case of small-pox on board.— U. K. Maokbllab, Medical Adviser to Government, Sydney. " The Ringarooma arrived in Auckland from Sydney last Wednesday morning, and left again for the latter port the same evening with the following passengers : — Mrs Edwards, Miss Atkins, Madame Isabella, Mr and Mrs Forrest, Messrs Parker, Saville, Garland, A. Spence, W. B. Hoffman, and 15 in the steerage. It is not stated whether or not it is a passenger who is affected, and it is, of course, possible that the disease may hare been contracted by one of the crew while in Sydney, and remained undeveloped until after the steamer had left Auckland on her return voyage. Should the latter prove to be the case, it will remove all suspicion of small - pox being in existence in this city, but it will show how utterly futile, as a preventive measure, 13 the medical examination made on the arrival of Australian steamers. Many passengers who may have been in contact with the infected individual have been landed here from the steamer, and there is a possibility of an outbreak of the dangerous malady yet taking place in Auckland, if it be not alreart/ existing. Dr. Philson, the local Health Officer, is strongly of opinion that- the outbreak must be among the crew, &p he is convinced that small-pox has not appeared in Auckland, and cannot, therr/jre, have brokon out among the passengers shipped from this port. This view is confirmed by the following telegram, received at a later hour from Wellington :— >c The Colonial Secretary has received a ] cablegram from Mr Edmund Seager, Secretary to the Board of Health, Sydney, stating that the steamer Ringarooma, from Auckland to Sydney, had been quarantined yesterday there, in consequence of there being a case of small-pox on board. It appears that the patient is one of the crew, and that on the last voyage of the tteamer to Sydney he was two days in that port, and it is believed he there contracted the disease.