DIPHTHERIA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1917, Page 4

DIPHTHERIA EPIDEMIC.

HEALTH OFFICERS REPORT. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. At last night's meeting of the works committee of tVic New 'Plymouth Borough Council a letter was received from the district health officer, in reply to a communication from the council with regard to the outbreak of diphtheria in the borough. Dr. Watt wrote that there was nothing peculiar or alarming in the number of cases in the borough. Diphtheria, he said, was one of many infectious diseases from which the community was never entirely free, and which, in certain years, owing to some unknown climatic factor, became epidemic. At present the people of New Zealand were experiencing one of these epidemic waves, the disease being general throughout the whole of the Dominion. New Plymouth had hitherto escaped lightly. He had analysed cases reported from the Taranaki district, and had found that from January to May,, inclusive, of the present year, 50 cases had been notified, of which 44 occurred in New Plymouth, the remainder being distributed over the Waitara borough and Taranaki county. Diphtheria was a town disease rather than of the county, so that there was nothing unusual in the majority of the eases reported being in New Plymouth. On investipnting these New Piymoutii cases further, ho had found that the numbers notified from month to month had been as follows: January 3, February 5, March 8, April 13, May 15; .total 44. Diphtheria was a disease of children, especially between the ages of 2 and 10. It was not strange to find that 2!) out of the 44 cases were of such age. He had carefully considered the matter of school infection, and could find no evidence that the outbreak was attributed to such. As regarded the matter of nightsoil removal, lie did not consider the time of undertaking, whether day or night, hod much bearing on the presence of diphtheria in the borough. 'Personally, he favored the night service, as he held the opinion that day removal could not be undertaken without creating a nuisance. He would endeavor to visit New Plymouth in the near future, and advise in the matter of combating the epidemic. In the meantime much good work might be done by a housc-to-house inspection and general clean-up of the town. He recommended that this be undertaken by the sanitary staff. On the motion of the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) consideration of the letter was held over till nest meeting.