DISEASE ON SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1920, Page 5

DISEASE ON SHIPS.

THE SYSTEM OP QUARANTINE} < V PROCEDURE TO CHECK SPREAD '<• By T*legr»plj.—Pr«a« AstoeUUt®. ( Wellington, Last Night, The Board of Health recently enquired, at the instance of the Minister, into the berthing of the steamer Mahana at Wellington after there liad beenan Veak of scarlet fever among immigrant*. The Board concludes that the Health Department took all reasonable precautions. A request was made for the Board's opinion generally upon the present system of quarantining in ports, and the precautions taken by the deportment against the introduction of disease by ships from overseas. The reply was as follows: The Board understands that the following procedures are available, and liave been used by the Health Department in the case of vessels arriving iqjjlew Zealand waters carrying eases of infectious diseases: (lj In the case of minor infectious diseases patients hav* been sent into isolation hospitals already provided for such cases occurring amongst the shore population} (2), dangerous cases of infectious dllttaea not endemic in the country have bienisolated in quarantine stations along with contacts; (3) the system of requiring contacts who have been releaied to report to the officers of the Health Department and private practitioners has been utilised. The Board considers these procedures satisfactory, and is of opinion that the department should continue to adopt them in future, as in the discretion of the medlial officers of the department they may bjj applicable. . ■. *