THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrezi. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2174, 22 December 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrezi. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1875.

The dreaded outbreak o£ scarlet fever or scarlatina—which, whatever may be said, is but scarlet fever in a milder form—has made its appearance in our midst (we hid no 1 idea "that such was the case when we uttered the note of warning in yesterday's issue), and we hail with pleasure the prompt action which appears to have been taken with regard, to it; -When we say 'prompt action we mean prompt as far as the actual outbreak of the disorder is concerned, for- it is certain that for measures to have been really prompt they ought to hate been concocted hefbre even the first appearance of the epidemic, and not after a first case had arisen to force action on the part of those who are responsible for the sanitary condition of the district. Something it is true was said on December 4^- at a. meeting of the Borough Councir about providing for the isolation of cases should 1 feverV as was feared, break out,: but nothing whs done, and we cannot too hjghly commend the promptitude displayed by the Mayor, Mr J. E. Macdonald, who, short time as he has been in office, has secured the promise of j£2OQ from Sir George Grey ; towards , the : erection of a

hospital in which fever cases, when they-occur, can be immediately iso? lated. As regards tho fever itself—and from what we know of the lamentable sanitary condition of the Thames, and, moreover, have heard from others more qualified than we ourselves to give an opinion—there is too much reason to fear that the outbreak, if not happily nipped ' in tbebud, will be a most severe one. : The medical gentlemen and. the Council who met yesterday afternoon seem deter? I mined so to:nip it^ and well will it be for I this district, circumstanced as it at present is, if their efforts are crowned with success. There can be no~doubt but that isolation of cases immediately they are apparent is thejqne great means of keeping the scourge .in check, and;we would impress on all heads of families the importance of calling in medical advice immediately there is the slightest i suspicion that one of the inmates of the house is affected.: There is ho dbubt considerable difficulty in keeping Ypatients ; completely isolated, not so much when the disease has definitely set in as when ■ it just begins to show itself, but; then it is that isolation .must be most rigidly enforced if it is to be.of the slightest avail. Of the valuable effects of isolation there can be no question, and however desirable other means to abate fever are, isolation, complete from the very first appearance of, the disease, is of all means, the most effectual. We all know the story told by Harrison Ainsworthvin his book " Old St. : Paul's," which, though no doubt exaggerated in details, did actually occur in time of the plague; and the experience of the Australian colonies tends to confirm our statement of the value of isolation, if indeed, any confirmation other than common sense were needed. Speaking of it (isolation) a "writer in f the Australasian of the 4th instant, says : — " The valuable effects of isolating the cases of disease is shown by the result at Stawell, where ' the one case which -occurred was immediately isolated, and the further diffusion of the disease prevented;" jWo^/,present are luckily in the position of S tawell in having, as far as is known, only one case of scarlet fever among us; well will it be for us if the result be the same in our case as iv I

theirs, and the isolation, which we hea the family of Mr McDowell have faithfully promised to submit to, be productive of the same good results. The present moment-is no doubt a most important —a most anxious one ; on it and on the precautions now taken depends in a great measure the safety of the district.; Once let thefever spread, and in the hot weather*which must be expected at this time'bf the year it will extend itself with fatal rapidity. Of this fatal and certain spread of the fever unless it be checked the same writer, wjipse,.. words..w.o.Jjaye just quoted, says:—"The cases which have occurred in the country districts have^been traced, in numerous instances, to the

earlier "cases which appeared in MelboUrne.' •-•Had : the 'first cases been promptly isolated the further dissemination of the disease might have been prevented."- Means for isolating cases thenwe musi have, arid that speedily. They ought to have been provided before the outbreak actually occurred, and when the attacks at Corornandel and elsewhere made it more than probable that we too should be visited in our turn. Now that the fevejr,has come: to us it is gratifying to see the combined action of the medical profession, Borough Council, Police authorities, and particularly of the Mayor, to prevent ita spreading, which action wo may trust will be yet in time. But besides isolation, when the fever.has made itself manifest, "there are other means to be taken to prevent infection, arid a list of rules to be observed has been drawn out by the doctors of the Thames which ought to bo observed by all. It will be, noticed that the chief points in these rules : or suggestions are cleanliness — both of person and dwellings — free ventilation,; great care to be; taken to avoid the accumulation of offensive matter, and the thorough deodorisation of all cesspools and drains. Too much stress cannot be laid on this last rule, though all are of great moment, considering the unhealthy state of a great part of the'township. It is not too much to say that many parts of the town are lurking beds of fever in hot weather, through deficient drainage, 'and, in some cases, through absence of any drainage at all. Prevention -is better than cure, and in addition to, or rather as a means of carrying out the suggestions of the Thames doctors, we would advise the copious use of chloride pf : lime in the closet, also that an ounce of cloride of lime in; a bucket of water be poured down the drains of the house every 1 day, and in addition, that a muslin bag of camphor be hung in every sleeping apartment, _ which should be kept thoroughly Jwell ventilated | and often washed. We must draw attenI tion also to the suggestions of the doctors, that as soon as sore throat and rash/affect any member,of a household a medical man should be called in and the patient separated from the rest of the family. This suggestion cannot be too strictly carried out, for on it much, as we have said, depends ; and it is far better in times like these to be over-cautious than not cautious enough. A gargle of chlorate of potash should be used, and the patient after being sponged put to bed These last, however, are matters which belong to the province of medical men rather than ourselves.- What we would do is to enforce immediate action in the formation of a hospital such as is needed, and immediate reference to medical authority, when the slightest suspicions are entertained; a copious use of such disinfectants as are prescribedi with a thorough ventilation of dwellings.

As regards the hospital, which it is proposed to erect for the isolation of fever cases, we hear that two proposals are already on foot. One. is to erect a building as comfortable: as possible, but still only temporary, on" a piece of land situated off the Parawai road, kindly given by >Dr .Fox for that purpose ; . the v other ■ tcr. make use- of a house, also situated off the Parawai road, known as Crdwn's, and now in 4 the possession of Mr Puckey. The Mayor, with Drs. Lethbridge and Fox, went out to Parawai; this afternoon with a view of seeing if either proposal is feasible. ,: