A HEALTH RETURN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3086, 7 January 1909, Page 5

A HEALTH RETURN.

MASTERTON'S RECORD LAST YEAR.

A CHINESE LEPER 'DEPORTED

FROM jfiKlißA

AND SENT TO CHINA

In a return just completed by the Borough Health Inspector (Mr J. J Cairns) of the number of cases of infectious diseases which occurred in the Borough last year the record of scarlet fever cases shows much more satisfactorily than for 1907, when the malady proved very hard to check. The return has very special interest, however, inasmuch as I among the cases reported to the Health authorities was that of a Chinese, who resided at; Akura, found to be suffering from the dread complaint of leprosy. The details of the .return are as follows:-- Scarlet fever, 22 cases; enteric fever, 4 case''; consumption, 2 cases; erysipelas, 1 case; I case; leprosy, 1 case; diphtheria, 1 case. No exact figures are obtainable as to the nirnber of cases of infectious disease which occurred in 1907, but so far as scarlet fever is concerned it is estimated that at least 40 mors cases were reported than was the case last year. The Inspector states that most of the infectious cases were reported from outside the drained area of the Borough, the only diphtheria case and three of the four enteric cases coming from ; outside the drainage area. Many of I the scarlet fever cases were traceable to the patients coming into contact j with sufferers in other places. The fact that a leper resided in such close proximity to a town the size of Masterton last year will not prove a reassuring item of information to residents, but the Health authorities did all that was possible to guard against others becoming inoculated with the terrible disease, as the patient was immediately isolated, and taken away to China at the earliast opportunity. It was early last year that the existence of the disease at Akura became known, a local doctor reporting the case as suspicious to the Health Department. -Drs. Makgill and Frengley were despatched to examine the patient, whose name was Ah Moy, and they found that it was a tme case of leprosy. The house in which the patient was isolated was burnt, and every other step taken by which the risk of contagion might be absolutely removed. There was a rumour current in the town at the time that a leper had been discovered at Akura, but the Health officials, not wishing to cause unnecessary uneasiness, kept the matter so secret that only yesterday was the fact made publicly known that the rumour was wellfounded. An Age reporter was informed that Ah Moy had been a resident of Akura previous to his ; developing leprosy. He had gone away for a period and then returned. His case, though not a very pronounced one, was, according to all reports, quite bad enough. He is said to have been employed in the vegetable business. Apart from the case of the unfortunate Chinese, the report is regarded as very satisfactory, as it shows that systematic inspection is proving very successful in keeping Jat a minimum the common iiil'ecj tious ailments assisted by uncleanly or insanitaiy conditions.