SCARLETINA AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2886, 13 January 1891, Page 2

SCARLETINA AT CAMBRIDGE.

Our Cambridge correspondent writes : The inhabitants of our town wore greatly astonished, and some even alarmed, to read the following local in your Saturday's issue :—" We learn that scarlatina is running its cnuise through several families in Cambridge, having been introduced by a family lately returned from Auckland. Some steps such as the isolation of the cases should be taken to prevent the spread of this epidemic." Surely some gossiping ancient female must have furnished you with the information, and she (or he) certainly deserves the cake as champion exaggerate!. The facts are true as regards it having been introduced from Auckland ; the family had been staying at the North Shore, and one of the children being unwell, the mother of tho family thought it best to return home—a course which I think would be followed by !)!) out of every 100 mothers. During the joumev the child got worse, and on their reaching Cambridge Dr. Cushney was called in and pronounced it scurletina. Steps were at once taken to isolate tho children, they were removed to an upper bedroom, and every precaution was taken to prevent the spread of the disease. The father is not allowed upstairs ; the mother attends to the children, and when she comes out of tho room changes the whole of her garments and anoints huiself with carbolic acid wash. The house is deluged with Coudy's fluid and carbolic acid till it fairly -eeks of the latter. What more can your informant wish for? Regarding the statement that the epidemic "is running its course through several families," that is totally devoid of truth, for I have made enquiries and cannot rind another case, neither does Dr. Cushney know of any. I think before spreading such a report as the above, your informant should have ascertained the truth, as it conveys the impression that the parents and the d.-etnr had not taken any precautions to prevent the spread of the disease ; and the maimer in which the matter has been magnified is calculated to prevent, people coming to Cambridge for the benefit of their health, aud will very probably prevent foreign capital being expended in the town.