Virulent Polio In East Papua

American Journalist Dies in Peculiar Circumstances

THE outbreak of severe Poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis), in Eastern Papua late in July, and the develop ment of circumstances not yet explained, caused the death on Sunday, August 6, of Mr. Clifford Kruse, a young American journalist who was on a visit to the Trobriand Islands.

Mr. Kruse was about 30 years old. He had held the rank of captain in the air arm of the United States Marines during the war in the Pacific, and he was per sonal pilot to a high-ranking officer. He had flown extensively over most of the battlefields, from the Solomons to Japan.

After the war, he adopted journalism and, as a casual writer, he wandered exten sively in French Oceania, especially the Marquesas. He wrote a number of articles for the PlM—some are not yet published.

Mr. Kruse arrived in Sydney early in 1950, and visited many out-of-the-way parts of Australia. Then he decided, while en route to Indonesia, to have a look at the archipelagoes eastward of Papua.

On August 3 the PIM received the following radiogram from him, dated Losuia (Trobriands) on the 2nd;— “I urgently need help. I am being detained here against my wishes because there is a polio quarantine in the Trobriand Islands.

“I departed from Samarai for Kitava (one of the Trobriand Islands) in a Government trawler before this quarantine was effected. En route, we anchored off the shore of Kiriwina (another of the Trobriand Islands). I was ordered to disembark by a . . . . medical official. I was refused permission to remain aboard and return to Samarai by reason of the quarantine.

“I am being treated like a criminal. I am in perfect health and I am isolating myself from exposure to polio. Hotel accommodation and eating facilities are not available to transients here. I am subject to possible detention here for six months unless officially released.

“I am anticipating that I shall be recalled to active duty with the Marine Corps in Korea.

“Please contact the United States Consul the Australian Minister, the New Guinea Adminis trator, the New Guinea Director of Health, and anyone else who can help, and urgently request permission for me to return to Sydney by first Catalina or ship.—CLIFFORD KRUSE,

Losuia.”

The PIM immediately placed a copy of this message in the hands of the Minis ter for Australian Territories, Mr. Spen der; and on August 4 we radio’d to Mr.

Kruse that the Minister had taken the matter up with the Administrator, and with Mr. Halligan, secretary of the De partment.

Next day, on August 5, Mr. Halligan was advised that Mr. Kruse was seriously ill.

On Sunday, August 6, he was informed that Mr. Kruse died at Losuia at 1.40 am. on that day (Sunday).

The news caused consternation among Administration officials, who had already been making arrangements to take Mr.

Kruse off the island. A medical man was sent immediately in a seaplane to try and ascertain exactly the cause of death. . It is understood that an inquiry is be mg made into the circumstances under Which Mr. Kruse was detained in Losuia.

22 Cases And 4 Native Deaths

Reported

THE flare-up of Poliomyelitis in the

Trobriand Islands and in Misima was sudden and alarming. The Adminis h?i or v, reported earl y in August that there nad been 22 cases reported among the natives (16 at Losuia), four of whom had

died. Three of the deaths were on Misima.

In a Gazette issued on July 31 both areas were proclaimed infected areas, and became subject to strict quarantine.

The Administrator said that the epi demic was being investigated by Dr.

Smythe, and the Assistant Director of Health (Dr. May) was then in the area with the medical vessel, Hekeha, which was equipped with an artificial lung; and extra medical supplies were sent to Losuia by Catalina on July 30.

It was hoped, early in August, that the original explosive epidemic had burned out, for no new cases had been reported.

All the usual precautions were being taken.