Smallpox Rash

Wrong Diagnosis of Smallpox Rash

BECAUSE a ship’s doctor made an error in diagnosing a rash on a child passenger, an out break of smallpox occurred at Nauru and Ocean Islands in June and also affected other passengers and the ship’s personnel, according to a Syd ney report.

One of the victims was Miss Helen Shells, of the South Pacific Com mission staff,' who was visiting the Gilbert Islands with Mrs. Nancy Whelan.

Miss Sheils’s plans were consider ably disorganised as a result, though she was well cared for by the Tarawa Medical Department, and returned to Sydney aboard Tulagi in August.