Mortlock Mystery Solved
p. 131 · Read in the full issue
PNEUMONIA has killed three Infants of the Mortlock Islands, north-east of Bougainville, New Guinea.
This is the solution to the ‘mystery” disease, reported to be killing babies in this remote area.
A medical team from Sohano went there to investigate.
The 300 Mortlock Islanders have lived so long in isolation that they have no immunity to any of the common germs. The Administration goes to considerable lengths to keep their contact with the outside world at a minimum, for this reason.
However, the system has its dangers. A stray germ introduced accidentally could do a lot of damage. t Mild influenza—believed to be the Asian type—was widespread in Fiji in August.