Fear of smallpox is spreading to members and officials of the Japanese Diet as more than 100 cases of the dread disease have been reported within the past month, in comparison with a total of 60 during all of last year, a Tokyo dispatch to the "Tairiku Shimpo" declared yesterda Four cases were reported recently in the vicinity of the Japanese Diet building, causing all the Parliamen+ tary officials to be vaccinated. Special precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the epidemic in view of the proximity of the Imperial Palace to the Diet building, the paper reported.
Princes of the imperial family and high court officials, including members of the households of Prince Koyohito Kanin, Prince Hiroyasu Fushimi, and Prince Li have been vaccinated, the reports said.
Mr. Tsuneo Matsudaira, Minister of the Imperial Household, Mr. Kurahei Yuasa, Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, and 3,000 other officials of the Imperial Household Ministry were vaccinated last Tuesday and Wednesday by special order, the Tokyo report revealed.
Home Ministry officials traced the present smallpox epidemic to Shanghai, claiming that Japanese travellers returning to Japan from Shanghai brought the germs with them, the reports declared, as no cases hat been detected among returned travellers to—Manchoukuo, {he "Tairiku Shimpo" reported.
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