INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16424, 18 January 1919, Page 10

INFLUENZA.

EPIDEMIC AT SAMOA.

HELP OF THE GARRISON.

Writing from Apia, under date December 17th, 1918, Private Walter Grey, of Wanganui, says:— "The epidemic here was much.worse than it was at first thought to be. The first estimates Of the mortality were found, unfortunately, to be too light. On this island of Upolo—4o miles by 14 -~4300 deaths out of a population of 22,000 is the figure-now, which means, one out of five have been lost.' The 'Samoan Times' alone lost six out of nine—the editor, his brother, and four of the staff. How is that for a clean sweep! Out of 40 native policemen 34 died. Many villages Have almost been wiped out. ' "The neighbouring island of Vavau —40 miles by 40—population 16,000, has been hit very hard; about the same as Upolo. The details are too harrowing to describe. In scores of casesthe mother and father have both died, leaving the little children stranded. Fortunately, the natives live communistically, and have adopted the little ones en masse, so they will not want for food and protection. "The recent rains have produced a great amount of native foodstuff —taro, bananas, breadfruit; etc., etc., not forgetting the. cocoanut, which nourishes, and is a great standby. "The great trouble here was the fact that we all collapsed together. Natives, civilians, and soldiers all went down like logs at the, same time; Those of the garrison who could stand up worked very hard.,. Officers took their tunics and stars off, and set to work day and night in this hot climate to make rice and prepare food for the natives who, in 'some cases, must have died from starvation through their great weakness rendering them unable to help themselves. Privates and non-commission-ed officers all helped in any way they could. These were dreadful days. "It is all over now, thank goodness. "It has run its course, but it will be many a year .before Samoa _ will ' forget its experience. Nothing like it has ever been known to have happened before. Measles killed many some fifty years ago (I am not sure of the year), but old chiefs who remember it atssure me it was nothing to the recent scourge." The following letter, has been received by the Officer Commanding Samoa Garrison:—"Native Department, Apia, Samoa. —The High Chiefs Malietoa, Tanumafili, and Tiimalealiifanio, met the Administrator y to-day at the Government Office in Mulinuir at their request-,, for the purpose of discussing matters .in connexion with the epidemic. In their speech, the high chiefs, ns representatives. or, the people of Samoa, expressed their, high appreciation and sincere thanks for the great help given to the Samoans during the great sickness,, by the military officers and men, and the chief medical officer, with his assistants. The high .chiefs spoke with much feeling in regard to the spontaneity of the British military forces, when the latter unselfishly gave up their whole time to distribute food and medicines to the fever stricken, and especially those who .worked hard to bury the great number of dead; the presence of the military forces in Samoa at such_ a time is_ a matter, for much gratification —had it not been for them the consequences would have been much more serious. I trust that you will convey to all ranks under your command the spontaneous message to the Administrator by the High Chiefs Malietoa. Tanumanli, and .Tuimalealiifanio. —H. C. Cotton, Captain, Secretary of Native Affairs." LONDON DOCTOR'S VIEW. LONDON, December 23. A prominent medical authority, discussing the influenza epidemic, says that one of its most puzzling features is the return of outbreaks with _ augmented virulence, and the multiplicity of cases of so-called pneumonia where the infection has spread beyond the lungs to the blood, paralysing normal methods of defence. • . Although the influenza bacillus is re*gularly found and sometime?, the pneumonia germ, it is possible that another undiscovered organism is implicated.

INSURANCES LOSSES.

CAPETOWN, December 23. It is nuthoritativelv stated that the Spanish influenza epidemic in South Africa resulted in a financial less to the insurance companies of £1,500,000. A leading manager states that the fevr weeks, of the epidemic cost the companies considerably rnore ? than the whole war. The heaviest claims were paid out in the Cape Province and Orange Kirpv Colony.