INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16435, 31 January 1919, Page 7

INFLUENZA.

POSITION IN SYDNEY REASSURING. By C&ble.—Pre*s Association.—Copyrielrt.) SYDNEY, January 30. Sis new influenza cases are reported . the city. The Minister of Health states that 10 position is very reassuring. Tho Government, is establishing a slief scheme for people plaood in ?cessitous circumstances as a result " the outbreak. VARIOUS PROCLAMATIONS. [Received January 30th, 10.20 pan.) SYDNEY, January 30. Four new cases of influenza wore roorted to-day. Large numbers of peole axe already wearing masks. A prolamation restricts assemblages in otels and clubs where less than 250 übio foet 6f air space for each person xists. Another proclamation ostjabshca seven days' quarantine agaittJt ravellers from Victoria. MANY OASES IN MELBOURNE. MELBOURNE, January 30. Eighty-four now influenza cases are eported in tho city, making a total of 42. Two more deaths are reported, 'ringing to total to 35. DEATH-RATE MOUNTING. (Roceived January 30th, 10.20 p.m.) MELBOURNE, January 30. Three further deaths from influenza tare occurred. DANGER OP RECRUDESCENCE. „ THE MINISTER'S WARNING. "UTMOST PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN." (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") WELLINGTON, January 30. A statement regarding tho possible iction of the Government to prevent mother outbreak of pneumonic influenza in this country was mado to-day by the Minister of Health. "The danger of a roerudescenco of the influenza epidemic, especially in now of the i'acb that Australia has now become seriously infected," said the Minister, ''renders it desirable that the utmost precautions should be taken., rhe danger of a recrudescence <3i the sickness is being most seriously watched, and tho Cluof Health onicer lias been requested to adviso the District Hon Ith Officers that in xsveiy case of notification of the disoase, enquiry is to be made as to whether the case: is a new one or not. Tho weekly bulletin which is forwarded to me by tne Hoaltn Department is being closely _ scanned, and while notifications are still coining in, it is evident that they are old ones being sont in by practitioners with a view of collecting tho fees payable to medical men on notification. . "Very largo powers are vested in the District Health Officers by clause 18 of the Public Health Act, and it is intended that if tlioro is th© slightest sign of a recrudescence, these powers shall bo exercised to the full. Persons may be required to report themselves or to submit themselves for medical examination, and persons, places, buildings ships, animals, or things, may bo isolated, quarantined, or ordered to be disinfectod. In.Jiko manner, persons mav be forbidden to leave one district/ or place in which they are isolated or quarantined. The Chief Health Officer lias now been requested to formulate a scheme to apply to every town and district'in the Dominion, m order that this power may be exorcised to the full it the need for it should arise. . "It is alwavß possible to be wis© after the event. When the epidemic of October and November struck the Dominion, we had had no similar experience, and, consequently, wo were, to some extent, unprepared, but having that experience behind us, the Health Department will, •without consideration of private or public interest,_ proceed to isolate at once any town directly it appears that there, is a recrudescence in that place. OBLIGATION UPON LOCAL AUTHORITIES. "In tho meantime a serious obligatioE rests upon the local The revelations made as to the social anc housing conditions of the people _n some portions of the Dominion affordec a lesson, which, I trust, has been taker seriously to heart by the local author* ties. If another wave of the epidemic should, unfortunately, start in the Do minion, and the disease is able to feec on the slum conditions which w<?re re vealed in some parts of tho Dominion it will be to the overlasting disgrace o | the people of those districts. • "In.my opinion tho things that require urgent and immediate attentioi "(1) The slum areas which undoubted ly exist in some of our cities. "(2) The congestion of persons resid ing in boarding-houses, and •'(8) The cleansing of homee and baci yards of individual householders. "The responsibility is twofold —firstl; on the individual, and secondly an th< local authority. There is now no ques tion under the Public Health Ao amendment of last session as to upoi whom the responsibility rests, it can not be pleaded now that there is an; question of overlapping or dual oon trol. All the powers necessary and al that were asked for have been given i the local authorities, and the responsi bility is theirs. . r "These remarks are not made in an; pessimistic spirit nor even with a fea that there will be a recrudescence, bu after what we have passed through, l is just a© well to look facts staught i the face and take no chances. That i the policy which I urge the loca authorities and the people of th country to adopt." THE RAROTONG ANS. NO CASES OF INFLUENZAL PNEUMONIA. (PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) "WELLINGTON, January 30. A serious case of influenza was rc ported here yesterday. _ 1? °nr cas« were reported from Wairoa. Dr Watt District Health Officei said that because of its great vmilenct and the fact that so much of its natun food had been removed by the death e people predisposed or suscepuul© t contagion, we might not have a recui rence of influenza in Aew Zealanc However, it is quit© on. the carta taa the disease may recur in tho winter. The District Health . Officer state that of the whole contingent of Rar< tongans who arrived by the Malta, oni eight developed light pneumonia eymi toras on the voyage from i<remantl< and of them five recovered on the tni leaving only three affected when th vessel arrived at Wellington. When the Health Officer visited Souk Island on Wednesday, only one ca- ! showed a temperature, and it was nc serious. The three cases are recove: ing satisfactorily. Tho men ar© nt affected with influenzal pneumonia £ all. tho symptoms pointing: to the o dinary influenza, to which coloure races are predisposed.