FEATHERSTON MILITARY CAMP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2695, 15 February 1916, Page 6

FEATHERSTON MILITARY CAMP

SICKNESS ABATING. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. Allen), speaking to a reporter yesterday with reference to the outbreak of sickness at the Featherston Military Camp, pointed out that the average daily strength of the camn was 5030, and the average daily number of patients in the hospitals (including. Greytown and file racecourse hospitals), -from . all causes was '2.58 per cent. The total admissions to the hospital for gastric troubles had been 65. The discharges numbered 38, these men having return ed to duty, and there woro 27 remaining in the i hospital. ■ "Tho opinion of the medical officers," said tho Minister, "with which SurgeonGeneral Henderson, the- Director-Gen-eral of Medical Services, concurred, is that, the trouble is not due to the local conditions in the camp, such as water supply, fowl, or drinks, but is more in flie nature of influenzal gastritis^.which became prevalent throughout the'country during the hot weather. It was not confined to the camp, but' was prevalent in the Wairarapa . Valley -and also in Wellington and other towns; "Surgeon-General Henderson, who inspected the camp on Saturday,. says that there .is no overcrowding.- A water supply is being laid down to the. canvas camp which was recently occupied. The incinerators, Surgeon-Gen-eral Henderson said, were not yet completed, but the work is going on, and all litter, etc., has been cleaned up. Professor Kirk is engaged in doing excellent work, and he has with liini a sergeant-major who lias been formerly employed on sanitary work at May Morn Camp, and two assistants. Sur-geon-General Henderson,- as a temporary measure, has ordered up a lieutenant who is a sanitary inspector at Trentham, and ten reliable orderlies from Awapuui. With this assistance Professor .Kirk expects to bo able to cope with the fly pest speedily and effectively, and all that is wanted is a spell of cool weather."