CAMP HEALTH
DEATHS AT TRENTHAM
WHAT IS BEING DONE
A statement regarding the health of the troops in camp was 111 ado by Sur-geon-tieneral Henderson (DirectorGeneral of Medical Services) after an inspection at Trentham yesterday afternoon.
Surgeon-General Henderson stated that since he made his statemont to the Press on Sunday eveuiug further developments had occurred. Two cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis developed on Monday. Of these, one case died in a few hours. Two cases of diphtheria had also occurred, but there were no signs of any other ease. Of those two diphtheria cases one collapsed and died of heart failure at 4 o'clock yesterday morning. Ono case of pneumonia also died suddenly from heart laiiuro on Monday evening. The serious eases in the Trentham Hospital are one of pneumonia and 9110 of diphtheria. Both patients are doing well. The case of diphtheria was not contracted in camp, but was brought in from outside, as only one other case of the disease has occurred at Trentham, and that in March last. One caso was brought in last evening, and is in an early stage of development. Tho two other patients do not seem to suffer from a severe attack of the disease. All of these patients belong to the Nineteenth with the exception of the pneumonia , patient, who is a member of the Eighteenth Reinforcements..
As regards tho health of tho Sixteenth Reinforcements, no serious sickness has appeared. Tho Nineteenth Reinforcements, who are oncainped at Tauherenikau, are all in good health and spirits. Only eight men were on sick parade yesterday morning, and their complaint was the common cold.
At Feathe'rston the health of the troops is good. _ So far there liavo been no serious diseases at this camp. With the departure of the Sixteenth Reinforcements, few troops remain, with the exception of 200 F<ngineers, the Headquarters. Staff, and n.c.o.'s, whose health has been good hitherto. ' The'hutments occupied by the Nineteenth Reinforcements will be fumigated and thoroughly aired before being used again. "The Health authorities," concluded General Henderson, "are co-operating with the Defence Department in coping with tho present emergency, and are now engaged in endeavouring to discover the origin of the cerebro spinalmeningitis outbreak. Plans have been approved for an diseases hospital; the erection of which will be proceeded with at once. I assure ithe public that every further development will bo notified in' the Press." Statement by Hon. J. Allen. Tho Hon. James Allen, Minister of Defence, arrived in Cliristchurch from Wellington on _ Sunday. In conversation with a "Lytlelton Times" reporter, Mr. Allen said that there had been meningitis cases at hofcli Trentlium and Fcatherston, but the outbreak was .well in hand. He considered that thbro had been a car-rier-ill the Eighteenth Reinforcements. A peculiar feature was the fact that the outbreak was not confined to one hut, but cases had l occurred in different huts. Surgeon-General Henderson was quite satisfied with the health of the troops, and there would be no interference with tho training. There had been almost continuous rain at the camps, which made it very difficult to keep things free of mud, but under the circumstances matters were quite satisfactory. Ho had visited Fc-itherstou on Friday and was very pleased'nt the evidences of cleanliness that he saw, particularly in tho latrines. There were serious outbreaks of meningitis both in English and Australian camps, and it was hard to eradicate, hut Now Zealand's camps in comparison were in exsollent health, and there was absolutely no danger of the disease becoming epidemic." 1
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2851, 16 August 1916, Page 6
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586CAMP HEALTH Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2851, 16 August 1916, Page 6
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