HEALTH OF CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3160, 11 August 1917, Page 8

HEALTH OF CAMPS

CHIEF CAUSES OF SICKNESS COURSES OF TREATMENT REPORT BY GENERAL HENDERSON A comprehensive! report by General Hondorson on the health of the reinforcements in the training camps during 191 C was presented to the House yesterday by tho Defence, Minister (Sir James Allen). Tlio total nrnnbor of officers and men who were present in the camps during the year 1916 was 12,390. Tho averago strength was 11,772. The total number of admissions to hospital was 12,043, giving an admission rate per 1000 of 1023, and a constantly sick rate of 19.59. ' There were 92 deaths from disease, of which 85 were in camp and seven in civil hospitals elsewhere or at sea, givin<* a death rate of 7.8 per 1000 on the averago strength. In addition there were nine deaths from accidents, of which seven occurred out of enmp, and three suicides, giving a total number of deaths from all causes of 104. This amounts to a death rate of 2.4 per 1000 on tho total numbers, and of 8.9 per 1000 on tho average strength. The prevailinj diseases were influenza and measles. The diseases which caused tho chief mortality were pneumonia 39 deaths, and cerebro-spinal fever 3G deaths. There were 40 deaths at' Featherston (including one by accident and two by-suicide), 47 at Trenthani fono accident and one suicide), and three at Narrow Neck. All Cases Sent to Hospital. The report continues: "That there was ■undoubtedly a laTge number of admissions in all tho camps as compared with tho Imperial Army in peace time is largely due to the fact that as a precautionary measure medical officers admitted most of the men reporting sick, oven cases, who in civil life or in the Imperial Army would not have been admitted to hospital. Tho average number constantly sick is much the'same as that of tho Imperial Army in England in timo of peace, which is twenty. Pulmonary Complaints. The chief cause of sickness, in tho camps, accounting for 5527 admissions, was influenza. Tnis is a disc-aso which appears periodically in epidemic form, ana was reported to bo very prevalent m Wellington City last year. As regards the camps at Treniliain, it accounted tor 3138, admissions, out of' a , total of 5241; at Featkerston, for 2234, out of 0277; at .Narrow Keck, tor 124, cuit of 319; and at Awapuni, for 31, out of 211. The diseaso was prevalent all tho year round at Trenthani, but chiefly in January and l''ol>ruary, Juno aud July,, when it attained'its maximum, becoming less in August and September, and increasing in October and November, and almost disappearing in December. In Ftatlierston it persisted from Juno to the end of tho year, and in Narrow Neck the largest number of cases were in June aud July. The proximity of 'Wellington and the large facilities for leave granted from camps, tho crowded picture 6hows, theatres and trams, and tho tendency to gather together in buildings in the cold months of June, July, and Angu6t were the chief factors in the spread of tho disease, reinforcements bringing it into camp with them. Tho fatigue of training in unwonted exercises rendered fresn recruits more susceptible, tho disease being specially prevalent amongst tho now arrivals, _ Free ventilation, fresh air, and 1 segregation aro tho chief factors to bo observed in preventing its spread, henco the establishment of Che camp at Tauherenikau, where new recruits are kept for a month. . The next most prevalent disease was measles, which is very prevalent in tho towns of Now Zealand, and is brought into camp by recruits and men on leave. At Trenthani there were 572 cases, the largest number of cases occurring in I July (100) and September (141). _ At Foatherston there were 1518 admissions, tho largest number being iu August, September, and October. Tho reason for ' this large number in Foatherston appeared to be that recruits usually left Trontham for Featlierston on tho third or fourth week of training, just at tho time the three weeks' incubation period of tho disease was being completed, and developed it there. There being no compulsory notification for measles, it is most difficult to ascertain when men arrived from infected houses, and the best that can bo done is to keep new and susceptible reinforcements for a month apart at Tauhercnikau, and rigorously to isolate all contacts when the disease occurs. Rigorous inspections for measles are conducted twico or thrice a weok in camp. Unprotected adults of all ages, of whom there are so many in. the backblocks in New Zealand, aro very susceptible to infection, and henco tho necessity for every precaution boing taken and all contacts isolated.

Cercbro-Spinal Fever, Cercbi'o-spinal meningitis was present in tho Trentham and Featherston Camps during the year, and although the num-. bers diagnosed us such wero only 51, yet they gavo rise to a mortality of 3G. The chief point to notice is that tho organism which causes the disease has very littlo capacity for resistance outside tho body, tending to die rapidly .when dried, or even when cooled down for three or four hours in naso pharyngeal secretion or cerebrospinal fluid. Tho lack of definite resistance of tho organism means that it can bo transferred only by contact with the fresh secretions of ipationts and carriers. It is usually freely ejected by coughing or sneezing, and not by ordinary breathing, and it can be carried in tho throats of people who are perfectly healthy. Consequently it is not conveyed by clothes or hutments or food or drink, but by inhaling tho breath or c.ou"h of it carrier. It is most prevalent in cold and damp weather, when colds and coughs are rife. To combat the disease tho carriers have to be detected, and it is the custom at Trentham and Featherston as far as possible to swab «ll new recruits on arrival, and all reinforcements before embarking for England. These swabs aro examined microscopically and bacteriologieally, and all carriers are isolated and treated in inhalation chambers twice a day with sprays of sulphate of zinc or chloreimine T until their throats are quite clear. This involves a great deal of labour, but it has been cheerfully and capably carried out by the Wellington Bacteriological Laboratory under Major Hurley, c»ft in addition latterly at laboratories estabished at Trentham and Featherston IX Major Leahy, N.Z.M.C., and Lieutenant Ross. Since this system has linen established wo have had no cases of cerebrospinal fever on our transports, and the value of the spraying chambers which have been fixed mi all our transports, similar to those in our camps, has again and again been testified to bv medical officers proceeding with troops, owing to their efficiency in controlling influenza, sore throat, mumps, and measles.

Other Sickness. Thoro were 91 cases of pneumonia, with 39 deaths, of which 'CI cases, with 21 deaths, were at Trentlinm, and 19 cases, with 17 deaths, at Feathcrston. These were all cases of measles which developed pneumonia. Of scarlet fever there were 15 eases, distributed as follows:—Trentham, i; Peatherston, 4; Narrow Neck, 7. There were 1)1 admissions for alcoholism—3o at Trentham and 52 at Featherston. There were 10 mental cases in various forms, of which the lavßost number were cases of delusional insanity. There was only one case of alcoholic insanity. Some, of 'these case? had previously been in asylums, but had eluded the recruiting medical officers. There were G5 admissions fnv diseases of the heart and eirciiilnlory system, with 5 deaths. There were flfifi admissions for diseases of the digestive system—fi.it a! Feathei-s----ion. IDS at Trentham, 10 at Narrow Neck, and 17 at Awapuni. The lsirjrc number of admissions at Fenlherslon was due largely to pastro-enteritis. which occurred chiefly in February-and March, and accounted, for 334 cases. These cases occurred chiefly immediately after

[ Hip camp was occupied, and have been ascribed to tho presence of largo numbers ot flies, ami tho dirty condition of parte of tho outskirli of tho camps occupied by tho civilian workmen engaged in building tho camp. The water supply was carefully analysed and found free from contamination. Thanks to tho skill ami devoted labours of Professor Kirk, tho fly problem was speedily and effectively dealt with, carol ml sanitary supervision and cleaning up was carried out by Major 3unn, tho 1'.M.0., and his officers, and ihe epidemic, which was mild in character, cleared up. Of the suicides, one occurred nl: Trentham by hanging, and two men fit Fea- • therston died by cutting their throals. All were temporarily insane. No reasons could bo assigned otherwise for thoir nets. General Health Good. "It is satisfactory to notice," says General Henderson, "how very little tie troops have suffered from diseases such as enteric, dysentery, diarrhoea, and other complaints such as are jonveyed by impure water, by contaminated wilk and food, and by dirt. This is satisfactory testimony to tho efficient drainage and water supply, as well as to tho high standard of the quality of the rations'. All tho camps aro in every sense of tho word clean camps, the latrines, urinals, cook-houses, ablution and bath places and hutments being kept under censtant and careful sanitary supervision. "Tho chief sicknesses from which tho men have suffered have been inhaled into their throats and lungs. In this way influenza, measles, and cerebrospinal meningitis havo arisen and spread. Tho requirements to prevent these diseases are:— First, to have good, well-gr lvelled roads, to allow 110 water to accuaiuiato iu the camps, to see that snouting is provided for all hutments i*t prHent the. rain from tho roof splashing down on tho roads, and to seo that wuler fioin tho spouting is run into proper drains, and lastly that tho ground under the floor of tho hutments is kept dry. Secondly, to see that the men male proper uso of the drying rooms. • Thirdly, to keep men as much as possible from towns in winter. The fault of Trentham is that it is much too ..near Wellington. Fourthly, tho avoidance of overcrowding in buildings. Fifthly, the provision of ample hospital accommodation for isolating tho sick. Sixthly, to promptly segregate all contacts in infected cases. Causes of Rejection, Tho number of recruits rejected from camps was 2440 out of 42,390, who were in and passed through camps during tho year, giving a rate of 57 per 1000. These only represent men who had already been previously passed as fit by medical officers. Myalgia 22G and rheumatism 188 constituted by far the largest number of rejections, although defects of the lower 'extremities account «ilso for a large proportion. Diseases of tho nervous system and weakness of intellect is also an important cause. Venereal Disease. General Henderson refers to the work of Captain Pettit,.N.Z.M.C, in controlling venereal disease. It is satisfactory to note that the admission rate for this disease in our camps is much lower than in tho Imperial Army. Three hundred and sixty-six cases were admitted for gonorrhoer, 9 for syphilis, and 7 for eoft chancre, which shows a total admission rate of 8.77 per thousand on the numbers of men who passed through camp, and of 31.G per thousand on the averago strength, or about half the amount that occurs in the Imperial Army in peace time. The admissions for venereal disease show that tho proximity of a large town affects the numbers of coses in New Zealand just as it does elsewriere. Thus is England prior to war time the London district showed an admission Tate of 15 per cent., whilst the average admission rate for tho United Kingdom was between 6 and < per cent.