INFLUENZA. EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 14, 11 October 1918, Page 6

INFLUENZA. EPIDEMIC

MILD, BUT WIDESPREAD

THE DISINFECTION OF SHIPS

An official return placed before the Minister of Public Health sets out the deaths from influenza in the four metropolitan and nine suburban areas during the last six months. During the quarter ended June 30 there were five deaths, in July seven deaths, and in August seven deaths, and in September live deaths. No deaths from influenza have been , recorded by the Registrar during the present month. None of the September .deaths occurred in Wellington. The epidemic has been raging in Wellington lor at least a month, and the absence ot deaths during that period is evidence of the mild nature of the disease, lite Chief Health Officer, commencing on the figures, states that the-line weather now being experienced will to a large extent prevent pneumonia and the other complications that sometimes prove fatal in influenza. Recently the executive council of the Seamen's Union suggested to the Minister of Public Health that measures should be taken to isolate infected ships and to fumigate the quarters of the crew. The executive mentioned that during the last voyage of a certain steamer from San irancisco to New Zealand all the members ot the crew except four were infected with influenza. The four men who escaped are "stated to have indulged in an over-supplv of intoxicating liquor at Papeete." Another ship that reached New Zealand recently had influenza aboard, and in neither case was any disinfection undertaken in the New Zealand ports. ~.•.,, , The Minister referred this letter lor report to the District Health Officer, who states in the course of his reply: —"The duration of an influenza epidemic in any one locality is from four to eight weeks. During this short period of time it has been estimated that some tfortv per cent, of the population fall victims to the disease. This is due to the very general susceptibility to the disease, and its short incubation period. Influenza was at one tinin a notifiable disease in New Zealand, but was removed from the list owing to the. fact that it was found to bo uncontrollable by public health measures. It is impossible to make an exact diagnosis in-the early stage of the disease or in mild cases at any time. . "The isolation of ships nt the ports where the disease exists would simply isolate every ship at every port of. New Zealand as long as the disease occurs. This drastic course is impracticable, and is hardly called for in a worldwide epidemic oT what is commonly known as influenza." The Health Officer adds that the use of anti-toxin is still a matter for experiment, and that fumigation of ships and houses is not required in the case of influenza. The vims of influenza scarcely lives outsido the human body, and is not transmitted by infected articles. It is passed, directly from one person to another in the minute droplets of saliva given off in cotigliing, sneezing, or even talking.