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INFLUENZA

A MENACE TO THE COUNTRY ORGANISED EFFORT TO COMBAT IT URGED APPEAL BY THE MINISTER 2200 CASES IN* CAMP TWENTY r TWO DEATHS AT FEATHERSTON THE TOLL IN THE CITY ' The Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. AV. llussell) has addressed the following telegram to all Mayors and chairmen of town districts:—' In connection with the serious epidemic now raging in various parts of the Dominion, the want of an adequate number of medical men and trained nurses renders it of the utmost importance that the entire strength of the population should ho enlisted for tho purpose of meeting the danger which now so seriously menaces the country. The necessity of complete organisation for the purpose of securing the full assistance of volunteers makes it desirable that every Mayor and chairman of a town board in the Dominion 1 should at once call a public meeting to organise voluntary assistance and ask for the enrolment of all women workers who are prepared to assist in combating tho disease.

A registration bureau should be established, cither at tho local hospital or at tho borough offices, at which ohould be registered all cases where , there are patients in want of assistance in the way of nursing or jucdioal attendance. For this purpose tho town should bo divided into blocks and committees of men or , women or boy scouts or any other . organisation .should be secured for the purpose of visiting 'homes where there arc sick persons, and thus so> curing all information that may be available. The local medical men should be strongly urged to work on the block system in order to avoid loss of time by overlapping, and lists of those who arc sick should be handed out from time to time by the clerk or other official, who records the case as information is sent in. By these methods, the .efficiency of the medical service will be greatly increased and mucl\ valuable , time will be saved.

For the purpose of providing food in home's where the family arrangements are disorganised, it is suggested that the AVomen's National Reserve or some similar organisation should undertake tho cooking of food. Distribution should be made by volunteer labour by motor-car or in any other way that may be practicable. It is of special desirability for the purpose herein stated that the assistance of the St. John Ambulance Association, any women's social societies, and any other organisations should lie obtained.

it is not necessary that women to ■■.. nurse in the homes of the people in these distressing circumstances should hold nursing certificates. Any women who hnve had experience in nursing can obtain the necessary advice from medical practitioners as to the lines of action to be taken in nursing patients. I make the appeal to the manhood and womanhood of the country in this very serious emergency to help and to volunteer for the work as our brave soldiers have volunteered to fight. We now have brought to our homes nn epidemic which has already carried oft a number of people, and which, unless controlled by organisation and direct .effort, is likely to greatly lessen the population of the country. This is 'not. a matter for trifling. It is a matter that demands the entire organised strength of the people of the Dominion, and as Minister of Public Health I make this appeal to Mayors and chairmen of town boards to set up organisations in \ their districts to help the Government. I have to remind them that they are each of them by law the health authorities for the district they control. On them rests the responsibility of seeing that the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the people in their districts are as nearly perfect as it is possible to make them. t The modus operandi of dealing with the epidemic herein suggested has already been adopted in Auckland, and has worked with great success. EPIDEMIC STILL RAGING IN THE CAMPS OVER 2000 CASES. Influenza is still raging in the military camps. In Awapuni, Trentham, and Featherston there are about 2200 cases of the disease. Over-2000 of these are in Featherston Camp, where over one hundred of .'he cases are serious. There are eighteen serious cases in Trentham and four in Awapuni. The total deaths at Featherstoi from the epidemic number twenty-two. Yesterday's health reports from the camps read:— > , Featherston. Paraded sick 270 Admitted to hospital 152 In hospital 2158 Serious cases 102 Total deaths 22 Trentham. Paraded sick 163 ■ Admitted to hospital 105 Influenza cases 105 v Detained for observation 4 Remaining in hospital 1108 Influenza cases 980 Serious 18 Deaths .. 3 Awapuni. Paraded flick .' 12 Admitted to hospital 4 Influenza cases 4 In hospital ~\ 86 ! Influenza cases 80 Serious cases, two in Palmerston North Hospital, both critical. One at Feeding serious. Two in camp, ono improving, the other very serious. Deaths in the Camps. / Deaths reported from Trentham Camp yesterday .were:— Major Sale. 88,228 Pte. B. Goodman. R.Q.M.S. Watts. Deaths reported from •Peathorston included:— Sister Wishart. Staff-Sergeant Boock. Though the figures from the camps are high there is a falling off in tlio number of soldiers reporting sick, and it is hoped that tlio authorities have got the epidemic in hand. A number of men are now convalescent, and ihey are numbered with the hospital cases.

Virulence Appears to be Declining, The Defeiico Minister (Sir James Allen) stated last night that the virulence of the influon/iti epidemic in Feflthorston Cam]) appeared to be declining. This rtis indicated by the lower temperature of the new cases. ■'' Tho Minister mentioned, also, that there wos no doubt the epidemic in its severe form had come from Auckland Willi tho last draft of Auckland recruits.

DEATHS OF SOLDIERS

BRONCHO-PNEUMONIA FOLLOWING INFLUENZA. Foalhorstor. Military Camp reports tho following deaths of soldiers from influenza or broncho-pneumonia following upon influenza :— Private John Wilson Filruor, of tho

Forty-seventh Specialists, at 3.55 a.m. on Sunday. Deceased was single and 20 years of age. His next-of-kin is .Mrs. Alary I'ilmer (mother), Onehunga. CapciiiE Alan Leslie Christie, N.Z.JI.C, at 8.30 on Sunday. He was 111 years of age ami single. His rwxt-of-kin is Dr. Christie.

I'm ate Charles Theodore White, A Company, Ct Camp, at 11.30 a.i... en Sundry. -Deceased was 22 years of ago and single. His next-of-kin is his mother, Mrs. E. "White, Upper Moutcre, Nelson. Private Robert John Osbotirne, A Company, Forty-sixth Reinforcements, at 7.30 a.m. nn Sunday. Deceased was 30 years of age and single. His next-of-kin is Airs. .I. Osbourne (mother), Glenroy. Private Henry Bernard Cave, of D Company, Forty-sixth' Reinforcements, at 7.30 a.m. yesterday. Deceased was single and 2o years of age. His next-of-kin is his mother, Mrs. C. Cave, Claudlands, Hamilton.

Private "William James Bron, A Company, Forty-sixth Reinforcements, at 8.15 p.m. en Sunday. Deceased was a married man. 27 vears oi age, and his next-of-kin is his wife, Mrs. Alary Bron, Addington, Chiistchurch. Private Alfred Edmund Nairn, .of E Company, CI Camp, at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday. He was 32 years of ago and marred, his next-of-kin being his wife, Airs. L. W. Nairn, Eemuera, Auckland. Trent ham-Camp reports that-11.Q.A1.5. Charles AVatts, of the Musketry 'Staff, died of influenza and pneumonia on Saturday. His next-of-kin is -Mrs. R. AVatts, Napier. Leonard Wilson, of D Company, Fortyseventh Reinforcements, died at 5.30 a.m. yesterday. He was 28 years of age. His next-of-kin is Air. T. Wilson (father), Auckland.

Private AV. Clutterbuck, a discharged soldier, died at Hanmcr Springs on Saturday, the cause of death being pneumonia. Next-of-kin is his wife, Mrs. AV. 11. Clutterbuck, Longridge, Kingston Crossing. Ho' was 25 years of age. C:Q.M.S. G. Goodrich died at Hanmer Springs on Sunday, at 8.30 p.m., the qause of death being influenza. Next-of-kin is Miss M. 'Purvey, Spreydon, rhristchurchi Deceased was 2-1 years of age, and was an undischarged soldier.

OVER 100 CASES IN WELLINGTON HOSPITAL

SUPERINTENDENT AND NURSES ILL. At present there are over 100 influenza patients in tho Wellington Hospital. Many of the eases are serious. ■ Four patients died on Sunday night and two yesterday afternoon. , Dr, Barclay, Medical Superintendent at the AVellington Hospital, is down with influenza. About forty nurses are afflicted, and members of other branches of the staff also are suffering from the epidemic.

SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS

A NUMBER STRICKEN. DOWN. The number of doctors in Wellington is quite inadequate to cope with the present serious outbreak'of influenza, ana, as other places in the North Island are 68ffering just as severely as Wellington, it is next to impossible to say how relief is to be obtained. The illness of Dr. Watt (District Public Health Officer) and Dr, H. Pollen (Port Health Officer) has already been noted. Other medical men who are affected include Drs. Holmes,'Geisen, Elliott, Gilmer, and Barclay (Medical Superintendent at the Hospital). All these gentlemen have contracted the ailment in the course of their duties, which have been most onerous for over a week past. Other medical men are dead boat with the pressure. Many sufferers havo been absolutely unable to obtain personal medical attention, and have had to bo content with instructions from fagged doctors, who are working eighteen out of the twentyfour hours. One medical man, attending a case yesterday afternoon, stated that it was his fifty-fifth case of influenza (apart from other patients), which had claimed his attention yesterday.

DON'T RING THE HOSPITAL

The secretary of the Wellington Hospital Board called at this office last evening and asked to be allowed to appeal through The Dosiinion to the public to refrain from ringing up the Hospital. The Hospital authorities give their that in any serious case they will at once communicate wjtli the patient's'relatives. . • Yesterday the Hospital telephones ivere bo crowded with people ringing from without that it took the authorities an hour to communicate l>y telephone with a mother whose child was dying. RUSH ON THE PHARMACIES CHEMISTS DECIDE TO KEEP OPEN OF AN EVENING. Pharmacists decided at a meeting held yesterday morning to keep their premises open of an evening until 8.30 o'clock instead of closing down at G p.m. as usual, in order to cope with the demands made upon them for drugs and disinfectants (luring the present epidemic. ■

Chemists in the city state that the rush of business during the last few clays has' 'been ; quite phenomenal, and huge stocks of drugs and disinfectants of all kinds are being purchased by the public, who are now fairly roused to the serious nature of the scourge. The chief medicaments in demand are camphor, formalin inhalent, ammoniated quinine, aspirin, and all manner of gargles and purgatives. Aspirin is in very active demand on account of its properties as a relief to the headache and fever which accompany the , attack. A shortage of ammoniated quinine was experienced on Saturday evening, owing to the big run on stocks, but the situation was relieved by the prompt action of Messrs. Sharland and Co., who made an extra call on their manufacturing slalT, and were able'to place supplies where needed at a late hour on Saturday night.

INHALATION CHAMBERS RUSHED

USls' OP THE SCHOOLS SOUGHT. The one public inhalation chamber at the Town Hall is proving to be altogether inadequate for- the demands of the moment. About eight hundred people were, treated on Saturday, and so urgent was the demand that the chamber was kept going from 10 a.m. to noon, and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday over seven hundred people passed before the preventive jet. Arrange.ments are being mndo to establish other chambers in different parts of tho city to copo with tho need of the moment.

In order that the tramway staff, the members of which have to mingle with the public all day long, might be treated, n car lias been fitted with an inhalation plant, and will move from point to point in the city, in ordor to give the men preventive facilities by inhalation. The Education Board was communicated with by tho Mayor .yesterday, who nsked that a room in the Thorndon Clydo Quay, Mount Cook, and Newtown Schools should be placed at the disposal of the city authorities for use as inhalation chambers until the epidemic has run its course.

Tho crowd which attended the Town llnil yesterday morning were at one stage formed up into a queue, but as the numbers increased they broke the line, swarming round the entrance and exit doors in such an undisciplined man-' nor that tho authorities had to send for a "polico constable to restore reasonable order.

CURTAILED TELEPHONE STAFFS

MODERATION IN TII.K USE OP THK WIRES UTiGED. Half of tlio Telepliono Exchange stuff in Auckland are suffering from inllucnza, and about ono.third of the Wellington filalT have already succumbed (o Iho great lovelier. The work has, in consequence, been thrown on to a sadly depleted staff, who arc kept: going at high pressure to meet the requirements or callers. It is rogrottablo that people with telephones are somewhat inconsiderate in I he over-free uso i they are 'making of Ihe wires in this lime of slircss. Tho admission of so many girls to offices, is one of Iho chief causes of the trouble, ninny employers allowing their girl employees to make the freest use of the telephones to indulge in long conversations with their friends. Another cause is the use

some pco,ple make, quite unwittingly perhaps, of talking over the wires upon subjects such as the prevailing epidemic and the armistice news, without, a thought that most of such talk is merely gossip, and closes the wires in many instances to messages of graver import. The pressure on (lie staff at the local exchange yesterday was such that two of the girls were seized with hysteria and completely knocked out for tho day. . The authorities respectively solicit heads of households and firms to assert some control over the indiscriminate use of telephones during tho present crisis, and so spare the attenuated exchange staff as much as possible. It is believed that: this can be done without interfering in any way with business, and possibly may mean* a reform not altogether disadvantageous to those who pay the telephone charges. PICTURE THEATRES CLOSED ALSO OTHER PLACES OP AMUSEMENT. Yesterday morning a deputation of proprietors of picture theatres in Wellington waited on the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) and expressed their desire id fail in with His AVorship's suggestion that continuous picture houses should limit their Activities to two sessions per day, and that between sessions and after the night programme the theatres should be thoroughly, ventilated and fumigated. The Mayor expressed' his appreciation of the action of the theatre proprietors in falling in with his views. Later in the day an overriding decision was como to by. Cabinet, to the effect, that all picture theatres must close altogether in Wellington and some other localities as a means of helping to check the spread of the prevailing epidemic. The position now is that for one week all theatres, moving-picture theatres, dancing halls, billiard saloons, concert Kpoms, shooting galleries, and other buildings or rooms used as places of public entertainment or amusement, all public and private schools, all places used for rcce meetings, shows, or exhibitions of any kind must be closed. \ The Wellington health district affected includes the following hospital districts: —Taranaki, Hawera, Stratford, Patea, AVangaiiui, Hawke's Bay, Wairoa, Cook, AVaiapu, Palmerston North, AVaipawa, AVairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, ,Picton, AVairau.

On account of all places of amusement having to be closed the opening of the Wellington Competition Society's competitions has been postponed to a date to be notified.,

Tho above order will prevent the holding of the AVangaiiui Agricultural Show, which was to have been opened 10-mor-row. !

A concert, by the pupils cf Mr. and Mrs. Culfortl Bell arranged for fhis evening at Lyall Bay lias been indefinitely postponed on account of the prevailing epidemic. On account of the prevailing epidemic having affected many of her pupils, Miss Dorothy Saunders had regretfully to postpone her dance recital, which was to have taken place at the Concert Chamber last evening. TRAMWAY STAFF REDUCED BY ONE- ' THIRD Twenty men from the a.m. and fiftyone men of the 'p.m. shift on the municipal tramways blocked iip yesterday through the inroads of the prevailing epidemic. This .means that practically a third of the working'staff for the ears are out of action for the time being, and the services, particularly during the rush hours, horl In suffer ronsirtfrably yesterday, and most probably will he very seriously affected to-day. As n. matter of fact: the service has never been normal since the -recent' holdup, owing to defections on account of illness and other circumstnnces, and the overcrowding during rush hours is at present as bad as it was during the recent wages trouble. Should the epidemic continue to spread further curtailments will be necessary. 'The situation is abnormal, and the public must summon up sufficient philosophy to grin and bear it. , , SHIPPING SERIOUSLY HAMPERED MANY SEAMEN AMONG THE SUFFERERS. The port of Wellington is still seriously affected by the epidemic, and many fresh cases of influenza arc reported. Full crews are wanted for sorerni vessels. In the meantime, disinfectants are being freely used on ships, and the officers and crews are daily visiting the' inhalation chambers. 1 At the calls for labour on tho wharves yesterday morning tliere was no response For engagement to unload a cargo of chaff from the Blackball Coal Company's Ngatoro, which arrived from Lyttelton on Sunday morning, owing to the fact that 'three cases influenza had out on board. Several other ships are also similarly affected.

It is probable thai: the National Disputes Committee will to-day receive the report of the three doctors who are conferring with regard to tho infection of waterside workers who unload cargo from ships affected with influenza. The committee, which represents both employers and employees, will then try to reach a settlement. • A telegram received from Nelson yesterday says that the Union Company's small steamer Karu returned to port in tho afternoon owing to sickness, on Ixmrd. ' Sho left Nelson early on Sunday morning for Greymouth. PRECAUTIONS AT THE HUTT INHALATION CHAMBER BEING PROVIDED. The Hutt Borough Council last night decided to use a room in the Town Hall as an inhalation chamber. The necessary apparatus is to be obtained immediately, and the chamber should Iw available !o the public to-morrow. Disinfectant can be obtained at the council offices at cost price. Tho Maysr (Mr. E. P. Itishworth) said that every precaution was being taken in the borough to combat the epidemic. A complaint was made in ,regard to the conditions prevailing in the suburban trains. It was. alleged that precautions promised were not being fully taken, and that the carriages on

the early morning trains reeked of smoke from the previous night. Inquiries were made by a reporter, and it was stated by Departmental officials that the trains wero fumigated twice daily. ! LITTLE CHANGE IN AUCKLAND

CLIMAX SAID TO HAVE BEEN ■ PASSED. By Telegraph—Press Association | Auckland, November 11. Officers in control of measures for tornbating tho epidemic at the Town Hall report that the position is about the same as yesterday. The applications for assistance- totalled 380, which shows a falling off. As the result of the organisation' bj block committees, the DeputyMayor is of opinion that the climax has been passed, though there is still need for more volunteer helpers. , \ > Passengers by the steamer Niagara, which arrived from Sydney last night, had Id undergo thorough inhalation Irciun.ent bd'oio landing. Only passengers for New Zealand were allowed to land. i)r Erengley, Chief Health Officer, urges thai, public peace demonstrations bo postponed till tlio epidemic has abated, in consequence of interference with relief work, and to avoid disturbing invalids. During the prevalence of the widespread and severe form of influenza in AuckliU.il there will be no public services, either on Sundays or week days, in the Catholic churches of the city. Tho churches will, however, be open daily lor private Mass, Confession, Holy ('onii'.iiininn, and the other Sacraments and visits of devotion. Catholics in Auckland"are dispensed from abstineneo from flesh meat on Fridays while tho epidemic continues. There is a more hopelul note in today's reports of tho organisations fighting the epidemic. Many patients are recovering. At the same time helpers are si ill urgently called upon, and it is emphasised that 'efforts must not bo slackened. A serious phase of the trouble is that niaiiv of the dead lio uiiburied for days a.t times. Dr. Fronglcy is issuing a, 'notification that burials must be carried out without delay. It is expected

Hint measures will be adopted to ensure tin's.

Mr. W. "Wallace, cliairnmn of the Auckland Hospital Board, stated on Friday night that the epidemic showed no signs of abating, and all cases being admitted to tho various hospitals were of a very serious character. At request, Dr. Frengley had.transferred Dr. Hughes, district health officer, to the Hospital Hoard's offices, and the work of tho Health Department's doctors was being directed by Dr. Hughes from that point. Mr. Wallace mentioned that tho' eight or nine doctors now at the disposal of tho Health Department were doing very good work, but all efforts to get tho other medical men to work under some scheme to prevent overlapping had so far failed. DREADFULjtEVELATIONS CONDITIONS IN AUCKLAND. "A terriole feature of tho epidenfio relief work is the revelation of tho dreadful conditions Hint exist in the poorer quarters of tho city," said a prominent worker to an Auckland "Herald" representative. "Hitherto we have flattered ourselves ihat shim conditions were unknown in fair Auckland. I should like somo people to have had a glimpse of certain things with which wo have grown familiar in the last few days. We nave come across whole families herded together in two rooms, devoid of any of the.ordinary decencies of life, left aiono its comforts and luxuries. We have found four sick children lying together iii one wrctelfid bed. with no proper bedding, ond no food in the house. This epidemic is revealing terrible flaws in our social conditions, and when it is all over the authorities will have to faco up .to the position, and make most thorough investigation into these sad conditions."

Mr. C. T. Haynes, chief sanitary officer of the city, stated that the spread of tho epidemic was not due to the city being in an insanitary condition. Genwally speaking, he said, (he city was in 11 good sanitary state,' though isolated cases of bad sanitary conditions no doubt existed. These instances might contribute to" the soverity of the malady in tlie immediate neighbourhood, but the widespread prevalence of the complaint was sufficient indication that its cause and spread had to be looked for in other directions.

"A TURN FOR THE WORSE"

EPIDEMIC SPREADING RAPIDLY IN CHRISTCHURCH.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, November 11. Tho influenza epidemic has taken a turn t'oi the ftorse here. Several cases of pneumonic following influenza wero reported yesterday, and thfc epidemic appears to bo spreading rapidly. Seventeen tramway employees were absent from duty yesterday, while five i more collapsed during the day. Many of the Carnival Wtck visitors have contracted the malady, and; somo of t' e chief hotels in the city resemble hospitals . | The Public Health. Department has intailed a»' khnlation chamber, ' which was visited by about 1500 people yesterday, while there' has been a steady, stream .sn.co an early hour this morning. , The Health Department has closed all the schools, public and private, also the picture theatres and other places of entertainment. During the illness of Dr. Barclay, superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, Dr. C. Morris, of the. Victoria Ward, is acting as chiaf medical officer of the hospital. Energetic stops to cope with the influenza epidemic in the Queen Mary Hospital for Convalescent Soldiers at flanmer were taken immediately the disease appeared there. Two soldiers, however, have died there—3/117 Quarter-master-Sergeant G. Goodrich and 3/1005 Corporal W. G. Clark, discharged soldiers; Luigi Mason, a Maori,-whose next-of-kin lives at Blaketown, near Grey T mouth, died in Christchurch Hospital this morning from influenza. Dr. Chessoir's order closing theatres, public halls, and billiard rooms will operate for one week. If necessary it will be extended. It applies to all large centres in the Canterbury health, district. These-include Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Ashburton, Wnimate. Timaru, Gerildine, Hokitika, Reef ton, Westport, and Greymouth. Up to the, present over thirty cases of influenza havo been admitted to the hospital for treatment. Shortages of staffs through influenza are interfering with the telegraph service more than any trouble with the wires. It has been found .necessary to cut down the letter deliveries in all parts of tho citv to one a day, owing to the depletion of the stall's through influenza. For the same reason a reduced tramway service is being brought into operation. DANNEVIRKE IN THE.GRIP v WHOLE PAMILIES DOWN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dannevirke, November 11. The Dannevirke district is in the grip of the prevailing epidemic. (M its four medical men, two are now suffering from tho complaint. One death has occurred, the victim being Norman White, second son of Mr. Kinross AVhite, managing director of the North British Freezing Work-3, Napier. The deceased was on a visit to Dannevirke. AVhole 4 families are down, and the staffs of mercantile firms are sadly depleted. ~ „ . ~ , With a few exceptions the majority or the cnsK are not exceptionally severe.

DUNEDIN HOSPITAL STAFF THIRTY-THREE STRICKEN. By Teleffrauh—Press Association. Dunodin, November 11. Thirty-thrco members ■of the staff of Hie Duiiedin Hospital are down with influenza. ' There were forty-three influenza patients at 3.30 p.nj. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS • CHILDREN'S GATHERINGS PROHIBITED. As a precautionary measure the Government lias prohibited all gatherings of children in connection with armistice' celebrations or for any. other purpose. This decision means that the programme for Children's Day has been vetoed, and, that being so, other arrangements will be made for the children to fittingly celebrate when the general health 'of the community is normal. The Mayor states that several ladies have rung up offering their services to households which may be afflicted and have not help at their.command. Such applicants wero referred to Miss Mljenn., of the Public Health Department, who has the matter in hand. No excursion trains are to be run in connection with peace celebrations anywhere- owing to the prevailing epidemic. On the suggestion of the city engineer (Mr. AY. H. Morton)- disinfectants are to bo sprayed aloug the side-channels of the principal thoroughfares by means of water-carts, in order to disinfect as far as possible, , tho dust and debris liable to accumulate there. The Police force is being inconvenienced by influenza attacking the_ members of the force., and this is being reflected in tho work of the Magistrate's .Court. Yesterday the cases against John AVilliam Bailey, charged with the theft of two drums of sheep-dip, the uroperty of the AVellington Harbour Hoard, and William Smith, charged with the theft of M 18s., a. metal watch, and .npeket-knifo could not bo proceeded with because certain police officials could not attend to give evidence. Both cases were remanded for a week.

The Mayor (Mr. ,T. P. Luke) states that tie wroto to Hie Wellington Education Hoard, advising that body to elo«e i.hc schools as a. precaution against the spread of the epidemic, as he considered that the find measure in' sueli an Mifvnem.y was to snf'/''ard the. health of the children by removing Ihe danger, that exists throurh close association i" the classrooms. There may. he pointed out. be childmn affected, who, in their zeal to meet th" examination 'esfs pending would attend school thoupli nol feeling quite and so beenme a source of infection in ofhnvs. Tlio examinations were ininoi'tn"!. I«it not so much sn as the general health of the ooinmunilv. .As to assembling the children to tako part in the armistice

celebrations, the case was rather different, and ho did not at present think there was any necessity to make any alterations in the published programme, as the children were to assemble in the open air, and would have as much fresh air as they would anywhere.

As a matter of fact, the chairman of tho board (Mr. Thos. Forsyth) and the secretary (Mr. G. L. Stewart) got into touch with some of the members of the executive, on Sunday evening, and at a late hour decided lo take the step announced in yesterday's Dominion—to close tho schools until further notice.

Even at distant Awanui, far away m (he northernmost district of Auckland Province, the influenza epidemic is running its course. The authorities of the Post and Telegraph Department were advised yesterday that six out of nine of tho operators were hors de combat with influenza.

When tho Moana arrived in Wellington from San Francisco, some sis months ago she had some thirty cases of influenza on board, fortunately not of a very serious nature, yot bad enough to cnufce some anxiety on board. The epidemic was raging at Baratonga when the vessel touched there on the way up, and none save passengers for the shoro were allowed lo .leave'the ship. Even tho Government .Health Officer was laid aside with the ailment. There was no epidemic at Tahiti,'so the Moana passen in;o San Francisco a "clean ship. On her present trip down it was reported at Riiratonga that the influenza trouble i was at an end. It had caused between 30 and 40 deaths. The Moana arrived in Wellington absolutely free of the opiilemic, to find the country sadly afflicted and steamers laid up through tho ravages of the epidemic. >

The epidemic continues to play havoc with the members of the Police Force: A total of 33 men in the ■city and suburbs are at present suffering from tho malady. An improvement has been reported in tho condition of Detective-Ser-geant Cox, who suffered a serious relapse over the week-end. Detective Carney, who has been bad for some days, is still confined to his 'bod. An inhalation apparatus has been installed at the Ccnliral Station, and each man .is required to go through the process each day. In one branch of tho Defence Department influenza has made its presence felt very severely. Yesterday fifty of the staff were off duty, suffering from the disease. Measures are being taken to fight the (rouble, and a chamber for the treatment of those who remain on duty has been improvised.

The Wellington 'technical College has been closed fur clay and evening scholars until further notice. The Wellington College, Girls' College, and Scots College have also been closed owing to the prevailing scourge. , The meeting convened by the Wellington Milk Vendors' Association for last evening was postponed owing to the epidemic of influenza. For the same Tenson some of the city bakers are announcing the disorganisation of their bread deliveries.

Word was passed round in some of the Government Departments yesterday that no objection would be taken if the male staff smoked at their work, .an instruction which was taken immediate advantage of by those who enjoy the burning of the fragrant weed.

Yesterday the Minister of Public Health dispatched to Now Plymouth, Wanganui, Napier, and Palmerston North equipment for the establishment of inhalation chambers. Additional inspectors are being secured by the Public Health Department. In making this announcement, the Minister of Public Health mentioned that there was considerable mortality, especially among the natives, in various parts of the Wellington, district.

The Public Health Department advertises in this issue a list of precautions and instructions against the influenza epidemic.

. No operations will be performed at the Wellington Hospital on Wednesdays for tonsils and adenoids until further notice! The organisers of the emergency hospitals fitted up at the Alexandra Hall, Abel Smith Street, and the s.s. Takapuna at the Clyde Quay Wharf, will be glad to receive gifts of old linen, lemons, and oranges. ' The" Sydney Street Soldiers' Club has beeii taken over by the Health Department for use .as an emergency hospital as from to-day.

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Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19181112.2.43

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
5,329

INFLUENZA Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 6

INFLUENZA Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 41, 12 November 1918, Page 6

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