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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 47, 20 November 1918, Page 6

. SIGNS OF ABATEMENT .

A REASSURING REPORT. A reassuring statement was made bv the Chief Health Officer (Colonel T. A. Valintine) in a report to the Minister ot Public Health yesterday. "From what I can ascertain in my : visits to the various hospitals, I am ot opinion that the epidemic shows signs , of abating," said Colonel . Valintine, "though it would bo extremely unwise at this juncture to relax the precautions already taken, and in arranging for Accommodation." CLEANING UP WELLINGTON NORTH COMMITTEE ACTIVE. ■The committee ■ of the Wellington North block" has been finding that there are premises in Wellington whose front appearance does not proclaim their'inner and backward shte. To put it bluntly, the members of the committee, during their investigations, have found several places, Iwtli inside houses and in the back premises, to be reeking with filth, and so . impressed wer> they yesterday with the importance of cleaning- such places up, with or. without the consent of the occupants, that they sought powers to act from the Mayor, and got them. Messrs. M. P. Luekie, A. J. Toogood, and William Kirkor wsro made inspectors of nuisances under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, and forthwith proceeded to exercise the functions vested in them. They are that in this fight against a deadly epidemic everything in the way of dirt or filth in.promises shall be cleaned away and such breeding spots be thoroughly disinfected. It should te o warning to all landlords an 1 tenants that the corporation has the po.verto step in and clean up any premises, at the cost, jointly, of the landlord and the tenant, and, furthermore, this power is to be exerted forthwith without any compunction. ADMISSIONS TO HOSPITALS ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONTROL. In order to prevent confusion and overlapping in connection with admissions to temporary hospitals, it has now been decided that all admissions shall be arranged through tho municipal authori- ' tic?, who also control the ambulance arrangements. ■ The Minister of Public Health stated yesterday that tho Health Department would supply two officers for duty with the municipal organisation. "Major Keenan hnd been released temporarily by the military authorities for the purpose of deciding which cases should be admitted to temporary hospitals. In the meantime, in order to' avoid delay, medical certificates would not be required, the responsibility for admitting patients being accepted by the matrons. The latter had been instructed to see that beds were not occupied by cases which did not actually require hospital treatment. CONVALESCENT HOSPITALS SALVATION ARMY COLLEGE TAKEN OVER, The Minister of Public Health stated yesterday that the Chief Health Officer, Colonel T. A. Valintine, has been engaged in examining places which it >is desired to use as convalescent hospitals, in order, that the evacuation of the other hospitals might be rapidly carried out. Arrangements had been made with the 'Salvation Army to take over the Training' College in Arp Street for use as a convalescent institution. The college was capable of accommodating at least sixty patients. The Health Department-was arranging for tho necessary equipment, and the building would bo made available for female convalescents. A suitable, establishment in which to accommodate males who were convalescing was being looked for. At Auckland the entire premises of tho Auckland Racing Club had been offered and accepted as a place of convalescence. HOME FOR.CHILDREN MIRAMAR GOLF-HOUSE OFFERED AND ACCEPTED. Yesterday morning mention was made of the necessity of securing a place in which children deprived for the time being of their parents by the epidemic could be assembled and cared for decently until the crisis is over. Yesterday the Mayor informed a Dominion reporter that the directors of the Miramar Golf Club had very generously offered him the use of the fine golf-house at Miramar for the purposo, s,nd as it apepared to be ideal, tho timely offer had been accepted, with thanks. Means will now be taken to ascertain necessitous cases, and have the children placed in their teihporary home at Miramar as soon as the premises can be made ready for the purpose. t On behalf of the Hospital Board, Mr. H. Baldwin chairman) had offered the Macarthy Home at Belmont for the purpose, and that offer had also been provisionally accepted. DANGER OF INFECTION PATIENT TO PATIENT ONLY. Lieutenant-Colonel Makgill, ActingDistrict Health Officer,- yesterday made an interesting statement in reference to the danger of infection from those nursing influenza patients. He said that some people seemed scared that contact with'attendants from the hospitals would cause infection. \s a matter of fact, he pointed out, there is no clinical evidence that the disease is carried by a third person. All agree that the transmission of the infection is directly from one patient to another. The organisms carrying the disease die very rapidly, and those working in laboratories experience the greatest difficulty in obtaining live cultures. Such difficulty is duo to the rapidity with which the organisms die. This fact easily explains that the organisms that lodge m clothes die so quickly that the clothes of those in contact with patients carry no disease. # A patient in the early stages by coughing and laughing may scatter organisms in an area up to Cft. Beyond that there is little harm.

Dr. Makgill expressed a great desire that the public should be emphatically notified that there is little danger of infection through contact with those bandling patients. That fact could not be too well and widely known when there was a slight tendency towards panic. USE RESPIRATORS VOLUNTARY HELPERS. SHOULD DO SO. Respirators are now being used by many voluntary workers in infected premises, and it is a wise, indeed a necessary precaution which should be neglected by none concerned, if they wish to preserve their health. The simplest form of respirator is a folded handker-chief-and a pad of 'cotton wool with a litue eucalyptus on it. The pad should be placed over the mouth and nostrils, and held there by tying the handkerchief round the head. One can wfirk comfortably for an hour or so in such a a respirator. USE OF VACCINE DEPARTMENT ACQUIRING INFORMATION. In yesterday's Dominion there appeared a cablegram from Sydney stafhrg that vaccine treatment had proved a decided success not only in combating the disease, but in preventing its spread. Referring to this matter the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) informed a reporter that some weeks ago the Health Department cabled to South Africa for information on tho point, and a reply was received to the effect that the use of vaccine had been partially successful. In view of the report from Australia, a cablegram was immediately dispatched to the Health Department there nsking for particulars as to tho vaccine used. Major Hurley, Government Bacteriologist, and Dr. Champtaloup, of Otago University, had also been requested to supply information as to vaccine for coping with tho disease.

SOLDIERS' DEATHS

AT I'EATUERSTON CAMP. Advice has ibeen* received from Featherston Military Camp that the following men died at the Camp Hospital on Monday, the ciuisp of death being broncho-pneumonia.:— 011,135 Pte. Joliann G. Roch (Mrs. Florence Roch, New Plymouth). OIi,GSB Pte. George Bailey (Mrs. G. Bailey, 279 Ferguson Street, Palmerston North). | 0/329 Lieutenant George Prentice (Mrs. E. Martin, Picton). 83.957 Tirooper Levi S. Lovelock (Mrs. P. M. Lovelock, Newbury, Palmerston North). 67,970 Pte. Frederick J. Fowler (Mrs. C. Fowler, Ponsonbv, Auckland).' 86,391 Pte. Perciva! G. Tonks (Mrs. T'onks, Adelaide Road, Wellington). 88,203 L.-Cpl. Jaine.v Stringer (Mrs. M. E. Stringer, RangSora). 90.800 Pte. Harold Early (M.rs. B. Early Hunrly). 79,903 William Miles Taylor, of influenza (Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor, mother, Mau-_ ngutoroto, North Auckland). 87,177 Pte. Edward Hunter, of influenza (Mrs. l'\ C. Hunter, wife, Auckland). AT TRENTHAM CAMP. Advice has been received from Trentham Military Camp that the following men have died, the cause of death being influenza and pneumonia, except where otherwise stated:— 78,057 Cpl. Percy 1\ Merrin, November 15 (.Mrs. Merrin, wife, 142 Austin Street, Wellington). 88,313 Cpl. Andtew F. S. Williams, November 15 (Mrs. B. Williams, mother, Linwood, Christchurch). 92,501 Pte. W. U. Williams, November 15. from apoplexy (Mrs. W. H, Williams, wife, Waihi). 3/33339 Pte. John Flanagan, November 15 (Mrs. H. Flanagan, mother, Wallaceville). - 82,211 Pte. Edward J. Cockle, November 10 (Miss M. Cockle, sister, Christchurch). ■ Sergeant-Major Edward J. M'Tigue, November 18 (Mrs. E. J. M'Tigue, wife, Upper Hutt). 8/11 R.S.M. W. J. D. Garvie, November 18 (Mrs. W. J. D. Garvie wife, 227 Willis Street, Wellington). 82,711 Pte. Ernest O. Crow, November 18 (Mrs.'N. Crow, mother, Oxford). 83,577 Cpl. Joseph T. Marshall, November 18 (Mrs. J. Marshall, wife, Pairnell, Auckland). 92,897 Pte. Cecil H. Wright, November IS. Cause of death not stated (Mr. A. W. Wright, father. Taumarunui). 91,915 Pte. Michael Hogan, November 18. Cause of death not slated (Mrs. 11, Hogan, Ponsonby, Auckland). - DEATHS ELSEWHERE. Advice has been received from the Group Commander, Whiuigaa'ei, that 39,96 a John P. O,- Drake, a discharged .sottiierj'died at Whangarei en Novemoer 11. 'He was 32 years of age and single,. His next-of-kin is Alfred Drake, brother, Aponga, Whangarei. advice has been received from the Medical Superintendent, Auckland Hospital, that 29,353 Pie. George Coxhead died at that hospital on November 17. He was 33 years of age ami single, his next-of-kin being his uncle, Mr. George Coxhead, Manurewa,

Advice has beeu received from the Adjutant, Military Hospital, Rotorua, v that 12/1731 Sergt. Fred. iVL'Gill, a discliargttl suidier, died at that hospital on November 18, the cause of death being bronchopneumonia. His next-oi-kin is Mrs. E. 1 M. M'Gill, Kent, England.

Advice has been received that 12,910 Gunner John Casnman, a discharged soldier, died of influenza, and pneumonia at tho Victoria Ward, Welington, on November 18. He was 31 years of age. The next-of-kin is J. Cashman, Herbert Street, Wellington.

Advice has been received that 21/13 Sergl. Earnest M. Caso-y, a discharged soldier, died at St. Patrick's College Hospital, Wellington, on November 17, the cause, of death being influenza and pneumonia. He was 29 years of age and single. His next-of-kin is his mother, .Mrs. T. iM. Casey, Avon Street, Island Bay, Wellington.

Advice has been received from Headquarters, Christchurcli, that 30,051 Tpr. Charles S. Shepherd, a discharged soldier, died on November 17. Ho was 22 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his father, Mr. 'J. Shepherd, Roker Street, Spreydon.

Advice has ibeen received from . Headquarters, Christchurch, that 15,513 Pte. Thomas Ford, a discharged soldier, died on November 18. He was 27 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his mother, Mrs. A. Ford, Lyttelton.

Advice has been received from Head•quarhirs, Cluristchurch, that 58,501 Pte. John Montgomery died on November 18. Deceased was a discharged soldier. He was 21 years of age and single/ His next-of-kin is R. Montgomery, father, Styx. | Advice has been received from Headquarters, Christchurch, that 12,200 Pie. Frederick S. Kirdy, a discharged soldier, died on November 17. He was p years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his mother, Mrs. E. Kirdy. Tinwald. Advice has been received, from Headquarters, Christchurch, that. .18,7-13 Thomas H. Pelley, an undischarged soldier, died at Christchurch Hospital on November 15. He was 27 years of age and single, his next-of-kin heing his mother, ..Mrs. Elizabeth Pelley, Auckland. Advice has been received from Headquarters, Christchurch. that .8/909 Tpr. Albert Coombe. an undischarged soldier, died on November 18. He was 37 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his mother, Mn's. W. J. Coombe, 197 Vivian Street, Wellington. Advice has been received from headquarters, Christchurch, that 16.955 Pte. Patrick Devine died at fflirisichurch Hospital on November 10. He was a-dis-charged soldier 26 years of age and single. Tlis next-of-kin is his sister, Mrs. A. Jackson, Runanga. Advice has been received that 16,012 Pte. Robert J. Eraser, a discharged soldier, died at Christchurcli '.n November 17. He was 31 years of age and married, his next-of-kin being his wife, Mrs. Nellie C. Frascr, Christchurch.