A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 50, 23 November 1918, Page 8

A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT

FEWER SERIOUS CASES

EyERYWHERE

i THE FIGHT GOES CHEERILY

After recent trying days it was almost oxhilarating to move about among tho influenza fighters yesterday. There was full-bloomed summer in the brilliant sunshine, and the cool breeze which tempered 'tiio heat was sweet to the senses. What, however, is more to the point was the spirit of Hie helpers. lhey were pretty well all .glorying in the evidences of their approaching victory over the invisible enemy, obsessed with' tna feeling that the epidemic is being beaten. "The pall has lifted," saiil tho Mayor. "Without any doubt whatever there is a distinct improvement everywhere. All the reports agree that there is a definite lightening of tho load in that the number of serious cases being reported was considerably less than for some days past. That does not mean that wo aro out of the wood yet. This is jusbthe time when the maximum effort should and will bo made to stnmp out the disease, let us hope, for good and all. If we could roly on everybody 'doing their bit' and obeyin;; the injunctions laid down with such emphasis as soon as symptoms are felt there nesd not be very many more serious cases. j\. good many of the cases which havo proved fatal 'during the last few days are those that were not given a fair chance from tho start, through the Rhortn?e of doctors and but orßnnisation has done much to eliminate finch disabilities in' Wellington, and 1 feel that we have got the epidemic beaten even tl|ough it is.not yet quite knocked out." i '"

' Diirin? yesterday nfternoon tho Mayor snatched time off from the' Town Hall to visit the Clyde Quay and Newtown centres, and also to pay a surprise visit to St. Thomas's Convalescent Hospital. At Clyde Quay Mr. William Foster, who has worked with dynamic energy In his district, found himself with waitin? helpers. He could scarcely realise that it was so, and felt quite embarrassed by having to keep them waiting for work. It- was tho very bost of sisns, and ho was devoutly thankful that the turningpoint had come. There were comparatively few cases reported during tho day, and every attention was being given to the milder cases—to scotch the sernent before it stings. . At Newtown the sisns and portents of the clpnpe wero also evident. There was still full and plenty for Mr. H. A. Parkinson's loyal staff of. helpers to do, but tho Newtown star of hr"ie shone, out in the falling off in the number of serious c.rsps, which' should, in turn, have its effect on the hospitals. Mr. Parkinson could still find employment for a few moro helpsrs, as now is the time to nut forth every effort -in the fight jo ■ malm the issue quite certain. If there are any artists who wish _to portray a realistic ficeno in connection with the present historic epidemic they should ' visit St. Thomas's Convalescent Ho=p'!hl. . Thn hall, flooded with summer sunlisht and fresh air, is now filled with four lines of lieds, only two of which had occupants under the blankets. On the .remainder the wan. tircd-lookini; convalescents lolled at thpir we, puffing ciparettnre, smoking yipes./and reading magazines—all very white and eick-lookincr, but with a dawning interest in.life in their eyes. Snmo were even basking in the fjtinshirie outside thfl door in. greatcoats and mufflers, delighting in the feel of the sun's warmth and the freshness of the southerly zephyr made aromatic by the.brerih of neighbouring-.gardens. St. Thomas's isin the hands of a number of bright, practical women, who, though they work hard (ho day through, are finding a rare feeling of exaltation in doing what, they can for the men v.-lin have, just come ou. 1 of .the hospitals. t The breezy spirits of these ladies should .be highly bsiwficiaV to the' convalescents. The stage- is curtninerl off, and ni'enls nre served there in, lieu of a dining-room, whilst ihiTante-rooins at the back serve as.administrative quarters. So far there have b?en no cases of relapse at St. Thomas's, and it will not be the fault of tht>_ staff if there are. No.deaths were reported at the General Hospital .yesterday. Dr. Barclay (superintendent)'has taken hold'of thfi administration once more, the medical staff is again in full fighting trim, and altosether there is a more hopeful tone a. f the big nisin institution than for some days past. ' ' : ■ Mr. H. Baldwin (chairman of tho board) reported that offers to take in convalescent nurses had been received from the Taita, Lower Hutt, Reatouii, Day's Bay, and Killjirnie,- and already twenfyiwe nurses had been pinned in comfortable homes, and were doing nicelv. If they could go on plaoinij the convalescent nurses as they were, there would be no need of one spec'al home to place them in, and it avoided, the worry and expense of having to provide a staff to look after them. Mr. Baldwin speaks in the highest terms of the manner in which tho hospital staff, has met the. emergency of the past fortnight. Despite the desperate straits they were in ot ono time, with more than half of tho medical and nursinp staff 'incapacitated., fie rest had carried on.; with wonderful effiicency, and fully sustained the good name of the institution.