CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL OPENED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 52, 26 November 1918, Page 6

CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL OPENED

IN WELLINGTON SOUTH SCHOOL/ Wellington South Public School, near tho Athletic Park, was opened yesterday as a convalescent hospital for influenza patients. It is admirably suited for the purpose, having a good view and ample sunshine. Six wards, with a total of 24 beds, were promptly extemporised from ,the airy classrooms, ,and now the hospital is established/ it will no doubt be filled, as the patients will not be surrounded with depressing _cases. Pour patients wore Admitted yesterday, and arc doing well. A large number of patients will come in to-day, - and the matron, Mrs. Mortimore, desires supplies of flowers, fruit, books, and comforts of all kinds, including children's toys. Almost immediately a sittinß'room for the patients will be established. It only awaits tho response of generous people to the call which Matron Mortimoro now makes for a couch, mats, lonnge, wicker chairs, n gramophone and records,, and other things conducive to the happiness of patients who have had a very trying experience and are now (jotting well. The staff comnrises Matron Mortimore, threo New Zealand Modioli Corps orderlies, and fourteen voluntary lady workers, to whom tiio matron tenders her grateful thanks for their splendid response and their willing work in getting the wards into such, excellent order. THE MAORI DISTRICTS A .VISIT OF INSPECTION. The Hon. Dr. Pomare left Wellington on Saturday'morning to make a tour of the Maori settlements between Wellington and Palmerston North. At last advice he had readied Manakau, where he ha<l opened a temporary hospital. Ho reports that although the disease is serious among the Maoris ho has every reason to hope that tho measures that are being taken will save a considerable number. !

Tho Minister of Public Health stated last night that reports from the Nativo districts showed that tho number of deaths had beon serious. The position was bad at Otoronga, in the King Country, and a, request had been sent to Auckland for medical assistance.

AUCKLAND ALMOST OUT OF DANGER

REDUCTION OF TEMPORARY HOS. PITALS ANTICIPATED.

Every day now is bringing Auckland nearer. Jto'a clean bill of health, so far as influenza is concerned, states Saturday's "Star.". The epidemic; continues to decline in power and to lessen in the range of its activity within the immediate neighbourhood of the city, although in tlie districts that lie further afield it maintains \i considerable hold. But in the city itself it has decreased eo considerably that the disbandment of the Citizens' Committee- as a separafo unit is under consideration. From noon on Saturday the central office of tlie committee in the Town Hall will he closed, and the Mayor and Mr. Wallace' are visiting tho depots of the sub-commit-tees, and are closing; tho majority of them. So the Town Hall will resume its normal functions on Monday, and the activity of the sanitary staff in disinfecting dwellings will be carried on as ordinary departmental business. Fresh cases are. few, and every indication is that-within the week to come tlie necessity for so many temporary hospitals will cease. The organisation of relief in cases of absolute distress and the arrangements for tho accommodation of convalescents will be necessary time to come, but it is antieinated that some of the other hospitals will be closed during the coming week. Naturally it will be long before tlie city and the province has recovered from the epidemic, but in the meantime a sure tangible sign of the condition of the district may be seen in the working of these auxiliary hospitals. The city may bo said to be almost out of danger now, but it will bo completely so when ..all the temporary hospitals are closed. THE EPIDEMITirfAUSTRALIA COMPLETELY UNDER CONTEOL IN SYDNEY. i Sydney, November 25. "It is officially announced that the influenza is completely under control. A relief steamer has left for Samoa.— Press Assn. ADVICE FBOM NEW ZEALAND. Dr. Cumpston, Director of Quarantine, says that the Commonwealth authorities are adopting comprehensive measures to keep the influenza epidemic out of Australia (tjays the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of November 11). There are between 80 and lflfl patients from overseas in quarantine at North Head, he states, and of theso only 15 are listed w serious. The whole of the arrangements are iverking satisfactorily, and all that he

was required lo do, after an inspection on Snlurdajvwns to make certain administrative adjustments.

Dr. Cunipsjon tiike* a very serious view of the disease. He scents tho suggestion that the form of influenza riiging in New South Wales in any way approximated the type which lias wrought such havoc in other purls of the world. Reports from Colombo, South Africa, mid New Zealand show that the disease is very much more severe in those places than here, Iwiug most, sudden and rapid in infection, and most rapid in the development of broncho-pneumonic complications. The view of the Chief Medical Officer in Now Zealand is siicli that he lias cabled Dr. Ciimiwton advising that every effort should be made to keep the disease out of Australia.

There is no specific for the disease, but tilts Commonwealth authorities, acting on advices from South Africa, have prepared a quantity of vaccine, for the prevention of serious complications. This vaccine is now on sale at. the Quarantine Offices, Customs House, Sydney, and should the occasion arise the authorities will be in a position to deal with 100,000 persons as fast as required. Dr. Cmnpston, however, is hopeful that the disease will not get ashore. The -disease, according to Dr. Cumpston, is communicable only by pei-sqnal contact, and not by inanimate objects, such as mails. At ■ North Head every precaution is taken to prevent infection, and the officers attending serious cases are obliged to wear masks. It now appears that, since the completion of quarantine stations in Queensland, no passengers for ports in (hat State are carried on to be quarantined in Sydney.