INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 8

INFLUENZA

GENERAL ABATEMENT NO SIGNS OF RECRUDESCENCE STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER The Minister of Public Health (Hon. Ct. w. Knssell) informed a Dominion reporter last night that reports received from all parts of the country indicated that there appeared to be no signs of a recrudescence of tho disease. "There has been «. general abatement right through," added the Minister. Mr. Russell also stated that at noon yesterday there were 117 beds vacant in the various emergency hospitals in Wellington. Tho admissions during the twenty-four hours had been twehty-four, and the discharges twenty-nine. Opening of Barbers' Saloons, A deputation representing the Weilington hairdressers waited upon tho Minister yesterday, and raised the question of the opening of the saloons. The deputation was introduced by Dr. A'. K. Newman, M.P. The members of the deputation pointed out that in some cases . saloons were open, and that, in others they still remained closed. Asked why certain of the shops had not opened, the deputation informed tho Minister that it was because tho inspoctors had not been satisfied as to the execution of the conditions regarding fumigation and disinfection. .» In reply, tho Minister said that barbers shops had been closed for a period of about ten days, and if in that time.a hairdresser had not thoroughly spring ffeaned and disinfected his premises then he deserved to havo the place closed up for a few days longer. STATE OF THE HOSPITALS NUMBER OF VACANT BEDS INCREASED. There wero fifteen deaths from influenza in tho temporary hospitals for tho twenty-four hours ended at noon yesterday. There wore 24 admissions and 24 discharges during the eaino period. The vacant beds in tho hospitals at noon yesterday wero as follow:— , Males. Females. Sydney Street 13 — ,St. John's 2 11 Wellington Collego ... 15 — St. Patrick's College ... 31 - Normal School :... — 16 Missions to Seamen ... 14 — i Brooklyn School 8 . 7 Totals ...:..... 83 31 The vacant beds in the convalescent homes at noon yesterday were as follow :— . Males. Foniales. Wellington-South 20 0 Oriental Bay — 7 Salvation Army — 9 ■ St. Thomas's ..". ....;.. 18 — St. Anne's .'. — — Totals ~33 16 Convalescent' Homes. At the Wellington South Convalescent Home yesterday there wore 21 patients, of whom all but one wero making excellent progress. Tho latest addition to the 'home is a recreation room, for. tho fittings of» which the workers have to thank tho Y.M.CA. Gifts are still required, and will be gratefully received at tho Wellington South School, whero the home had been established. Seventeen convalescents, all doing well, were i yesterday reported to: be in the convalescent home at St. Thomas's Schoolroom, Nowtown. A Dominion representative found the workers thero brimfnl of pleasure at the excellent turn matters were taking and enthusiasm in their.appreciation of the many generous donations they had received from all quarters. They were especially grateful to the Commercial Travellers' Club for kind gifts of delicacies for the convalescents, but they assured the reporter that it would be impossible to mention all of the.ipeoplo to whom they were indebted.

The fact that at noon yesterday there had been no fresh admissions 'to St. Thomas's for three days is significant of good things. ENCOURAGING DISTRICT REPORTS FEW FRESH CASES REPORTED. .4 report from -Wellington Central yesterday showed that very few cases had occurred, and'that the convalescents in the district were generally on the mend. J lie condition .of things so far as sickness was concerned was showing steady improvement,, but helpers stressed the fact that the amount of relief work they had to do had all alow* remained at a high level, and that the more deeply they had investigated the grenfer they found the distress to be among tho families of stricken wage-earners. SuHicent donations were coming in to enable the workers to carry on, but there was a constant need for gifts of food, etc. Wellington South, Yesterday proved quieter even than Thursday in the Wellington South district, , where there. were no fresh cases of influenza. Tho alleviation .of distress due to the epidemic, ..however, still presents itself there as a serious problem. "AVo have a long way to go before we square matters up satisfactorily in that department," said Mr. B. T. Blake, when questioned on the subject. Mr. Blake suggested that it was no use having ono society supplying clothes, and another food, anil that the work was one for (he City Fathers to engago upon. A cheering item was Mr. Blake's reference to the nurses. "Our nurses'are going out of commission," ho said, "and wehave only two who are required to be working to-dny." . . . ( • Wellington North. The Rev. liobertson Orr reports that the work has at last slackened down, and last night was the easiest on record. The committee closed down at nine o'clock instead of midnight, and to-day the staff wilt only bn available from 9' a.m. to 8 p.m. Mr. Orr states that the committee incurred a good deal of expense in fighting the epidemic, particularly when at its height, and when the demands for doctors, nursos, helpers, motor-ears, medicines, and food were for in excess of the supply. In those strenuous days (Bα com. mitteo assisted to the fullest extent 01 , its' resources many who wpi-r in jrooit circumstances and who were quite willing to pay for help, but in their pxlremily vera unable to secure nursing assistance elsewhere. The committee now appeal.- 1 to those friends to help it meet its financial obligations. Some idea of the work done by this organisation can bo gauged from the, fact that it has attended in all to 22(10 appeals for help in ono form or another. .

Thankful acknowledgment is made of i;lio following donations towards convalescent cases:—Colonel Moorhousc. cClfl; Mrs. Walter Blundell, .£5 .Is.; Mrs. W. M. Hannny, ,£3 35.; Mr. William I'Vu'tisnii. .C 2: Mr. (!. W. Smith, .£1 55.; Mrs. Afillwnrd, .£1; Mr. A. J. Hardy, 4)1; Mrs. Hose. .£1; Mrs. Brown, jEl": "Anonymous," .£1; Mrs. Herbert. 10s. weekly; Miss Clialmors. ss. weekly; Mrs. Stewiirt, ss. weekly; "Friend," 3s. weekly. Oriental Bay and Roscncath. The Oriental Hay and Uosenenth committees held a meeting last night. Tho visitors' reports were nil satisfactory, and it was agreed I here was no longer any reason for contiir.iing the cummittees' activo operations. The mooting decided tn keep tho inholatinn chamber open until Sunday next, from which time the committee will suspend its activities. The final meeting will be held at the headc|iiarters on Friday nest, when the officer in charge will present i\ statement of accounts. A notice elsewhere requests all persons having , accounts against; the loiiimit.toes to send their claims in at once. Tho following donations are acknowledged:—Herbert Koss, .£5; J. K. Henrys, ,£2 25.; "Aiinn.y•moiis," .£2 25.; Mrs. I'almer, XI 2s. lid.; Miss Castle, Ms. i;d.; Mr. Goldsmith, ,Is. Northland. There urn very few fresh cases in the Northland district, but several piilionls still require careful watching and nursing. Dr. Kylf« and (he clMiicl nurse aro indefatigable, in (heir ell'orts lo alleviate their sufferings. Mr, and Mrs.

Kennerley have made a donation of £:) towards the funds. ' ' Wellington East. "Practically nothing doing" sums up tho position in the Wellington East district, Mr. W. Foster stated last night. It is now considered necessary to have tho oflico open between 0 a.m. and noon, 2 p.m. and S p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. only, and those hours of attendance will bo further reduced if tho epidemic continues steadily on tho down track. On Sunday tho Wellington East bureau will be> open only between 10 a.m. and noon and 7 p.m. and flip.m. Brooklyn. As the epidemic is now abating tho Brooklyn Committee's office will be open only between 9 a.m. and G p.m. Urgent cases may receive, attention through the hospital, the telephone number of which is 935. On the Waterfront. No casos whatever were reported to the wharf" bureau yesterday. position ¥the camps MARKED IMPROVEMENT. The improvement in conditions at the camps was very marked yesterday, only one case of influenza being admitted to hospital. This was at Trenlham, whero the' number of men under treatment was only 142. Of these, 13 were serious cases. One death occurred thero. At Featherston, 22S men wero in hospital, hut. only 188 were influenza cases, of which 2(1 were serious One death also occurred at that camp. Sixteen men were in hospital at tho Medical Corps Camp at Awapuni, but there wero no serious eases. The Health report is as follows:— Awapuni. Paraded sick 0 Remaining in hospital IB Serious cases 0 Deaths ' 0 Feathorston. Paraded sick •■•••.•• 12 Admitted to hospital 0 Remaining in.hospital lfn Sorious cases 20 Death 1 Trontham, Paraded sick i ■ Admitted to hospital 1 Remaining in hospital W2 .Serious cases 13 Death 1 SOLDIERS' DEATHS

Advice has been received from Trentham Military Hospital that 85,617 Private Arthur Chapman Smith, D Company, Forty-fifth Reinforcement, died there yesterday, the cause of death being influenza and pneumonia. Deceased was 32 yoara of ags and married. The next-of-itin is Mrs. A. C. Smith, North-Eost Valley. ;■ .64.728 Private Frederick William Maynard, of the Ordnance Stores, died at Miramar Convalescent Homo oh November 28, death being due to influenza and complications. He was 35 years of oge. His next-of-kin' is Mrs. . Maynard, .56 Hopper. Street, Wellington. 15,761 Private John Robert O'Connor died at Victoria Hospital on November 28 from influenza and complications. Deceased was 30 years of age. His next-of-kin is Mrs. J. O'Connor, mother, 25 Barker Street, Wellington. He was a returned disohargod soldier. Advice has been received from the Camp Commandant, frentham Military Camp, that 57,410 S. B. Speedie died at' Quarantine Island on November 27. Deceas'ed's next-of-kin is Mrs. M. A. Hudson, 116 Hanson Street, Newtown. .Advice has been received from tho Principal Medical Officer, Featherston Military Camp, that 90,582 Private Joseph Thomas Green, B Company, CI, died at the Eacecourse Hospital from bronchopneumonia. The next-of-kin is Mrs. C. F. Cocker, Mangamaire. Advice has been received that 80,082 Sergeant William Richard Sindall died 'at Featherston on November 27. Deceased was 30 years of age, and married, his next-of-kin being Mrs. S. H. Sindall, wife, 31 Daniel Stroet, Wellington. ' Advico lias been received that 24/207 Rifleman Mervyn William Kirk, an undischarged soldier, died at Gore on November 15. Deceased was 25 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his father, Wijliam Kirk, -Goto. Advico has been received that 55,739 Private Wilfred Fitzgerald died at Dunedin Hospital on November 22. Deceased was an undischarged soldier. Hβ was 28 years of age and single, his next-of-kin being his mother, Mrs. J. Fitzgerald, Barking, Essex. -

Advico'hae been received,from, Auckland Headquarters that 24/249 Gilbert John Neal died of pneumonia on November 12, at the residence of his sister's husband, Mr. E. Farrant, Newton. Deceased was 24 years of age and single, liis next-of-kin being his sister, Miss Olive Nenl, residing at tho abovo address.

Advice lias been received from Headquarters, Christcliureh, that 24/1060 Private Chai-les Lowrie. Gray, a discharged soldier, died on November 21. Deceased was 21 years of age and single, his.next-of-kin being his father, William L. Gray, Invercargill. _ Advice has been received that 25,3711 Sergeant Con Ivan Campion, o discharged soldier, died at Fordcll or influenza and complications on November 20. Deceased was 2:i years of age, and his nexl-of-kin is his father, James Campion, Okirae.

211,273 Ojvon Joseph Lynch, a discharged solider, died on November 23, the cause of death being pneumonia, following influenza. He was U'i yeais of age and single. His nexr-of'-kin is Charles Lynch (brother), Murehison. Advice has been received, from Group .yea, Wangamii, that 10/KGOi Private Ueorge HylamL, a discharged soldier, died from influenza and complications on November 27. He was 2!) years of age and single. His next-of-kin," is William Hyland (brother), Oxford West. •CORRECT HOSPITAL RECORDS A COMPLETE SYSTEM. The matter of recording all cases of influenza dealt with in the temporary hospitals has been carefully attended to from tho outset in Wellington. As is generally known, the control of the temporary hospitals aud convalescent homes has been vested in tho Defence Department, which has representatives in each place, either in the form of medical corps men or clerks, who attend carefully to the registration of tho patients treated in the various places. In this nmiinur a record is kept of the name of the patient, his address, and the name and address of his nexl-of-kin, Hie time he enters the hospital, time of,his discharge, or duiith, and, if tho former, to what: convalescent home he is sent. At tho convalescent homes the record is continued in the same precise manner until the .patient is finally discharged. On leaving . u hospital convalescent tho patient's clothes (after being thoroughly disinfected) and his belongings are handed to him, and he goes on his way grateful "if not rejoicing.'' ' SEAMEN REFUSeToIaIL FOR NEW ZEALAND i TWELVE 01'. Alt-AWA'S CHEW SIOT TO GAOL. (Kec. November 2'J, B,'lf> p.m.) Sydney, November 21). Twelve members of tho crew of tho sU'iinier Arawa were sentenced to twontyonc clays' imprisonment euch for refusing to Sail for New Zealand because of (lie influenza there. The. evidence included a cablegram received by Sir. Hotmail (tilt! State. Premier) from Air. Mnsfioy J.'rimo Minister of New .Zealand), stilting thai the epidemic, is rapidly decreasing, .and owing to tho extreme precautions there was lilllu or no danger of infection.—Press Assn. ARAWA SAILS. , Tho I , rime Minister (Kight [lon. Mr. ilnssey) received advice last night, that tho s.s. Araw'i, which was held ,up at Sydney, presumably on account of the epidemic here, and about which ho cabled to tho Premier of Now South Wales, sailed at 'I p.m. on Friday for Auckland. MEDIC UNDER SUSPICION, (lice. November 2!l, Ml) p.m.) Melbourne, Xovcuilicw 21). An inquiry has bpen instituted regarding viipnrlri thai the ollicers a? tho Medic, had landed in New Zealand.— Press Assn.