INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 57, 2 December 1918, Page 6

INFLUENZA

GOOD PROGRESS ON ALL SIDES J EPIDEMIC DYING DOWN JHE POSITION IN OTHER CENTRES. .' The Minister of Public Health (the 'Eon. G. W. Russell) stated, last night that at noon' in Wellington yestorday there were 116 unoccupied bods in tho hospitals in tho city.- Dur|ing the twenty-four hours there were H | admissions, 23 discharges, and - four i-deaths. At five of tho hospitals. there c'jvere no deaths at all, at'oho there was 5 three, and at another, ono. , .!■;-The Hon. Dr. Pomare, after visiting i.Otorohangn, found it impossible' to get 5 through by ;oad to New Plymouth, and i.Le therefore returned to Morton, Mid i -went north to Taranaki on Saturday Vmorning. Dr. Pomare reports that the v disease is dying down rapidly m tho ■King Country, and that everything.possible is being t!one for the Natives in ; that district. ?- Information has been received by Hie '.'Minister of Public Health to the effect J that the epidemic is dying down very I rapidly throughout the whole of the Caiil terbury district,' and also in 'Westland. S-ffhe Health oWoer at Chrisfcliurch rei ports that tho position on the .whole is i satisfactory. . . ~.' '.. |; . STATE OF THE HOSPITALS w NUMBER OF VACANT BEDS )., INCREASING.. '.: The week-end reports from the hospitals testify to the fact that the situation f continues to improve rapidly. There {.was ono admission to the General Hosfpital on Saturday, when a death also * took place. No, cases .were 'admitted yesctorday, and the patients' remaining, in [the institution are all doing.well. Fifty- ■ eight nurses have now returned'to'duty, ■ : but there are still about ninety in various 6tages of convalescence... '•' "Tilings are going fine," was the report ;last night from Wellington College Hosjpitab There were no admissions to this on Saturday, but one case had {to be removed there yesterday.' With !the exception of two case's the remaining aro all doing well. One death •jtook place yesterday, p During the week-end there were 21 ;, admissions to hospitals and 13 discharges. J'Twenty convalescents were removed from i hospitals to convalescent homes in the ■;Bame period. >:' The beds vacant in the temporary hospitals at noon yesterday were as 1 follow:— ;..',' ' Males. Females. V-- Sydney Street 10 — ; Wellington College ... 19 8 ;.; St. Patrick's College'3o - Normal School ......... — li Seamen's Mission 13 — 1 Brooklyn School G 6 - The official figures showing the 1 vacant beds in the convalescent hospitals as at noon yesterday are as follow:— Males. Females. <■ Oriental Bay 4' — '.. Wellington South - 17 St.. Thomas's ,- 12 , ON THE WATERFRONT ■■ ONLY ONE CASE DURING WEEK- ."■ END. .'During Saturday and Sunday only one fresh case of influenza was found on ship:ping in port. The case was ,the chief cook of the Mararoa. ii All yossels which arrive at Wellington ifrom other ports—coastal as well as overseas—are now boarded by medical officers tor inspection before either passengers tor crew are allowed to come ashore.' ['; positionlnlhe camps ' STEADILY IMPROVING. ■ The health reports from the camps 'continue to show a steady improvement in the conditions created thero by the epidemic. At.Trentham thero were on Saturday morning no admissions to hospital. The number ..of, men under treat■ment totalled 180, "of whom 122 were injjfluenza.'patients. The serious cases were [six, four of theni being pneumonia and [two cerebro-spinal meningitis. There was fbne death from influenza. k At Eeatherston on 1 . Saturday morning there were 226 men in hospital. The seri-ous-cases in: the camp totalled eighteen. '. Qnly. tvyq men paraded sick, and one, of 'them was admitted to hospital suffering -from jaundice. There had been up to .Saturday twenty admissions of C.S.M. patients.. Ono hid died and nineteen regained jjn .hospital. Of the nineteen twelve were .convalescent, five were serious cases, and two were dangerously ill. ; The latest of the Featherston admissions (for C.S.M. occurred on November 23. ;. At Awapuni thero were thirteen - in hospital. There were no fresh admissions and no serious cases. ' Surgeon-General Henderson on Saturday informed a Dominion representative that during the_year the total'number of C.S.M. cases at Trentham Camp was only Severn > Four of them were cases of men convalescing after influenza. The four 'occupied different wards in hospital, and .were from different units. I .'.DISTRICT COMMITTEES ! -.WELLINGTON NORTH. j' The Rev.' S. Robertson Orr reports that jthe Wellington North depot will only ''open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice,,,,. to oome in, ! but'theV are not generally of a serious kihej. The committee aro receiving im'Sriy appeals" "for" 'financial assistance ;where. bread-winners have been stricken or-are too weak to return to work. On iSaturday these appeals were quito frequent, and cases were dealt v-ith whero :no'appeal was made. Some i,ien, the 'committee state, >are inclined to go to •work before they aro fit because necessity, drives. It the committee were in a position to give some litclo help until '.they are quite- ready a great deal of good would result. Donations for the relief fund will be thankfully received.' The committee is of the opinion;that the Government- should open a bureau for dealing uith relief appeals. It is quite time that something should be done-in Ithis direction. The following donations have been received:—Mrs. Proud, £1 Is.; Mr. E. Tregenr. £1; Mrs. Tregear, £1; '.'Mrs. CD.,"'ss.; "Mr. AV.," 10s. KARORI COMMITTEE'S FINAL MEETING. - - The final meeting of the Karori Vigilance Committee was held on Saturday. •There were present Mesdames Burn, J. : Mackenzie, Kilmister, Collins, Horrax, and Atkin, Misses Shearer,' Caigou, and. Mnculister (hon,/ secretary)', and Messrs. Burn, Skegg, and A. M'Kenw'e (chair.mnn). Apologies for absence were received from Mrs. CaughUy, Mrs. Har'greaves, Miss K. Edwards, and tho Rev. :G. Y. Woodward. In his report, the 'Chairman announced that since the inauguration of the campaign more than SOO cases had been dealt with, and that :there had 'been four deaths in the district. Votes of thanks were passed to 'the following for voluntary contributions in aid of comforts:—Mir. Brodie, Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, .£2 25.; Mr. B. G. H. ■Burn, .£1 Is.; Mrs. Hildrcth, .£1; for the use of private motor-ears. Mis. Kilmister and Messrs. Kirkcnldio, Brodie, and .Cathie; all who- assisted by. supplying foods 'of all kinds and otheir help during the course of I he epidemic; ; Scouts Palmer and van Slyke and Masters Cathie and M'Kenzie for running mes- ' sages. ' -,- It was resolved to secure the accounts for car hire, nurse's fees, and requisites obtained by the authority of the medical officer, unci forward them to (he central 'authority for payment. The chairman and Mr. Burn were appointed a committee to deal with_tlie surplus of the comforts fund, which, by donations received in the contribution b»x, now stands at £9 7s. M. Sale of medicines produced £' 55.. from which sum petty accounts amounting to £1 lis. itd: had been paid. ! A letter of thanks and appreciation to ;'Br. Plntls-Mills for her devoted service 'daring the campaign is lo be forwarded. : Tho committee decided not to disband,, but to hold itself in readiness to be called together by the chairman should the ,necessity recur. ' A vote of thanks to >!ie chairman for ■the able and courteous way he had controlled the campaign brought the meeting to an end. ; Medicine or other help can still be-ob-

tained in the district on application to A. M'Kenzie, Church Stereet, telephone 3701 (one short, one long ring)'.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL. N Reports from tho AVellington Central Committee show that there has been a considerable 1 eduction in the calls for doctors, and the ambulance cases arc few in number. Yesterday workers were out all. day, and reported a steady progress in nearly all coses.. As a result of the Wellington Central organisation still being intact the committee wns able to clcul with eases in tho electoral districts of Wellington North and Wellington East.-

Mr. P. Eraser, M.P., chairman of the Wellington Central committee, attended a meeting of the Central workers- at St. John's Schoolroom yesterday afternoon, when the present and future position was considered. After some discussion it was resolved that the work in connection with reporting and attending cases and recording doctors' cases should bo concentrated at the Town Hall, where there nre more facilities to carry out the work, as the epidemic was now under control. It was also resolved that, if possible, the work of registering.destitute children and investigating distress cases should be carried on at the- Trades Hall. Mr. CBary, Mra. Owen, and Miss Ryan expressed their intention of assisting Mr. Eraser in soeing the latter work carried out. On the motion of' Mr. C. Bary, seconded, by Mr. F. H. Morgan. it-, was resolved v to place on record appreciation of the services rendered by. all workers and motor-car owners who had rallied round the committee.' Mr. Eraser said that if the occasion ever arose, again— which he sincerely hoped would not happen—he'would not wisli for :t more loyal mid unselfish band of workers.

Mr. C. Bary, lion, treasurer of the Central Distress fund, acknowledges the following contributions:—Mrs; \V. I. Nathan, .£10; Mr. H. Seaton.il Is.; Mr. P. W. Congreve, £i 10s.;. Mr. R. G. Denton, ii 2; Mrs A. G. Atkins, J?5; Dr. J. S. - Maclaurin, ,£2; Mr. P. Eraser, M.P., £1 ; making a total of .£245 for distress work.

NEWTOWN. CLOSES DOWN. Mr. H. A. Parkinson reports that the position in the area controlled .by his committee has so far improved that there is now nothing left for the committee to do save to give some attention to families in need of assistance. The committee has therefore been disbanded. The following donations are acknowledged with thanks :-Mr. Bell, £i; Mr. Levcsham, £b (for the children); Mr. Caughley, 55.; Mr. Butler, JC2 25.; Mr. John .Castle, ,£2 2s.;,Mts. Wilson, .£2; "P.," 10s.; Mrs. O'Bribn, 10s.

The Berhampore Vigilance Committee acknowledge receipt of' the following amounts for the special relief fund to date:—C. and A. Odlin, i'lo 10s.; P. C. Watt, £b 55.; R, A. Wright. M.P., £3 35.; L. Hicks, .£1 lis. 6d.; G. Mawson, M Is.; T. Corkill, £1; R. Richmond, £1; H. J. Brewer, £1; R. M. Brewer, £1; Mr. Latham, £1; G._AV. Key, £\; Mrs. Mounter, 10s.; Mrs. M'Donald, 10s.; Mrs. Miller, 10s.; Miss Ashwond, os.; Mrs. Wilkinson, 55.; 41trs. Wood, 2s. 6d.; amount in collection-box, .£1 3s. Gd. .

WHEN CLOSED BUSINESSES MAY ■ RESUME . MINISTERIAL DECISION. On Saturday the Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. AV. Russell) made the following statement regarding the resumption of businesses and other activities temporarily interrupted by the epidemic:—"Provided all reports continue favourable with regard to the check of the epidemic, the following programme will be carried out: Marble bars in AVellington and Auckland health districts may resume at onoe, opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Alb churches will resume full services on and after Sunday, December, 8. Public sales of liquor in hotels, chartered clubs, and by wholesalers and breweries may be resumed on Monday next, December 9. but if in any district it is found that there is congestion: and drunkenness inimical to public health, in these .particular districts the closure will again be applied. All 'public meetings may resume on and after Monday, December 9. All stock sales may resume on and after Saturday, December 7. ' All auction rooms may reopen on Monday, December 9, with the embargo that no sales of second-hand clothing or bedding will be allowed. All schools, private and public,'will continue closed until further notice, as also will all picture theatres and other places of entertainment which have been closed by tho health officers." The Minister stated further that this was his decision, and the health officers could put it into effect provisionally on reports continuing fo be. favourable. THE FOLICE"fORCE TRIBtJTE FROM THE COMMISSIONER: -. Commissioner J. O'Doiiovan was advised on Saturday of the death at Irivercargill, from influenza, of Constable J. S. Doak, a married man with two children. ■ This is the fourth death of a police officer in Invercargrll from influenza. The number of members of the Police Force in the Auckland district who were ill' with influenza was 68. There are now only 43, all of whom are doing well. The Commissioner states that Superintendent Kiely, Inspector Johnson, and' Sub-Inspector Wohlmann, of Auckland, and the men under ihem who have not been stricken down with influenza, have worked magnificently during the epidemic, and he also praises members of the force in other parts of the Domin'on for their great exertions during a most trying time. Senior-Sergeant M'Namara, of Auckland, who was laid low with a particularly bad attack of the disease, : has now recovered, and has resumed duty. ST. ANNE'S CONVALESCENT HOME Those seamen who have been stricken by the epidemic will be the ones that will best remember St. Anne's Convalescent Home at Newtown. As this home has been kept exclusively for seamen, its general excellence has not come under notice as much as the others, but there is no doubt that it has been a valuable factor in restoring to complete health many seamen who were 6mitten .with the disease. The home is controlled by the _good Sisters of Mercy,\ and to ascertain the degree in which they havo acted up to the title of their order one has only to chat to some of the inmates. The Sisters nre nided by a numbjr of voluntary workers from the district (including the Convent girls), and by a quartermaster, orderly, and cook provided by the Defence Department. Captain A. A'. H. Monro, as the waterfront health officer, has also taken the liveliest interest in tho hospital, and through his personal efforts excellent shower baths have been provided for the patients. The bright airy schoolroom ''makes an excellent dorui'fory (with 32 beds), an anteroom at the .rear has been transformed into a dining "room, and the kitchen is located directly behind the stage, and has all the essential plant for the preparation of the food. The people of the district have been very liberal in their .contributions of food, drinks, books, magazines, etc. There is a gramophone, 'and every evening there is an impromptu concert of some kind. TSe Sisters ennnot say too much in praise of the good behaviour of the patients, who yesterday afternoon numbered '26. Since the home was established on Friday week, 22 patients have been discharged, and there have been no relapses on the part of patients. HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE EPIDEMIC ■ To the Editor. Sir,—As a medical man who has travelled practically over the whole world, and who has had a large experience of the precautions taken at the chief ports of the world against the introduction of contagious and infectious diseases, and who has also had a fairly wide experience of the slum conditions obtaining in many large centres of population, kindly allow me to congratulate Afr. Morton, our City Engineer, on his able repent, and also the Mayor of Auckland on his attitude toward the Department qf Health. So far as my personal experience goes— and it is, 1 have indicated, a wide one —I am bound to admit that the quarantine conditions imposed in New Zealand are among the most casual and unsatisfactory . that I have over encountered, while again the methods adopted and practised by tho lay staff of officors em-

ployed by the Health Department for tho disinfection and fumigation of infected homes or apartments are for'most part equally casual and unsatisfactory. "Security," said Shakespeare, "is mortals' chi'efest enemy!" "Security," in the most classical and Shakespearean sense, meant being off one's guard from what we characterise as a "false sense of security." Well. I cannot doubt that, so far as our 'Health Department and the epidemic are concerned, our remoteness from the larger centres of the world's population has proved our "chiefest enemy."

The Health Department has had more than a full year's knowledge of the fact that a virulent type nf influenza prevailed in various parts of the world, and yet no adequate or effective precautions can be said to have been' taken'to prevent its introduction into New Zealand. I have no hesitation i;> affirming that even the Turks are infinitely more up to date in connection with the quarantine methods and disinfecting devices in vogue at their ports than we in, New Zealand. For example, the Turks, if there is the slightest suspicion that a ship entering their ports is .carrying'passengers suffering from an infectious or contagious disease, subject all passengers anil their belongings, as well as the ship, _to thorough-going process of disinfection. Passpngers are provided with clean parments while th»ir own clothing and be; loncings are subjected to some hours' treatment' in a high temperature in a special 'disinfection chamber. (Passing through an inhalation elyimber is at best merely of problematic value). Again, at almost all the great ports of_ th« world most exacting conditions nre imposed on' ■infected ships and passengers. In the case of infected shins no cargo is, as a rule, unloaded until the- last port • is reached, when shin careo and everything is thoroughly disinfected, while passengers landed 'at intermediate ports are subjected to strictest disinfection and quarantine conditions—as is being and always has been done in Australia.

As far the slum conditions obtaining here and elsewhere, I find myself in entire agreement with Lieutenant-Colonel Wylie and Mr. Morton when they suggest that the habits sof some people are such that in every community, large and small, slums anil filth are to lie encountered. In any case (he Health Department need not attempt to lay the flattering unction to its soul that the present epidemic is due to the filth and slummery of our cities and humble homes. Now, there can be no disputing the following facts:— (l) The epidemic was introduced from abroad; effective disinfection and effective quarantining could have prevented W' introduction.

The infection spreads from individual to individual—directly for' must part—and sjums and filth, pernicious as they are in- connection with epidemics, can be regarded only as indirectly contributant to the ipresent epidemic, which has respected neither persons nor places, sanitary or insanitary. (3) The Health Department alone could have prevented the introduction of the present virulent malady into the Dominion.

(1) After the actual introduction of this form of influenza into the Dominion only an efficiently-equipped and organised Department of Health could have' coped with it .effectively. . Now. while sympathising with the officers of the Health Department in the formidable task confronting' them. I must express my / emphatic convicticm that the Minister of Health has completely failed to impress the Government and Parliament as to the imperative claims and needs of his Department. Is it not. deplorable that an epidemic such as this should find the representatives of tbe Health Department, throughout tho Dominion, so handicapped- and so helpless? It is almost incredible that our Health Department, at a critical juncture such should have apparently to rely so very largely on the gratuitous service -of the charitably-dis-posed. AVe have been repeatedly reminded during the last four years of the <act that the war found the Empire unprepared. Similarly, I regretfully affirm that this epidemic has found our Health Department and its organisations wholly unprepared for the discharge of their most important functions. Let us trust that our awful experience during this visitation will rouse us to a sense of our obligations'to the people of the Dominion and convince us of the necessity of providing an ' adequate and efficient staff of medical experts to organise our cities and provinces for the important task, of :-

(1) Preventing tbe introduction • into and the spread of disease in the cities of provincial areas of :which they are in charge.

(2) Coping effectually with diseases when introduced or become epidemic. (3) Making provision for the effectual disinfecting of rooms and homes, be-longings-and surroundings of persons suffering from infectious diseases. These medical experts to-be appointed by the different local bodies, subject, of course, to the- approval of the Government.

To insure the establishment of a thoroughly efficient . system •of safeguarding the health of the' community and of giving effect to the (foregoing recommendations cf the City ijngineor. This would practically mean the same system as adopted in England. I am prompted to writo to this effect, Sir, solely from a desire to render it impossible for the members of my profession and nil others who have witnessed the tragedies in. so ninny of the homes of our '-unfortunate fellow-citizens duriugi the past few weeks, to experience another such devastating visitation.—l am, etc., D. LLOA r D CLAY, . M.R.C.S., Eng., etc.

P.S.—I would suggest that Parliament insist on the publication of a chart or "map" indicating the mortality statistics nt the larger centres of population throughout tho Dominion on each clay of, say, the past six weeks. This would almost without fail, furnish clear proof as to the port of origin of the malady in its. virulent form, and also as to its "itinornry'V after being introduced into the Dominion.' It would serve to impress the lay mind, and would be of considerable value to the medical profession and to all concerned with the problems of sanitation and hygiene. visitationlt FIJI OUTBREAK CHECKED. The Governor-General has/received the following cable message, dated November 29, from the-Governor of Fiji:—"For the information of Your Excellency and your Ministers, the following is the position regarding the influenza outbreak at Suva: Until November 18 thero was no ground for regarding the outbreak x< other than a mild visitation not ur.xsunl in Fiji. Since then it has assumed sen. ous proportions among the natives, but among Europeans, although many h.ive been attacked, the disease has not taken a severe form in the majority of cases, and hitherto there have been only two European deaths. 'Tho Government has taken organised measures with the assistance of volunteers, and in the of the chief medical officer the outbreak is under control, and a climax' has beet reached." By Tclegranh—Press .Ansociation Auckland, November 30. ■Reports from Nukualofa, state that the influenza is serious in Tonga. Thero have been about forty deaths, including two European ladies, up to November 25. Tho Consul has appealed to Suva for medical help, which has arrived. The epidemic in Fiji is serious from the native standpoint, but mild regarding Europeans. Thero have been only two European deaths, but the average nativo and Indian mortality has been ten daily. The situation is well in hand, and there is nocnuso for alarm. in otherTentres AUCKLAND PRACTICALLY NORMAL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, December 1. Tho influenza position is practically normal. Patients are being rapidly discharged from the temporary hospitals, two of which wiil be closod towards the end of tho week. BUSINESS RESUMING 'AT STRATFORD. Stratford, November 30. Stratford and district suffered severelyduring the month from tho ravages of' the epidemic, business being almost entirely suspended for the past three weeks. But tho outlook has now so much improved that it has been decidod that the shops will reopen as usual on Monday. Two temporary hospitals became necessary, in

Stratford, in addition to the general hospital, to accommodate the more severe cases. The splendid organisation by tho Citizens' Committee, the hospital staff, and the volunteer workers saved many lives. The total deaths in the Stratford hospital district, with a population of 11000, during the last three weeks number •16. In the outback centres the establishment of small temporary hospitals helped greatly to minimise the spread of the disease. STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN CHTIISTCHUPCIi. By Telcsraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, November 30. It is now generally admitted that the most ncute phase of the influenza epidemic passed a week ago, and steady improvement has been recorded daily ever since. The admissions to the hospitals yesterday totalled nine and the deaths five. SATISFACTOHY h-HPOBT FliOM HOKITIIvA. Hokitika, November. 30. , There have been twenty-six deaths for the two weeks and a half the epidemic has been prevalent, fourteen of which were of country residents. The deaths included three cx-soliclers and two hospital nurses.' A third nurse lies dangerously ill. The hospital staff is thus seriously depleted, and further nurses are urgently required. The general position appears to be that the serious cases are disappearing, and actually dangerous cases with ono or two exceptions, are mending slowly. The fresh cases reported appear to be mostly mild. The epidemic in South Westland is fortunately not proving very serious, though several residents are down. STEADILY EASING AT DTJNEDIN. Dunedin, November 30. Dr. Bowie slates that the position is steadily easing. The improvement is. gradual, and there is no cause for misgivings. There were seventeen admissions on Saturday, including cases from outlying districts. There were a few cases on Sunday, also from outlying districts, which tend to keep the number up. Dunedin, November 30. Every student at the Otago Medical School is serving during the epidemic in 6ome part of the Dominion. Notifiable cases and the numbers in hospital showed a substantial drop to-day. The condition is generally improving. CHILDREN ATTACKED AT THAMES. Thames, November 30. There has been a serious development in the epidemic here, which is now attacking children, previously practically immune. Ten serious cases of children between eleven months, and seven years were admitted to the hospital to-day. MARKED ABATEMENT AT O.AMARU. Oamaru, November 30. There has been a marked abatement in the .epidemic, perceptible during the last few days. The death-wte is lower, there been fewer ndmisipns to hospital, and a decline in (he number of eases is reported. There are still several bad cases in the hospital, but the serious cases show a marked decline, c-cn in the country districts, from which most of the hospital cases came. BUSINESS RESUMED IN MASTER- ' TON. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Mastorton, Di'cember 1. The epidemic is well in band, and all business has been resumed. There have been only two deaths since Saturday. During the epidemic of the last fortnight not a single case of influenza has occurred in the Oiliro Home. General reports concerning the epidemic nre good, says our Greytown correspondent. Thore were no new cases on Saturday, and one wns reported on Friday. Residents of Berhamnore are requested to continue supplies of nourishing food to the Berhrimpore Vigilance Committee, Ate headooarters'of which are at, the Masonic Hall, Adelaide Road. ' The inhalation eh.-mber will be open from 9 a.m. to 9, p.m. Residents of Miramnr are warned that the clanger of the epidemic, is not vet over, and are advised (o visit the inhalation chamber, and send their children each morning.