INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 61, 6 December 1918, Page 6

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

STEADILY ABATING WELLINGTON HEADQUARTERS REPORT AFFAIRS .SATISFACTORY A quiet and satisfactory state of affairs existed at tho Central Headquarters in the Town Hall yesterday. The kitchen was still fairly busy, but tho articles of diet being dispensed were all i for convalescents. The report from the medicines department conveyed tho samo implied assurance that things were going well. Tho tonic supplied thore is in tho greatest demand, as its value has apparently become pretty well known. Miss Myers stated that a few rather serious cases of influenza in children were occasionally reported, but the complaint did not appear to be spreading with nnv rapidity among the children. The helpers at headquarters arc having some difficulty from a shortages of motor transport. The private cars which were in commission earlier in the campaign have now been withdrawn, and headquarters has to depend upon hired vehicles. These are scarcely sufficient in number to meet all demands, as there is much to be dono in the way of transporting convalescents and nurses from 'one placo to another. ■-"I think the work dono by the voluntary workers during this epidemic is deserving of some recognition," said tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) in the House of Representatives .yesterday. "I cannot say yet what form'the'recognition will take. It may be a certificate or a medallion. The matter is being carefully considered." Sir. R. M'Callum (IVainui): Make them 0.8.E.'5. (Laughter.) . The question has been rnised by quits a number of those interested in Sunday schools as to whether the continuance of the embargo against schools will apply to Sunday schools, or whether the lifting of the" embargo against church services means that Sunday schools may resume. ' • . The health authorities have been seen on the matter, and they state that tho embargo must oontinuo for .the present in the case of all schools, Sunday, schools included. STATE OF THE HOSPITALS The figures showing tho 6tate of the temporary hospitals for the twenty-four hours ended at noon yesterday disclose that thero were 21 admissions and 23 discharges. From convalescent homes there wero 12 discharges. Two deaths occurred during the twenty-four hours. Following aro tho numbers of vacant beds in tho temporary hospitals at noon yesterday.- M al«. Female* Sydney Street Hall ... 21 -- ' Boys' College 5 o St. Patrick's College ... 27 —V Normal School — 26 \ : Seameu's Institute 11 • — ■ Brooklyn ...; 3 , ° . Tho vacant beds in the convalescent i homes were:— Male 6. Females. ; Oriental Bay — 5 Salvation Army Training i College - 2 Wellington South 3 - i St. Thomas's (Newtown 15 — DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS WELLINGTON NORTH. .. 1 "We arc doing more relief work than anything else," the Bev. Robertson Orr 1 reported from Wellington North Centre ' yesterday. "We hope to close altogether 1 on Saturday night, when we are having ' a large gathering of all our workers .in ' order to thank them for the part they • havo played in fighting the epidemic. • The Minister of Public Health and the Mavor, we hope, will be present. "The appeal that wo have made on behalf of those requiring relief," Sir. Orr continued, "has met with a very fnirie-. sponse. Considering the nature of the times, I think we ( havo received a very reasonable amount.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL DISBANDS.

The Wellington . .Central Committee held a final meeting yesterday morning, when Mr. P. Eraser, M.P.. expressed the highest appreciation of what the workers had done to help suppress the epidemic. Mr. Eraser touched uppn questions which the epidemic had raised and ha referred -particularly to the slums. "During the past four years, he said, "we havo grown accustomed to think in millions in connection with the war. i Whatever may be said of that, 1 tniiiK that if we as a people have found it necessary to think in millions for the destruction 'of human life, _ we_ unonltt accustom ourselvos to thinking in millions for the saving and preservation or human lifo and health/* Memngfurther to conditions which the epidemic had created, Mr. Eraser said: Jwen among the very best paid .of our workers in this country, at the end of a fortnight of sickness they find themselves faced with starvation. This s an appalling state of affairs, and a strong condemnation of our .social system. The committee carried a hearty vote or thanks to all who had assisted them. .

POSITION IN OTHEH DISTRICTS GENERAL IMPROVEMENT EEPOETED. By Telegraph-Press Association. Dunedin, December 5. • Th« influenza position shows great improvement to-day. There were 1 admissions to the public hospital in 24 hours, and the number of deaths was Kinnll Dr. Bowie, actmg-racdical superintendent, said that if the ><™ locally had been left till next week he would have been able to let patients go with some kind of confidence. Christchurch, December 5. The influenza epidemic is abating slowly. During the twenty-four hours ended at noon, there were seven admissions to, tho hospital and one death. There are 131 cases still m hospital. Auckland, December 5. The burials in the city and. suburbs during November totalled 1081, compared with a monthly average of under M. Wanganui, December 5. The epidemic situation continues to improve. Twelvo new cases have been Pahiatua, December 5. Tho epidemic is now in hand. The total admissions to the emergency hospital numbered 67. Tho deaths in hospital we.ro 11, and the oases remaining total 21. The tqtal deaths for tho district were 26. Mastorton. December 5. Since the influenza outbreak sixty-two deaths have occurred. The epidemic m now abating. The relief fund totals Greymouth, December 5. The town is again normal. There was only one dangerous ease reported to-day. Two hospitals will close about Monday, as the main hospital can now accommodate all the cases. , The mines arc writing full «in p > nna the sawrailling industry Is normal. Westport, December 5. In Westport tho conditions have steadily improved, but to-day Burnetts lace, one of the Westpo.^Coal Company* mining centres, sends, in a bad roport. Over sixty are down with influenza, soma being in a serious state. Fairs Hotel has been commandeered, a so the kitchen of the hotel. Bedding will be sent out from Westport in the morning. An effort is being made to secure two qualified nurses to lake over control of tho nursing arrangements. Two patients from Seddonville were admitted to the Westport Hospital to-day. Timaru, December 5. The influonza is rapidly dying down hero, only two fresh eases occurring of niildor typ° than when the epidemio first broke out. For several days past reports from the outlying districts hnvo indicated a marked improvement. The Mavor of Timaru, the local medical men, and the voluntary aid committee _ are unanimously of opinion that tho Minister of Health has made a serious mistake in reopening business so soon. November was damp and squally, and nt times cold. It is hoped that the summer weather which now seems to havo set in will help to get rid of tho epidemic Palmerston N., December 5. The. epidemic has apparently run' its course in Palmerston North. No fresh cases are coming forward, and those suffering aro nearly all convalescent.