INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 69, 16 December 1918, Page 4

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC

PAYING THE BILL

SYSTEM OF STATE PAYMENTS

The Minister of .Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) has laid down the principles that arc to govern payments by the Government in connection with the influenza epidemic, .ami his proposals have been . approved by Cabinet, The Government will pay all costs of nursing, medical service, equipment, and maintenance of emergency hospitals, and other expenses directly arising out of the epidemic, including deficiencies in hospital boards' stocks of medical supplies used for the epidemic. Circulars and forms are in preparation providing for payment of all approved expenditure, certified by the hospital boards and incurred by local authorities in connection with tho epidemic. • The Government will not pay expenditure incurred either by hospital boards or local authorities in the exercise of their ordinary- functions, such ns sanitation work arising out of tho cleaning up of towns and districts during the epidemic. The Government cannot commit itself to the payment of a subsidy, of 245. in the -£ on contributions raised for the relief of distress iu connection with the epidemic. In various districts voluntary contribution's hnve been raised by tho local authorities for the purpose of.assisting in cases of distress, and in'soma cases applications ( have beiy.i made by hospital boards for the subsidy. A proposal has been made that the hospital boards should obtain the subsidy, and then hand the money back to the local authority'or the committee. The position is that section (10 of tho Hospitals Act, 1009, puts the responsibility of such, expenditure on the hospital board, which is an elective body representing both the people and the Government. The proper course, therefore, is considered to bo for the committees which collected the money to administer contributions, and for the hospital board to exercise its function over'all cases which in its opinion come within its 6phere of responsibility. '

ABOUT INFECTION .AN UNSOLVED PROBLEM. "One question, on which the medical authorities have expressed strong opinions is the means by which' 1 the influenza epidemic bus. been spread," said! the Minister of Public Heajth (the Hon. G. W. Russell) yesterday, "The opinion laid down in New Zealand ha 6 been that personal contact was the only means of transmitting infection; but a gentleman who has arrived from America and who sludied the influenza epidemic there tells mo that the keeper of a lighthousa on Lake Winnipeg was affected. A relief launch was sent to make inquiries when the light was not shown, and the Keeper and his wife were found both to be stricken by. the disease. "Inquiry showed that these people had not'had any -communication with the shore, direct or indirect, for a period of eight weeks before they were infected. Not even a letter Had been received from the shore. I leave the medical profession lo solve the problem."

THE HOSPIWL_FIGURES ThereXwere onlv about half a dozen admissions to the General Hospital during the week-end. One death occurred in the institution on Saturday, and another patient succumbed yesterday. The figures for Saturday are as fallowt— Admissions • 3 Discharges •..• < ■Remaining in hospital 36 Death ; »

POSITION AT WAIROA. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wairoa, December 14. The epidemic showed signs of abating during the last few days, but a numb»rof additional cases wero- admitted from the Native. settlements last night. The death of one European is reported, and only 'a'few serious cases remain. The other cases are progressing. The Frasertown Temporarv Hospital reports that there are only five convalescents there. Tho hospital may close in a few days.