LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 97, 18 January 1919, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

9 — : —. ' LEST FORGET Sir, —I have looked in vain for an account of the light against the epi. demic in Featherston Camp, so 1 have resolved to write a brief letter giving some faint idea of that awful time and of the work, done to combat it.

How bright we nil were—peace was near, our friends were coming home from the front, and wc were going homo to our dear ones. Suddenly a few men reported sick. We thought little of it; but within three days 1100 men went, down—Spanish influenza! The hospitals were soon crowded,, and tlio United Institute was taken over as a hospital. This great building, holding. about 1000 men, was soon filled with suffering men. Four doctors wont down. One fine fellow, Captain Christie,, died. Can you imagine itp Seventeen hundred men down, and.only four doctors. Hqw these men workedl - The P.M.0., Lieutenant-Colonel Graham Robertson, took the influenza, but would not give in. .With a liigli temperature he still kept at the post of duty. Always calm, firm, alert, he was untiring in his efforts to stem the march of the disease. New Zealand must not forget this brave, tender-hearted man. The work of tlio nurses ,nid McdicaJ Corps was past praise. Two of the nurses laid down their lives, and many of the ward workers. An appeal was made to the men for help. How those fine t'ellows responded! For 'weeks on end they never had their clothes off. Many died; but their places were at once filled. We noted that the married men were in the thick of it, with a skilful and tender touch. 1 livery day manv died. 1

The food was one great problem. Camp food was not suited to invalids. How the.y looked for something tliej could eat. The ordinary food often went brick as it came—untouched. Help, however, soon canie. Mrs. Page, wife of Corporal Page, of Dunedin, volunteered' to cook for the men if a suitable cook-house could he foundThe offer was gratefully. accepted. With a number of other noble women, sho entered, on her mission of love. "Bo you know tho risk you are 11111niiiUP You are taking your' life in your hands," said a doctor. She laughed, rind said, "We are of. too much importance to take it!" How these women worked from eight in the morning to nine at night. Over 0110 thousand eggs a day were used' in, making custards and egg-flips, wine-jel-lies, blancmange, chicken broth,, and mutton broth and beef. tea tfcre also made. How tho men smiled as tho food cam« along. "Tho Lord know what he was doing when he invented women," said one; and that was the feeling of all. • The people of the Dominion' will never know what they owe to Mrs. Page and her women helpers. Her effort saved the lives'of hundreds i)f men.

. Many questions will be asked as the time goes on, but I would say bo careful how you judge. For example, an order was X-iyen. to an officer to have a certain work done the next day. .By that time often the officer and most of tbe men would be down with the influenza. The. result was that many orders miscarried. However, as one who was in tho thick of the fight all through, let me say that if others suffered, all also suffered, and no more self-sacrificing body of men and women could be found than those who fought against this dread disease, ana defeated it—l am, etc., ONE WHO WAS THERE.