THE LATE EPIDEMIC

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 1 April 1919, Page 6

THE LATE EPIDEMIC

COMMISSION AT DUNEDIN

VALUE OF PROTECTIVE INOCULATION , Br Telegraph.—Preei Association. Dunedin, March 31. The Influenza Commission sat at Duneciin to-day. Dr. Farris, District Health Officer, stated that during the winter months preceding the epidemic there were numerous cases of influenza in Dunedin, but they were mild in character. He. knew of several cases, however, whero pneumonia occurred as a complication. He had also been informed by one practitioner of two cases which came under l,is notice on September 2, which, in the light of present experience, he considered to be of epidemic type. He atoned the spread in this district to the Christchurch carnival week commencing in November, and to the spring races on iNoveniber 13 and H. Some contracted the disease immediately . on reaching Christcliurch, and returning at once to their homo in Otago and Southland, 6pread the infection. The Otago health district population rae 190,885 Europeans and 298 foreigners. The toUI deaths during the last three months of the year were—October, 6; Novembu, 470; December, 423: total, 904. He considered he needed more inspectors. Dr. Champtaloup, Professor of loriology and Public Health, said the world's leading authorities, had diveio- - views on the disease. Expert opinion at present was divided into two lines, one believing that the influenza bacillus was the primary cause, and I hat th; other two micro-organisms were secondary invaders after the waj had be *. p,(pared for them. Other experts believed that the real cause was fillerpUing virus too small to be recognised ft J microscope, and that. the influenza Iwcillus and the other nucro-organisms were all secondary invaders. At picFent exnarimental evidence in support of fhp fipnond view was needed. Dr. Champtaloup handed in a _ report from' the medical school on the scientifi ' aspects of the epidemic, presenting the Steal? patholfgieal. and cal aspects The results agiced very closely with tho* obtained in A »™ whilst workers in Australia « similar conditions. Ju the light of the present-day knowledge we could expect very little help in pTefanting future epidemics from protective inoculation bj means of bacteriological vaecmes. made from the micro-organisms found to be most, frequently present in the tissues of severe cases. He was of opinion tftat protective inoculation gave in many of those inoculated a very brief .and stoht dcree of protection, sufficient in some "to make all the difference between a mild attack on the one hand severe or fatal attack on the othor. Iho ideal condition would be to administer 'I ho vaccine before the epidemic appeared for there was a certain amonnt-of risk in giving it to persons who miyit bl incubating the disease. For roasui. and the reason that the P[ otec f h " n nfforded was problematic, lie did not ic cmnmend wholesale inoculation (lyins^ |~ct nnidemic. There were ti\o cl.t-.-es of people, however, for whom vaccine should be available i.S soon as an ep demio was likely, namely, (toctois, [ nurses, and voluntary workers, and. those lii 1m for any reason \iad on unusual | dread of the disease. To these peoplo inoculation would, give confidence Sneaking on improvements to uie «" 01 and f W trials- also that the four ccntral • Ificts' should be divided, and junior medical officers stationed in suitable sub «S e Champtaloup further stated that in the nmst virulent type of the disease germs- other than tho* of pnra influenza wore found i.V great nuinW. n the earlier stage. He Jioujjllt tlio <11 we m had in New Zealand before 'he NVara arrived would have in time reiched the same virulence. lDr Champtaloup offered to show Commission a collection of pathological specimens taken from acta) cases, the only collection in the Dominion. TW oliairma.il said a visit would be paid to the Medical School for that purpPl)r'. Drenuaii, Professor of Pathology at Otago University, said that i m tho cases examined at. Dunedin certain types "*ere distmßuwhable— those fatal m seven to ten days, those fatal from ten days onward in which certain cases were more typical of lobar pneumonia, and in which there were frequently secondary infections, and special cases which did not fall into those groups. .In all tl.e groups similar micro-organisms were .found. The variations .in . types. were probably due to difference in resistance power and succeptibility, the a™ 0" "1 nnd virulence of infection, and antecedent lesions, and investigation showed the great value of full post-mortem, e. aminations. and laboratory examinations during life, and the 'pressing need for more adequate support rcsp " r^.^° i.i medbnl matters in the Domm on. Besides the influenza problems theie were others equally pressing, but not so obvious to tlie public, that required workers and means to work.