INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A CHEERING REPORT LETHARGIC ENCEPHALITIS AND DIPHTHERIA It is distinctly cheering to learn from the District Health Otbcer (Dr. WsitL) that none of the inieetious diseases which has of late gained for itself some degree of notriety in New Zealand is nourishing in the Wellington health district. Indeed the report given to n. Dominion reporter yesterday registered, on the whole, a. favourable impression. Speaking of the latest mysterious disease, lethargic encephalitis, Dr. Watt enid that tor the week, ended June 2, only seven'cases were reported from the whole of New Zealand; for the week ended June 9, there were another seven, and for the week ended June IG, five cases,were reported in the Wellington district (Dominion figures not available). In considering the above figures it should be borne in mind, Dr. Watt said that it did not mean that every case reported was one of lethargic encephalitis, as the medical men had been required to report any casa they suspected 'to be one of "sleeping sickness,'' in order that it might be strictly observed. So far . twelve cases of the disease had been reported in fjha Wellington district for the three weeks ended June 16. It would l>e at once seen that whilst the disease was amongst us —and a very serious disease it was—its power of infectivity was poor, and there were 'no reasons to conclude that it would ever become epidemic. So far as he was aware there had been lio deaths from the disease in the Wellington district, and never had there been move than one case from any one house, showing thnt it was not readily transmissablo from person to person. Influenza in the Wellington district was reported to lie very. low. During the week ended June 16, only twelve case? were reported from the whole district (which takes in Gisborne on the east coast and .New Plymouth on the west), and all were mild in order (none was pneumonic). There was a good deal of diphtheria about Dr. Watt stated, but not nearly 60 much as there had been for the nasi two or three years. The cases being re-ported-this year (autumn and earlv t winter was the period of greatest activity) were one-third less than the number last year. It could !>e said that the figures so far showed a material improvement on those for some years past. Scarlet fever was practically non-exist-ent in tho North.lsland. It was rather more active in the South. In Wellington tV™ were no cases. "C.5.M.," too. looked like pomg out of business in this district. It was practically unknown, and only sporadic in any case. Only one case was reported for the week" ended June 9, and another for the week ended June 16.