INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 246, 11 July 1919, Page 8

INFLUENZA

EXPERIENCE IN BRITAIN :i SICKNESS STILL MYSTERIOUS Interesting information regarding int,fluenza..i3 contained in some pamphlets [issued % the Local Government Board io'i-'Great Britain, which pamphlets have -been sent out to the Government of New "'Zealand through the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) gave some extracts from the reports yester<iay,'along with some -comments of his own.'

"The epidemic in Great Britain in 'June arid July was followed after a short '"iiifefvaT.by a second wave during Octo'''b'e'iv 'November, and December," said Mr. Eussell. "The second epidemic did not . attack so many persons as the first, but it "produced more severe illness and higher, mortality. .Strange to say, the second' wave in Great Britain began on October 12, the identical date when the ''disease assumed'acute form in New Zealand.'

:'.:,."&. peculiarity of the epidemic -was that young adults were specially affected by the epidemic, and that this was so also in ,New Zealand is shown by an analysis of the deaths and ages recently prepared by the Government Statistician. In England the occurrence of pneumonia was iipho ;,ofi the commonest effects of the epi-demic,-.-particularly in the autumn and spring. This fact points to the neces- ''. sity of our keeping very close watch for a possible recrudescence in New Zealand. I am thankful to say, however, that our figures are remaining normal at •about -fO notifications per week. :As in New Zealand, so in Great Britain, the acute period of the disease appears to have extended over fo.-sr'or five weeks, being longer than this in the case of the -largo towns and shorter in smaller communities. ...

"The report states that'after a period of about two months' quiescence there were definite indications of the appearance of a third wave, but it was probable - that this might not have affected so many persons as did the autumn wave. ■Any recurrence before or at the beginning of spring is likely to bo attended in many cases by catarrhal complications. The report states that as yet we do not -know the nature of, the living virus to which influenza is duo. The laboratory has not given us a specific form of treatment of influenza, or of protection against •it.- -It is statd that the present epidemic is ' virtually world-wide, irrespective of .'race, community, or calling, and that the -outbreak is essentially identical both in '. itself and complications, ■ including • with that of 1890. --"Possibly, says the report, the bacillus, which is still uncertain, is beyond the '• range of microscopic vision. The Pfeiffer bacillus, commonly known as the influenza' bacillus, is not, on present evidence, to»»be regarded as'the essential infecting organism of influenza. No drug has.yet been proved to have ank specific influence as a preventive of influenza."