INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 296, 10 September 1919, Page 6

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A FAVOURABLE OUTLOOK. Those who have been harbouring ideas •of a recurrence of tho influenza epideinio as beintr inevitable or at least probable mav find reason for veering round to a more optimistic view after rending the latest official figures as supplied by the Wellington. District Health Office. Tho figures are for the week .ended September 8. and to place a proper value on tliein. it is necessary to understand that tho term "district". in this caso is a ven- wide one. Tho Wellington henlth district takes in the whole of the East Coast from tho East Capo, the whole of Hawko's Bayi Tarauaki, Wellington,cart of tho Auckland province, the wholo of Marlborough and part of Nelson, and tho population of this "district" is approximately 400,000.

the inlluenza cases reported number 22. and of these 17 are mild, ono moder- • ate. and four severe. Thus there is ono severe case to every 100,01)0 of population, which is not very alarming. The whole number of cases works out to about ono to every 19,000 of population. Unfortunately it is not possible to make any comoarison with the figures for last year, be,cause, influenza w-as not then notifiable, nevertheless, it is common knowledgo that thero was a good deal of influenza about in September of last year. \ Many of the men in tho camps were down with it. and the civilian population was also affected. Of course, no ono can predict what the position will bo a month or two hence, but tho present position is distinctly -favourable/and with reasonable care on tlio part of tho public generally a recurrence of tho severe form of the enitlcmio seems unlikely. Lethargio encephalitis, or sleeping sickness, .is fortunately- not making headway, for only two cases wero recorded during the week,, that, is one for every 200,000 of population. There wero more cases of diphtheria than of inlluenza during tho week, thirty cases of'the former being reported. There were also two case 3 'of cerebrospinal meningitis, two of enteric, four of 6cnrlot fever, and" eight of measles. In no case does tho ratio appear to be disturbing.