INOCULATION AGAINST INFLUENZA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 189, 6 May 1920, Page 4

INOCULATION AGAINST INFLUENZA

HEALTH AUTHORITIES' ADVICE. In view of the continuance of influenza and tho probability of its becoming more prevalent during tho winter months, it is deemed advisable by the health authorities for tho public to consider the, question of submitting to inoculation. Tho Ministry of Health (Great Britain) recently mads an announcement on this matter; tho following extract from the announcement may well be quoted,' therefore, as an authoritative exprcss ; ou of opinion based on the most recent and most exact knowledge of the subject: It is not guaranteed that tho vaccine will in all cases' necessarily protect from attack, but the experience of tho military authorities and of tho eminent bacteriologists consulted by tho Ministry justifies tho belief that the uso of this vaccine will, in many eases, actually protect from attack, and should such attack occur tho person who has baon vacciiiatod beforehand will bo less exposed to tho risk of complications. Tho Health Department has taken stops to give tho general publio an opportunity of availing themselves ,of the benefit of inoculation. Supplies of vaccino have beon issued to all liospital boards and medical practitioners can draw on these Btocks freo of charge. Any person who wishes to be inoculated should apply either to his own practitioner, or to any publ'io horpital; in the latter caso tho procedure -will be freo of chargc.

There need be no hesitation in accepting inoculation when it is administered under competent medical advico, states tho Department. To obtain its value the vaccino should bo used bofore the epidemic occurs, consequently such individuals as wish to avail themselves of tho protection conferred in this way should bo inoculated now. At the samo timo it is only right to state that from returns to hand there is nothing to justify any alarm on the part of tho publio that tho country is likely to be again visited by an opidemic of high virtilenco as in 1918. With few exceptions the cases of influenza ocourring during tho past twelve months havo been of a verj mild typo, and thcro is no cvidoncQ of increaso in virulence.

AUCKLAND CASES. By Totegraph—Press Association. Auckland, May 5. A total of 201 mild and eighteen severe cases of influenza were notified during the twenty-four hours ended at noon in the Auckland health district. Tho aevero enses were distributed ns follow: —City, G; suburbs 7; country districts, 1; Waipa county, 1; Te Kmti, 2; To Puko. 1. Of tho mild cases, 55 were in tho city and 71 in tho suburbs.