THE SI KESS AT TRENTHAM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3984, 17 July 1915, Page 5

THE S I KESS AT TRENTHAM.

RESULT OF EXPERT EXAMINATION. DISEASE STATED TO BE CERE-BRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS. SYMPTOMS NUT UNLIKE TYPHUS. NO CAUiS'E OF UNDUE ALARM. I3y Telegraph —Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, duly 10. During the fitting of the House this afternoon, the Minister for Defence read the following reports from Dr Valintine on the medical investigations into the epidemic recently nrevalent at Trentham camp. The first report, dated Bth July, was as follows :

“I have to report that owing to representations made by Captains Harrison and Ferguson this morning with, regard to the epidemic now prevalent in camp, I deemed it my duty to summon Dr Hector, of Lower Hutt, in consultation with the first-named officers. After a careful inquiry into the nature ot the epidemic and attendant symptoms and the general features of the

disease, Dr Hector came to the conclusion that tin.' disease which is now prevalent is associated, with so many of the symptoms of typhus that it is advisable to treat it as that disease. I am well aware of the. responsibility that this involves on all concerned and the grave consequence;-, that may accrue in case the diagnosis should unfortunately he found to be correct. Nevertheless. I am strong of opinion that there is only one course, and that is to immediately change the camp ground. It is obvious-that it would, never do to break' no the camp am* let the men go to their homes, as by this means a very fatal diseastmig'ri be distributed throughout the Dominion. At this hour i. can only advise you with all the era phasis at my command to have the camp shifted at onco. Da the ox pediiion with which tin* camp can be shifted will depend the lives oi many men.” This wa--> follow: <t bv a .'Croud n;>ort, dated lOth July, addressed to me Minister of IVt'ene*-: "In further reference to my memo.- of Bth July, f have the honor to submit report.- from tin- Omvriinient Bacteriologist. Professor Champtaloup and Mr .1. A. i 1 u;l< .*• and from Dr Bowie, assistant medical superintendent at Dunedin Hospital. You will note the discas at Trentham has now been definitely diagnosed as cerebro-spinal meningitis. Epidemics of this disease have occurred in the United Kingdom during the present war. am! eases have been reported amongst troops in barracks where sanitary arrangements, etc.. are above suspicion. The question will doubtless be raised as to whether this disease arose from any insanitary condition at the camp. There is absolutely no evideme to tin’s effect. On the contrary, the disease is due to a recognised organism, the diplocoeus intracelnbiris meningitisis, and could not have arisen do novo, and could not have been bred in the camp, but must have been introduced from without, probably by means of a carrier, for by this means the recent epidemics in the United Kingdom and eLewlmre me said to have been introduced. Cases of cerebrcv spinal meningitis have occurred in the Dominion before. The outbreak of this disease is a grave matter for the Dominion, but far graver would have been an outbreak of typhus as was feared before the true nature of the disease was established by the bacteriologists. Though a very grave disease, corebro spinal meningitis is by no means • as infectious as typhoid or smallpox, and though it is advisable to to quarantine certain places and generally to take proper precautions there is every hope it will he possible to prevent the spread of the disease to any great extent. lam causing a leaflet that has been issued bv the Local Government

Board on the subject to be printed and circulated amongst the medical practitioners of" the Dominion 1 , so that all necessary precautions can

be talren to prevent its spread.'* Commenting upon the reports, the .Minister said that a vaccine Had been prepared and won hi he used to prevent the spread of the disease. The matter was entirely in hand and. though then* might be a death or two. everything was being done to check the spread of the disease. When the matter was fully investigated lie felt sure it would he found Trent ham had boon branded with a reputation it did not- deserve. . . . Sir Joseph Ward said that while it was verv reassuring that typhus did not exist, the second repoit did not go far enough, in that it did not explain numerous other cases of sickness. The Government was undoubtedly justified in deciding to shift- the camp, but more information was desirable in regard to measles and othei cases. Ho had a communication from Palmerston North stating that there were a great many cases of measles. Air Alassey : Not a great- mini her. Sir Joseph said he was told the eases were pouring in. Afr Alassey said ho had every confidence the right thing had been done. Within five minutes of the decision being-come to to shift- the camp he had announced it. lie was satisfied it was not the right thing to keep the men in the otic place for a longtime, and they should be shifted. 1 hemen were now doing well, but the sickness could hot be got rid of all at once. There were 39 eases ol measles at Palmerston hut no cases or meningitis. The men were all clieeifuL 'They wore all singing as. they left for t-fie hospital, and were the palliest lot of sick men lie ever saw. The last few days had been a time great anxiety, and his first concern was to see .the men return to healt-n so that they might get- away to the other side of the world. Air Russell said lie u'aS* ghul to beai there was no ease of typhus, hut the House still wanted to know the came of so many deaths. Air Massev said there were only tweiitv-live deaths in eleven months. Tie had been told the proportion u Britain was 42 per 1000. He hoped it was not true, but m New Zealand wo handled 25,000 men and only had one death per 1000. . l>r Thacker said it the diagnosis were correct- what was to become ol the 1200 or ,1400 men left at lre>'thaiu ? AVhat. they wanted was isolation not quarantine. If the men were not isolated the disease would spieud through the Dominion. Dr Newman said there was -no need for scare. There was no case of tH" /* in the country and not likely to ; • There had been no ease m the .Hut s i Army, but it had occurred m ot - armies where filth-Mind dirttolerated. In New Zealand there IVIIS absolutely no occasion to frightened of typhus. Mr. Wilford wanted to know whs the Government had not provided - ■ta Wit«l -W T-on Hum., . money and equipment- had ben si 1 plied. He also wanted to-know uht ■tiler the establishment ot. the base hospital would not have prevented the spread of the disease. .. ~ . The Hon. Air Rhodes sard the quim lions asked by Air Wilford were being Inquired into' by tiro KoyarCommission and were sub judicx. change of camps had proved bench ~4. to the men, and would go a long ■ . to restore them to healthThe Hon. James Allen, iepl>mg, said the' present position- -urns not one nut of which political capital should ho nmde But all should strive to allav the anxiety winch had ansom There had been 25 deaths since the camps started, and he proceeded Jo enumerate the, dates and direct causes. Four of these were direct-B traceable to corebra spmal meningitis,