INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1918, Page 1

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

INFORMATION FROM SOUTH

AFRICA,

[PEIt riIESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.]

WELLINGTON, October 2

A few days ago the Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell), cabled to the South African hemu authorities for information regarding the outbreak of influenza at Capetown and elsewhere. A reply has been received to the elfoct that the disease is due to influenza, complicated by pneumonia and other pulmonary affections. With regaid to remedial measures the Cape authorities report that vaccines are being tried, but they do not give details of the results.

IS VACCINE A GOOD REMEDY.

CONPLCT OF MEDICAL OPINION CAPETOWN. October 21.

The Director of the South African Institute of Medical Research reports regarding flic influenza question as follows—As to the value of vaccine y - pliylaxis in connection with the influenza, it ‘is unjustifiable at the present state of knowledge on the subject to claim that any bacterial vaccine confers any protection against an epidemic of m- j fluenza It is possible that doses com- | pounded from Listers Eight Groups are useful in preventing the pneumonia complications from arising. ’ On the other hand, the opinion of the. Cape Government Bacteriologist, and of medical practitioners generally in Cape Colony is that vaccine will modify the attack and lessen the liability of severe pneumonia complications and reduce the mortality. The Director of Medical Services in the Defence Forces states that he has had under close observation many thousands of eases. Not one who underwent a second innoculation with vaccine has contracted the disease. There is only one ease where a person who has once been innoculated has died of pneumonia. • - ... The emphatic opinion of all military doctors is that .the value of vaccine is incontrovertible.