INFLUENZA COMMISSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1919, Page 3

INFLUENZA COMMISSION.

}»EK MUMS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Giving evidence to the Influenza Commission, Dr Chesson, Health Officer, eaid there were numerous cases in Christchurch in October, but medical men did not seem to regard them as out ~of the ordinary. They included pneumonia cases, which were looked on merely as pneumonia, accompanying ordinary influenza. The congregation of people at Christchurch races in November caused a rapid spread of the disease, but it was the possible the epidemic might have arrived if there had been no Carnival week. The total eases admitted to the Hospitals at Christchurch from November 6th. to De cember Bth. was 722 and the deaths in Canterbury and Westland Health districts 897, a rate of 4.13 per thousand of the population. Some people could acquire a certain amount of immunity from a previous attack, whereas others seemed infected whenever exposed, and 1 others had never com-ractd influenza even in the previous years. He considered that action was necessary to enable the Health Department to compel the adoption of by-laws. W. McKinney referred to the work of St John Ambulance and recommended that Government should* financially assist the Association in order that it could send out a man to organise subcentres.