INFUENZA COMMISSION.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1919, Page 3

INFUENZA COMMISSION.

f"EB PRESS AUSOCIATION. —COPVMIOHT CHRISTCHURCH, March 25.

At the Epidemic Commision this afternoon, Mr Leslie IJardie, Chief Sanitary Inspector for the Christchurch City Council, said fie find hpen con. nected with the Health Department for fifteen years, and had come to the conclusion that some alteration was needed not only in the Departmeit, but in the Public Health Act. For instance, the clause regarding nuisances arising from offensive trades needed remodelling. He considered that infectious diseases in order to stop overlapping by various bodies should be controlled by the local authority, and not hv the Hospital Board Notwithstanding the leaps and bounds made bv science and the great im provements i if sanitation, infectious diseases had very largely increased since they had been under the control of the Hospital Board. He considered the increase was due to overcrowding of schools and to the inadequate method of isolating those employed in regard to houses in which cases of infectius diseases occurred. D, J. F. Duncan, President of the Canterbury Division of the British Medical Association, said the virulenttype of influenza undoubtedly came to Christchurch from Hie North Island during Carnival week, when the conditions were ideal for it spreading. Christchurch then became a distributing centre for the South Island. With regard to treatment, Dr Duncan said no drug had been proved to have any curative effect on the disease.

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. _ Nurse Maude, District Nurse in Greater Christchurch, giving evidence to the Influenza Commission, said she had found in the majority of cases that housewives were helpless and frightened during the epidemic, showing appa.l|ing ignoranse of the ordinary rules of health and cleanliness. They followed instructions regarding the opening of windows, but some had dropped hack to their old habits. She considered it would take a generation to teach the, people the value 'of fresh air.

CHRISTCHURCH. Tills Day Nurse Maude continued that a large number of houses had no proptr bath accommodation. Many housewives could not. cook a potato properly, and there was deploriahle lack of milk puddings such as are necessary for young children. Mrs T. E. Taylor gave evidence regarding the care of children during the epidemic. About 160 were received into special homes. Many were in a deplorable condition and without a full set of underclothing.

Dr. *1). E. Jennings gave evidence of his experience in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Fiji. He advocated perfecting tlie block system to avoid the, overlapping of medical attendance.