THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1902, 12 November 1918, Page 3

THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

PRECAUTIONS BY COUNCIL. At last night’s Council meeting the Mayor said that throughout the Dominion the people were alarmed on account of the serious influenza epidemic, which, in Auckland particularly, had assumed most, serious progress. The Department of Public Health bad circulated all local authorities asking for their eo-op-cration ■ and assistance in preventing the spread of the disease. He said he had rung up the Mayor of Palmerston North during the day, and Mr Nash informed him that (hey were having an inhaling chamber erected in the Square lor the free use of the public, and he had asked the speaker to make this known to the residents of the Buxton district. The Palmerston North Council was also arranging to spray the footpaths every morning with a disinfectant. The Mayor said prevention was better than cure, and he had ordered a sprayer for the use of the Inspector of Nuisances, and suggested they should ask all business people lo spray the footpaths and gutters in front of their premises with disinfectant: every morning. He also suggested the Council should obtain supplies of disinfectant in bulk and retail same to residents in bottles at cost price; (hey should also get a supply of formalin candles and distribute same on similar terms. Cr Coley strongly supported the purchase of disinfectant to supply residents as required. The following motion, proposed by the Mayor, and seconded by Cr Coley, was then put and carried: — That with the view of checking the serious influenza epidemic, citizens he earnestly requested to co-oper-ate with the Council (1) by a General clean-up of all backyards by the removal of rubbish after having been thorouhgly disinfected, (2) by thoroughly fumigating their business premises with a strong antiseptic, and spraying disinfectants on the pavement and gutters in front of their shops every morning. The Inspector of Nuisances is hereby instructed to sec that this work is carried out. That five onegallon tins of Kerol, a five-gallon drum of McDougal’s sheep dip, lie purchased and retailed at cost price per hot tic; also that 50 formalin candles be purchased and retailed, on the same terms.