INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1906, 23 November 1918, Page 3

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Wo have received a number of applications for assistance in country homes, where whole households have been down, but it has been impossible to send relief except in one or two of the worst cases. A ring from Bainesse informed us that one family had been down for three days and no one near them. Relief was asked from the Awapuni camp.

At Otaki toll has been taken of a number of lives, but a splendid organised body of workers, together with a temporary hospital in the Town Hall, has manageed to keep the upper hand. The Otaki Hospital is full. Reports are good from that district. At Levin the local doctor has been down with the disease, hut the doctor’s wife, who is also a qualified doctor, has done splendid work. Organised work there has minimised the outbreak, and the tide is on the turn for the bettor, A number of deaths occurred among the Maoris in that district. Shannon has its organisation which has, and is, doing good work there. Palmers) on is splendidly organised, ami (lie general and temporary hospitals are full. The organisation has the upper hand there. We regret to report that two of; Foxton’s nurses at the dstrict hospital, namely, Nurse Ncylon and Nurse Bright, are down with influenza. They are both progressing favourably. Nurse Prendergast made a visit to households where members were down with the epidemic. All the patients were found to be doing well, and are being well eared for. Thanks are due to Messrs Pearson and Head, Alex. Ross, 11. Coley, and \V. Nye for placing motor cars at the disposal of the sick, and to convoy those rendering assistance to households.

We acknowledge gifts for the sick from Mrs flamer, custards and jellies, eggs from Mrs Oxley, Mr Ximiiw, Airs Roay, Mr Heasman, Mrs Thymic senr., lemons from Mr Conlan, jollies, etc., from Mesdames John, F. and James Robinson, Mrs Edwards, lettuce from Mr Tom. Ward, soda water from Air AlaeArtney. Gifts have also been sent to the hospitals from donors, and neighbours of sick households have also forwarded comforts.

It is hoped that in the course of a few days the temporary hospitals will he cleared of patients. Several were evacuated to-dav.

The Borough Council has put on an extra man to inspect hack yards and to assist in spraying and fumigating where required. Wo are pleased to stale that householders are giving attention to their hack yards and fumigating their homes. There must not he any relaxation in this connection. After fumigating it is urged that every room should ho well ventilated by throwing up the windows.

The Rev. Air Gatmau, of Hawke’s Bay, who has been down witli inlluenz at Mr A. G. Huntley’s home since the Alethodist Synod, is now convalescent.

Alr Fred Robinson reports that there is a general improvement among the Maori patients at Alotniti. All the patients are now out of the temporary hospital there. The Alaori who died on Thursday was 1 buried yesterday. There only remains one serious ease.

There is a decided improvement in the health of the Waiiklyu familv.

One or two eases are reported from the seaside. There are still several had eases at Omni Downs ami Himataugi. Air AValter Barber is doing weiL

Air E. Healey is about again

Airs Jennings, who has resigned as assistant Town Clerk, hut who. kept to her post until the return of the Town Clerk, Mr Waters, went down with influenza yesterday. Air Waters is now again on duly. Air Largo is making good headdav towards recovery.

Cr. McMnrray, who has been attaeked, will lie about again in a few days. Mr Furric, local head leachor of the (state school, is now convalescent. Mr W. Petrie had a relapse yesterday, but there is an improvement in his condition to-day. Mr E. Jackson, of the Dank of New Zealand staff, is now about again. TABLOID ADVICE. “Overcrowding, without doubt, is the greatest sin against sanitation,” sa id Dr. Makgill. “One lesson which has impressed itself very greatly on all who have studied the epidemic is the danger of crowding—crowding of persons in houses, railways, or trams. “Far better than any disinfecting is soap, water, scrubbing brushes, and elbow grease. "Remove the dirt rather than leave it and attempt to kill the organisms in it. “Excess of disinfecting solution creates a damp atmosphere, which is unwholesome.

“People should take advantage of bright weather to put their household effects out in the open air, while they scrub their houses and generally air them. The brighter weather should have a most wholesome effect, if only by bringing people out from their houses into the open air and sunlight. These are best disease preventives. “There is a terrible wastage of • disinfectants,'’ Dr. Makgill added. “Nothing is gained by overdoing it. There are certain strengths which need not be exceeded. Disinfectants are short, and therefore should not be wasted, f or example, for-

raalin for ordinary disinfection in houses can be used in a solution of one in a hundred.. With disinfectants of the kcrol, lysol, and phenol kinds one in fifty is, sufficient for all household use. The damping of a surface with a cloth moistened with such a disinfectant solution is quite as effective and much less wasteful than pouring buckets of disinfectant over the surface.

“The organisms in connection with influenza and pneumonia are very easily killed outside the body, and the ordinary methods of disinfecting are extremely effective. Disinfection by the burning of sulphur is useless unless the sulphur is used strongly. The strength is 3!l> to 1,000 cubic feet, and the rooms should be closed.”

Dr. Mandl’s report to-day is very good. While there are still a number of people down the really serious eases only number about half-a-dozen. There are no serious eases now in the temporary hospitals.

The inhalation chamber will bo open to-morrow. We advise all to visit it. The treatment is non-irri-laling, and is a splendid means of warding off an attack. Every one who is able should go twice a day.