INFLUENZA.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1933, 30 January 1919, Page 3

INFLUENZA.

AUSTRALIA’S TURN,

PRECAUTIONS IN NEAY ZEALAND, The Minister of Health was asked on Tuesday whether the New Zealand authorities were taking precautions against a recrudescence gf the epidemic by reason of the outbreak in Australia. Mr Russell replied that the developments in Australia called for an immediate consideration of the question of safeguards by the Health authorities. He indicated that promptness would he the order for any necessary measures. The Minister remarked dial be regretted lo see from the cable messages (bat apparently, despite the stern measures taken in Australia to prevent (he entry of the influenza trouble, (he disease was spreading. The precautions had evidently failed to keep out the enemy. lIOAV INFECTION SPREADS. Many medical men have stated dogmatically (hat the virulent influenza of Idle epidemic could not be (•aught except by contact with an infected person. The Minister said that though one hesistated to speak in opposition lo the medical authorities, he had had a lurking suspicion (hat in some way or other the disease had been wind-home and sea-borne. There were eases —for example the outbreak in Chatham Island —in which the theory of. direct eoutact could not account, satisfactorily for the presence of the disease. 'Then there was the ease of a steamer which left port with no signs of the disease, which eventually attacked passengers during the

voyage. A gentleman who recently had hud occasion to investigate this disease in America mentioned to Mr Russell an experiment which showed (he infinitesimal size ol the bacillus of pneumonic influenza. I, mier very high pressure infected serum was squeezed through a marhie slat). After (his rough passage the organism of the disease was still alive in the serum.

The American medical experts had traced eight different kinds of pneumonia to the influenza epidemic. _______