NEWS AND NOTES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1941, 18 February 1919, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

A well-sinker at Hastings had an unusual experience recently while sinking a well on a property at Longlamls. On reaching a depth of about 70ft. a considerable quantity of gas was met with, the force of which threw stones from a shingle bed to fully 30ft. above the ground, making it difficult to remove (lie tools from the well. A continuous roar was kept up Ihe whole time, completely drowning the working of the machinery. Although gas has been met with previously in different purls of the Heretaunga Plains, it has never been discovered in such a volume and in such violence.

“Wo have yet a great deal to learn regarding the epidemic. I have hardly found two medical men who agree on the main causes of it, and how it is spread,” said the Hon. G. W. Russell, speaking at Wanganui. He went on to say that some say if was spread by personal contact. We have yet to learn how il reached the Chatham islands, 400 miles away. He went on fo say that the bacilli of influenza was very small. A test had been made of pressing the serum through a marble, slab, from six to ten inches 1 luck, and they emerged just the same as before being pressed through the slab. The size of these germs was very infinitesimal, one being about one twenty-five thousandth part of an inch.

“J came to the conclusion that there were four classes of people who had little chance of saving their lives during (lie epidemic.”

said the Minister for Health, speaking at Wanganui. Proceeding, lie said the first class was the people who lived in insanitary condilions. These provided for the disease attacking them at their weakest point. It had been absolutely proved during (he epidemic that in more than one of our large cities there were conditions of congestion in houses of people living in insanitary conditions, of families being crowded together. These and other causes were largely responsible for the high death-rite. Another class was those who died from sheer fright. His action of holding up statistics' of deaths during Ihe epidemic was to prevent a panic in the cities in the Dominion. Another class were those who were careless and indifferent in Inking proper precautions, after having hail the disease, and ignoring medical advice. There was

one other class, (hose who werq soaked with alcohol. It was because of medical advice given that the Cabinet closed the hotels and stopped the sale of liquor, except for medical purposes.