INFLUENZA CASES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 161, 7 June 1940, Page 8

INFLUENZA CASES

TREATMENT OF SOLDIERS. SEARCH FOR ACCOMMODATION. s Per Press Association; AUCKLAND, June 5. About 250 soldiers of the Third Echelon units training at Papakura ) are victims of the epidemic of influenza, which is reaching its height at > the mobilisation camp. Though the influenza is described . as being of a ■ severe type, the cases so far have been. ' free of complications. If tlie- epidemic continues to expand lit will probably be necessary to pro- . vide temporary wards in suitable ; buildings in various parts of the city L or suburbs, according to a statement i by the chairman of the Hospital j Board (Mr A. J. Moody). He said the board’s institutions were finding it imI possible to handle fur ther eases, and it was only by serious congestion, inconvenience, and overcrowding that • the position had so far been met. Mr Moody said he had received an offer 1 to place the Town Hall at the disposal. . of the board from the Mayor (Sir Ernest Davis), and the use of the St. r Matthew’s Church Hall had also been volunteered by Canon Coat 6. These of- ; fers had been greatly appreciated, but . there were many difficulties in the way of converting buildings in various parts of the city into emergency hospitals, and the need was for, a large single unit, such as the Training College. . “The board’s problem is that it has no power to take over buildings for emergency use, and authority must come from the-department,” lie said. It was unfortunate that the military authorities had not shown greater vision and provided a proper military hospital of sufficient size to play an appreciable part in the treatment of epidemics of such troubles as influenza or measles, which might have been expected to occur in a camp of the dimensions Of said Mr Moody. The marquee accommodation was most unsuitable. A recommendation by the Health Department in Wellington that the Auckland Trotting Club s buildings at Epsom should be taken over for usq as an auxiliary military hospital was vigorously opposed bv Mr Moody. He said this suggestion showed a complete ignorance or the conditions at the racecouree, and if ix were carried out the board could not be expected to assume responsibility for any developments.

CASES AT TRENTHAM. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 5. In comnion with other mobilisation camps, Tfentliam has experienced an epidemic of influenza, but Colonel Row (Officer Commanding the Central Military District) said to-day that it was a mild type, giving the medical officers ho worry. The epidemic in Trentliam was considerably less extensive than in other camps and it was now definitely on the wane. Colonel Row added that the epidemic was in no way comparable with that which affected large numbers of the First Echelon troops in Trentham. The majority of cases had been dealt with in the camp hospital by the medical officers. A small overflow had been taken over by the Wellington Hospital Board who had again established a temporary hospital in the Racing Club’s buildings at Trentham. As a precautionary measure soldiers bad been warned not to stand about in the cold; and night training has boon temporarily suspended.