SOMES ISLAND AFFAIR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10282, 17 May 1919, Page 6

SOMES ISLAND AFFAIR

INQUIRY DEMANDED

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST QUARANTINE ARRANGEMENTS,

The general secretary of the Fede* rated Seamen’s Union (Mr W. -T. Young) has sent the following letter to the Minister for Public Health:— ■ The executive of this union ha* received numerous bitter complaint* by members of the crew of the ,».s. Manuka respecting what is evidently a very shocking state of affairs existing on Somes Island as the quarantine sta-i tion of this port, and in the interest of seamen and citizens generally urgently demands that you Vill immediately cause a public inquiry to be held with full power to call all essential evidence bearing on the following allegations : (a) Tho buildings used for the reception of patients are quite out of date,, being mostly old, some of forty yearn* , standing, dirty, and, in some Instanefe* worm 1 eaten, and in a number of cases' the boards are rotten and the floors broken in places. (b) The lavatories are out _of date and a danger. to health, consisting of lean-to’s without partitions, ' and oil drums used as receptacles. ‘ ! (0) Most of the windows in the buildings are broken, and the holes are stuffed up with old pillows, cardboard ;; or sacking, thus diminishing any, possl- , bility of lessening draught. (d) The accommodation Is totally inadequate, consisting of two baths without any water supply.,’ (e) The water supply for patient* Is obtained from a well about 50’ feet deep, which is merely covered with a few loose planks, and any dirty water from' the pump above it run* into the well. (f) Thera is no hospital laundry on the island, and there is no hospital kitchen, consequently patients, ’; contacts, and others have to use the one kitchen. <g) The meat safe is a box .which was at one time used for the carriage of live stock, and it is exposed to , all weathers. ; (h) In many places the drains V-are broken and open, and no provision is made for the disposal of refuse. (il The buildings are improperly lighted, being lit with only kerosene lamps, some of-, the globes of which, are broken. (j) There is no mortuary in which ' to place the dead. (k) The. hospital is in a position exposed to all weathers, and as a result patients complain of draughts and cold, and it is in a state of damp. (1) There is no provision for the accommodation of women, and as a result the stewardesses of the ManukaKad -. to be accommodated in the quarterma-s- ;r ,.. ter-sergeant’s house. The L -nurse . charge of the hospital .lived, in'*' '.this house, abd thus could have brought infection to the stewardesses. (in) Persons not suffering with any illness were placed on the island from the Manuka, some of whom contracted pneumonic influenza and died. <n) While only 18 members of the crew had influenza, 35 were placed in, quarantine, on the island. (o) At the outset, there.were:.mereWf five cases of . pneumonic , influenza,-v.Tffi ,\ K : -r remaining 13 developed after being, ' placed on the island, no doubt through, coming into contact with the affected cases. (p) Contacts were placed in the same wards as patients suffering with the ;-, complaint, which was conducive. to the u- ' former incurring the illness. (q) There was no resident medical practitioner on the island. .The, dqptor!' merely risited‘.from' 1 -the ' pity 'eacb^ayy^,',and remained for about ' twb‘ Jiburs. . which was totally inadequate medical’ .. attention. (r) Tlie staff was not by any means sufficient. At the o.utset there was merely one nurse, w 5« struggled on with her task of human kindness till she went down with illness. (s) Patients were improperly landed ? on the island, and in some cases carried up cliffs, ~.-3 i (t) Patients freely gazed, at the ; stars through the space where the . roof , ought to bp. Trusting you wiJI see your way to comply with our request for an immediate inquiry, and that provision will be made for the ■ calling of evidence from the s.s. Manuka.