THE EPIDEMIC.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 433, 10 December 1918, Page 4

THE EPIDEMIC.

Work Amongst the Maoris.

The Miranda Outbreak. The efficacy of administering to the Maoris on the occasion of the recent epidemic was well revealed in the instance of the natives in the Miranda district where, thanks to relief measures being instituted by the health authorities, only a few fatal cases resulted. On the outbreak of the disease in that locality Mr G. H. Stubbs, of Mangatangi, worked most heroically in rendering aid to the stricken Maoris over a widely scattered area and it was only when he was almost at the point of exhaustion that an appeal for assistance was conveyed through the Clerk of the Franklin Oounty Council, Miranda being situated in that authority's area, to the District Health Officer (Dr. Hughes). This request, however, came forward just at the time that similar calls were flowing in from all aides and the possibility of securing a worker seemed remote. But on Mr D M. Heron, a well-known insurance agent who had the advantage of being acquainted with the district, hearing of the difficulty he promptly volunteered to go to the rescue and, armed with, authority from Dr. Hughes to institute such action as he thought desirable, he proceeded on the afternoon of November 20th by boat from Auckland to Thames and early the next morning he left Thames by Government launch for Miranda with an equipment of a dozen beds, mattresses, rugs, tents, medicine, etc., supplied on advice from Auckland by the Thames Hospital Board. At Miranda he found that a relief party of English settlers had in view of his coming been organised consisting of Mrs Coxhead, Miss L. Finlay, Messrs T. Coxhead, Graham Finlay, and W. Sermon. These were picked up by the launch, which then went on to the native settlement at Whakatawai. There they were met by Mr T. Williams, a Maori farmer, who not only acted as interpreter but placed his horses, waggons, etc., at Mr Heron's disposal. Camping ground for the relief party having been selected and tents pitched the Maori hall in the settlement was quickly transformed into a temporary hospital, a bath-room being erected as an addition to the structure and latrine accommodation also being provided. In the meantime the news had gone forth amongst the natives of the arrival of the visitors and Maoris soon began to put in an appearance making pitiful appeals for food and medicine, with which they were duly supplied. They explained that their destitute condition was due to the fact that prior to the break-up of the Maori gathering a few weeks before at Mercer they had received and entertained large parties of the natives that had come over from Mercer and also in their turn had visited Mercer, thus doing no work, Mr Heron succeeded in getting a telegram through to Thames and the next morning (Friday, the 22nd irat.) the launch arrived with a plentiful supply of stores, washing utensils, towels, pyjamas, a 12 gal. copper, etc Then the party were in a position to commence operations. With Mr Stubbs arriving on the scene he accompanied Mr Heron around the settlements and six of the worst cases wero brought in on "trp+ohers and sledges to the hospital. Three corpses were found in different whares, sick people lying around the bodies. These were duly and reverently buried. At one of the whares there were eight occupants ill, all totally incapable of doing anything for themselves, and in the same room lay the dead body of the Chief of the pa. One of these invalids was a young woman, who was taken to the hospital, where she gave premature birth to a child, the infant only living a short period. A systematic tour of the pas was carried out every day and food was regularly distributed to the natives, including proper nourishment for babies in the form of infants' patent foods, and it was the experience of the relief party that good feeding and the cleaning up of the dwellings materially assisted towards the recovery of the natives. Amongst the patients that were treated in the hospital and of the " out " patients only two deaths occurred in addition to that of the young child already referred to. The nursing party all wore masks, which were liberally saturated with formaline and Eau-de-Cologne, and the good health of all of them was preserved. With the sufferers gradually becoming convalescent the camp was broken up on Wednesday last, the only patient then remaining being conveyed to the Thames Hospital. In recognition of what had been done in the way of succouring the natives the settlers of the district organised a relief fund, the sum of £6O being collected. Out of this amount £4O was allocated to the health authorities to pay for bedding and clothing, which it was desired should be left behind for the benefit of the Maoris, whilst £l2 was expended on provisions to cover two or three weeks ahead, £8 being retained in view of possible emergencies. Mr Heron returned by rail from Thames to Auckland on Friday, well satisfied that his efforts had not been in vain, thanks to the noblehearted manner in which the Miranda volunteers and Mr Stubbs had assisted him.

DEATHB FROM STARVATION. The Maoris living at the various settlements on the Waikato River between Mercer and the Headn were less fortunate than their colleagues around Miranda, measures for their relief only being put in hand when the mortality list had soared high and it is a regrettable fact that starvation rather more than the effects of influenza was responsible for the majority of deaths. For! some reason or other ignorance apparently prevailed as to how the, Maoris were faring along the river, the native story being that they were '

warned by different settlers that they would not be allowed to make their way to any town for the purchase of food. The probable explanation is, however, that at the particular time nearly every household, both in Mercer and Tuakau, as well as all round the district, was on the sicklist and thus the extent of the trouble amongst the natives did not become the subject of general knowledge. Then again as Franklin County is bounded by the Waikato River and the settlements are on the southern (or western) side of the stream, being thus within Raglan County's area and consequently in the Waikato Hospital Board's territory, the remoteness of the district from the Board's headquarters at Hamilton was probably responsible for news of the outbreak only tardily reaching the authority concerned. Added to this the Maori has an inherent dislike to disclose information as to any serious form of illness, thinking that the authorities would order their removal to a hospital, to which they are by nature repugnant. That such is so was in fact the experience of one of the military doctors, who after intimation had been received of the sufferings of the Maoris Was despatch' ed from Auckland to assist a native nurse in combating the outbreak. Visiting one whare he attended to eight Maoris and was assured that they alone constituted the occupants of the dwelling. The Doctor, however, ascertained from neighbouring natives that another sufferer in the whare had been hidden from his view and on returniug there he found such was the case, a man being discovered who was seriously affected with the "flu " and was experiencing internal pains. These latter, the Maoris thought indicated appendicitis, which they feared might necessitate the use of the surgeon's knife, an operation of which they and the patient were in dread. In all, some 200 cases amongst the Maoris on the Waikato river were treated and with some sixty deaths occurring before the advent of the nurse and doctor there were less than 20 fatalities subsequently. The patients were all transported to one of the islands near Tuakau and with skilful nursing and attention producing good results the encampment was closed last Wednesday, two patients then remaining and being taken to the Fnkekohe hospital, one of the two dying there that night.