’FLU-STRICKEN MARINERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 630, 5 April 1929, Page 1

’FLU-STRICKEN MARINERS

Hospital Refuses Admission

BAN ON MAUI POMARE’S CREW

TWENTY-THREE members of the steamer Maui Pomare are stricken with influenza. According to Dr. T. J. Hughes, district medical officer of health, thirteen of the cases have shown improvement to-day. A fresh case was reported to-day. The condition of most of the men is too serious to permit their removal to Motuihi Island and as the Public Hospital has been closed to them the men will have to be treated on board until they have recovered sufliciently to be removed.

white man down with influenza, the Maui Pomare left dock this morning and anchored in the stream. According to Dr. T. J. Hughes, district medical officer of health, the men are suffering from the ordinary type of influenza, which appears to be fairly prevalent at present. He thought it had been contracted during the past 36 hours, and with the crew living in confined quarters it had spread rapidly among them. It is stated that serious developments only occurred yesterday afternoon, when application for the admission of six serious cases was made by a medical practitioner, who had been summoned by the captain of the vessel. Ambulances were ordered to be at the wharf at 5.30 p.m.. but this order was later countermanded by the chairman of the Hospital Board, who said the men could not be admitted to the Public Hospital. BOARD’S ATTITUDE In this action Mr. Wallace was supported by the Hospital Board, a special meeting of which was called last evening to consider the position. The hoard suggested that the quarantine station at Motuihi Island should be opened for the crew, but it was stated by the Health Department that the cases were outside its jurisdiction, as the ship was “clean” on arrival. Yesterday six of the cases were running temperatures between 103 and 104 degrees, and they are regarded as serious. This morning, when Dr. Hughes visited the ship, he found the high temperature cases were lower, and 15 showing improvement. TOO DANGEROUS TO SHIFT “To shift them to the Motuihi Island quarantine station would be too risky,” said Dr. Hughes. They could be removed to the Public Hospital with ease, as it would only be a matter of bringing the ship to the wharf and removing them by ambulance.” Transfer to Motuihi would involve a long launch trip, which at the present stage would be far too risky. At present the men are being treated on board by a doctor, who has the assistance of two nurses. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM Dr. Hughes did not think the situation gave any cause for alarm. It was just the ordinary type of influenza, rendered more serious in this case by the fact of the cramped conditions on board ship making the risk of infection much greater. Added to that was the fact that, with one exception, the patients were Islanders, who were more liable to such ailments. The cold snap experienced lately would, no doubt, have something to do with it, said the doctor.

NO ADMISSION HOSPITAL CANNOT BE USED RISK OF INFECTION “The Hospital Board's job is to consider the health of the people of Auckland," stated Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the board, this morning. Although the board was prepared to render whatever assistance possible in connection with the treatment of members of the Maui Pomare’s crew at Motuihi Island, it was decidedly opposed to their admittance to the Public Hospital. The board certainly has an emergency ward at the hospital, but it is regarded as a reserve casualty ward, to be used in the event of a big accident. If it were taken for the use of the Maui Pomare crew, said Mr. Wallace, the board would be decidedly up against it if the full extent of its resources were suddenly called upon. Referring to the statement made by Dr. Hughes last evening that the responsibility for the treatment of the men was entirely one for the Hospital Board, Mr. Wallace said that that was not the statement of the Health Department. The Health Department had always approved the general policy of the board regarding the admittance of epidemic cases to the public hospital. At the same time it was his personal opinion that something in the nature of a separate institution should be provided to meet such cases. In a big port such as Auckland such outbreaks would always be met with, and there should be somewhere where they could be treated. In connection-with the Maui Pomare cases, he thought it was a very peculiar thing that the cases had all developed within a period of 24 hours, and yet nothing had been heard of other cases in connection with local shipping. NIAGARA EXPERIENCE The disastrous experience with the Niagara at the outset of the 1918 epidemic was cited by Mr. Wallace as an example of what could possibly happen if the cases were admitted. “Natives go ddwn like flies to this sort of thing," said Mr. Wallace; “and again, we have to consider our nurses.” If arrangements were made to open

the quarantine station at Motuihi they could b© treated as well there as anywhere else, and he could see no reason why that should not be done. On© thing: was certain, and that was that the board would strenuously oppose any suggestion that the cases should be admitted to the Public Hospital. FACILITIES LACKING OPINION OF DR. HUGHES "BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE" “The ship was clean on arrival," Dr. Hughes said to-day. “It was granted pratique and the cases are no different from those which might occur in Auckland. The quarantine station is for ships not granted pratique and is not an infectious diseases hospital." The doctor stressed the fact that a ship alongside a wharf was in the category of a house or an hotel. He was surprised when he received word that the chairman of the Hospital Board had cancelled the arrangements for the admission of the Maui Pomare’* men. He had been told that the hospital could take 24 cases in the emergency ward, and when it was explained that only six were to be sent, he was advised that they could be dealt with easily. The board had not got sufficient accommodation for infectious cases, and the sooner it made provision for them the better it would be. Dr. Hughes said that as the ship had been cleared by the port health officer and influenza was not a notifiable disease, the Health Department had really no standing in the matter at the present time, but ho had come into it in a desire to assist in every possible way in dealing with an unfortunate situation. Dr. Hughes stated that it should be possible to treat influenza patients in hospital under a properly segregated staff so tha no infection should result to other patients. “What if a practitioner sent a case from the city?” he asked. “Would the case have to be refused ?” “The trouble is that these are shipping cases,” he added. DOCTOR INDIGNANT HOSPITAL BOARD CRITICISED “SHIRKING RESPONSIBILITIES” “There is no doubt whatever that the Hospital Board is shirking its responsibilities. It wants shaking up. It is the duty of local bodies to take proper precautions and deal with cases. The Public Health Department, exists purely in an advisory capacity." This was the opinion of an Auckland medical man, given to The Sun this morning. For the last six or seven weeks, lie said, influenza had “been about" in Auckland, but the number of cases was such that the visitation could not be termed an epidemic. The situation was not in any way serious, and there was no need for the slightest alarm. Under the Act it was definitely set down that the hospital boards and local bodies were responsible for safeguarding the health of the community. The department existed only to see that proper measures weFe adopted and to supply advice and assistance to the best of its ability. “Yet they have not done anything in Auckland," he declared. “It's ell very well to talk about the carelessness of the department in allowing the Xiagara to bring influenza to Auckland in 1918. That is all nonsense. The epidemic was here months before the Xiagara arrived. “The position is that an epidemic of influenza has been sweeping the world. So far we in Xew Zealand have escaped. but it is the clear duty of the Hospital Board, the City Council, and other local bodies to see that we remain immune.'