COLDS AND FLU IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 33, 27 August 1952, Page 6

COLDS AND FLU IN TAUPO

HEALTH DKP ARTMEN T'S WARNINGS . Taupo has been experiencing — and stil! is — a near epidemic of colds and a bad form of influensa. The foilowing, from the Central Council of Health Education, London, via the New Zealand Health Beparcment, may be helpful as conveying advice •that should be taken to prevent the spread of infection. ' • Most of the ailments in this climate of ours are spread by droplets. If anyone sneezes into your face you will know what droplets are right enopgh. But there are many hundreds more than can be seen by Ihe' naked eye. The point about these droplets is not just that they are wet and unpleasant. They contain thousands upon thousands of germs. And 1 these germs spread any disease that sneezer or cougher may, be sBffermg from. •'It is important to remember that such infetions as colds, inffoienzfe, bronchitis, pneumonia, the infections dSseases of chilcKhooa, tuberculosis, cerebrospinal fever — ancl many j others — are caused by germs spread \ in this way. * Germs are living things and, like other living things, have their own peculiar habits. The (germs that ' eause disease like -living on human beings, and unfortunately for us in doing this) they make people ill, and often kill them. In the epidemic of 1918-19, for example, the influeaza germ killed more than twenty million people in its world-wide onsfaught. Germs On The March.

The main problem facing the germs is how to get from one human body into another. The unbroken skin forms a stout barrier against germs-. So it is not surprising that fchey choose such an easy way in as the mouth, nose and throat. There they settle down and multiply, and when they are ready to attack somebody else, they irritate the nose and throat so that they are blown out Into the air by a cough or sneeze. In this way they can easily spread from a careless cougTier or sneezer to an unsuspecting friena, acquaintance, or stranger. This is serious for the nation as well as the individual becanse a man or a woman with a bad colci normaL ly ^as to lay off work for a day or two at least, and when lots of men apd women catch colds a large number of valuable working* hours will be lost. On an average, two day's works a year are lost by each worker on account of colds and anfluenza. It is therefore in the national Interest, as well as in that of the individual, that everything possible should be done to stop these germs getting out of one person's throat into that of another. tfeep Your Germs To , Yourself, This can be done in a number of ways. But the gclden rule is that | 210 one should cough or sneeze- with- I out putting his handkerchief over his | mouth and nose. This is especially I important in trams, buses, trains* theatres and other crowded places. The handkerchief will stop most of the geijms ifbom getting into the .air and so into the nose and throat toi other people. Another way to trap germs is to wear a mask over the nose and throat; and in an epidemic this may be recommended in factories or other public places. If you are developing a cold or influenza you really ought to go to bed at once. By doing so you will i6QU.ce the risk of complieations, you v7i.ll avoid infecting others, and you will cut short your period off work. Whatever your circumstances, do all you can to prevent these germs getting out of your mouth, nose, and throat on to the man, woman or child next to yours Make sure you -children are trained to do the same.

t Three Escaped Prisoners C&ptured Frederick Johnson, the third escaped prisomer, surrendered to the poliice on Monday,. so that three men who escaped from the police van near Atiamuri twelve days ago have been recaptured. This wifl afford a feeUng of relief in the Taupo Country. There is still one man at large in the area. He is the habitual crimv inal who escaped f roin Rangipo Prison Camp in July and who is presumed to have been concerned in housebreaking activities during his period of liberty. As reported in the daily press the Bridge Lodge and store at Turangi were broken into last week but the burglar was interrupted before he could take anything of value. Later it was reported that Mr John Hogan's cottage at 2-Mile Bay was entered, the burglar prising the door ! open with a. spade used as a jemmy. The interior doors, which were all lccked, were also broken open. Amongst the articles stolen were a .22 sports rifle with 2500 rounds of ammunition. Mr Hogan, who lives in Wellington, had not visited his; Taupo cottage for a month, and was therefore unable to determine when the burglary was committed. Tlie police believe that the habitual criminal who escaped from Rangipo in July last is responsible.