THE TROOPSHIP EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1918, Page 4

THE TROOPSHIP EPIDEMIC.

The report of the court of enquiry hold in England regarding the epidemic on the troopship containing the 40th Reinforcements makes sad reading. It shows that the story at first circulated that the infection came from one of the convoying warships is without foundation, it occurring at the last port of call. The high mortality was caused by bad ventilation, due to the closing of the ports, upon Admiralty orders. The court held that the inhalation chamber should have been used, that the medical orderlies were inefficient, and that a greater supply of drugs and stimulants should be provided in future. The court also adVises that in future hammocks should be 18 inches apart, and that supplies of serum should be available on board all tansports. This is equal to saying that sufficient care was not exercised at this end. The chief cause, no doubt, was overcrowding, as so many feared Anxious to get away as many men as possible, the military authorities have not considered the comfort of the men, or the possibility of an outbreak of disease. It was known that when this vessel left the Dominion there were more men aboard than was safe, that the usual fittings bad been removed and replaced witfc hammocks to provide enough

gleeping accommodation, and that there was practically no room on hoard for the holding of any social function. In fact, the men were made to "pig" it. And this case was not singular. Other vessels have been similarly overcrowded, and it is surprising that epidemics have not broken out before, for the conditions to cause them have frequently been present. The writer has by him a letter written by a soldier belonging to one of the earlier reinforcements, who stated that the overcrowding and sanitary conditions on his particular boat were disgraceful. Two men had died when they reached a port of call, and things were so bad that the men were transferred to an English transport. Two more men died on that vessel, and our correspondent added that if they had not made the change there would have been nearer two hundred deaths. This is what has happened in the pa3t, but the authorities have evidently not learned the lesson. When the outbreak occurred on the boat conveying the 40th Reinforcements the men seem to have had little chance of recovery, owing to the crowded nature of the boat and the vitiated atmosphere. Surely in such circumstances fresh air could have been obtained.' Desperate needs called for desperate remedies. All the inhalation and medicines in the world would not have saved the stricken men if pure air was absent. One can picture the helplessness of the poor soldiers, brought about, no doubt, by an adherence to red tape; and incompetence on the part of someone. The court puts the blame on the orderlies, who are described as inefficient. A fellow professional man can never be at fault, and he will never be impeached, but it is quite different with the unprofessional subordinate. However, we will in due time get the truth in this respect from the men themselves. Meantime the public will not be satisfied with the explanation of the military medical director. They can see from the report of the board of enquiry at Home that the boat was overcrowded, and that proper and adequate appliances to deal with such an outbreak were not available, which is all very disquieting, and will seriously shake public confidence in the work of the medical officers and Defence Department. Meantime the public will await with some interest the Minister's statement regarding what looks like tragic remissness on the part of some of his officials.