INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1918, Page 2

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

.SERIOUS POSITION M WKIiUEbiGTON. INSUFFICIENT SKELKBD HELP. '~ CHLLDBEN tending their PAREST3, By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 14. The serious nature oi the influenza epidemic iu Wellington is realised by the great rush on medical specifics for prevention or cure. Hospitals, public and private, are overtaxed, and the staffs themselves are seriously depleted. The shortago of doctors and nurses, in fact, is a serious feature of the outbreak, as it means that many hundred cases existing cannot receive skilled attention. Yesterday telephone communication was restricted, so much that it caused great inconvenience. The telegraph and telephono staffs are suffering from the heavy reduction of their personnel through, the epidemic.

The Mayor is appealing to citizens for assistance in nursing and caring for the afflicted peopleP Eraser, M.P., yesterday toured the poorer quarters, and found many cases lacking attention, in soma instances tbe adults being cared for fcy children.

The Minister for Health states no expense ■would be spared, and it is hoped voluntary organisation will be formed to deal with urgent cases. Inhalation chambers in the city are being largely used by the public, but it is urged that more are needed. Tho impression prevails that marry cases are a form of plague. It is reliably stated that in a number of instances the victims' bodies turend Mack shortly after death. OUTBREAK ON STEAMER. FROM THE ISLANDS AM) AUCKLAND. Sydney, Nov. 13. Eighty hospital cases are in quarantine from the steamer Atua, recently from Fiji, via Auckland. One European and three native members of tho crew succumbed. So far so cases outside the ordinary influenza are reported. LACK OF NURSES. Auckland, Nov. 13. Regarding the influenza a new crisis is approaching, particularly in relation to district nursing through nurses going down with the malady or collapsing from exhaustion. There is a great need for skilled nurses to fill the gaps, otherwise patients will be neglected and the old position reverted to. There was no public demonstration in connection with the armistice, the Health authorities having requested' that no crowds should gather in view of tho seriousness of the epidemic situation. There was thus no outward sign of enthusiasm iu the city. FACTS ABOUT USHFLUESZA. Au interesting comparison of the present epidemic with that of 1890, more especially in regard to the conditions in England in the latter year, is j made by Dr 11. M. Beattie, medical superintendent of the Avondale Mental Hospital, in a letter to the Herald. He says: 'I worked for some months almost night and day in the English epidemic in and my experience is that the present epidemic is not eomparaMe in severity with that in England, although, it has apparently become more rapidly widely disseminated The publication of the number of dcatha is certainly alarming, hut if an analysis of the circumstances could bo given it would, I am sure, allay panic. From 1890-93 iu England and Wales tho death-rate from influenza was only 1 to 10 per cent., while the rate in relation to the whole population was only 1-20 of 1 per cent. Most of the deaths were among old people. those physically unfit, and those living in poverty and in an insanitary environment. We do not get into a state of panic regarding measles, or whooping cough, and yet the death-rate froy these diseases, apart from their epidemics, is only very slightly less than that from influenza in epidemic periods'•Probably 50 per cent of all influenza cases are not dangerous under ordinary circumstances, but we are unfortunately circumstanced at present, owing to the shortago of doctors and nurses. The consequent lack of proper attention and treatment will, perhaps, lead to a temporary severity and multiplications. When the organisation of skilled and voluntary workers—l hope under expert control—is completed, we can surely hope for a diminution of the severity of the attack, although probaWy not fox its further dissemination. :We cannot check influenza as we can, for example, typhoid • or diphtheriaHundreds, perhaps thousands of working men and girls from infected homes tnVel-daily to .shops, factories, or other places "Of employment, and this cannot be prevented except by suspending for the time 'being—and no one can tMI for how longv-cmr .whole industrial 'lift;- Nor could .we expert specially the manual workers —in the absence of some scheme of insurance, against in- j 'validity—to isolato themselves, even if i; •tnty- themselves were slightly, affected, 'j ahdj...therefore, a ,source of/ infection.. : The spread generally inust go,- .0n,, al-. , though- in certain drrectiqns T it ,caii,be ; limited by the resned. >£ _' :thc Public Health authorities., : porfutiiß, be: open to question wliet&ef i or : not :tljis-,wide,and-rapid,S#ea| is '.*s,': i 'evil, apart : from the/fapt t|sfet'|t to; ' caught ■: .us 'unawares,,, .ft , .mean's ' th»l r ' th<>. paibulwtt upon - wliieh the feeds..will.be. the mofe,r*pHly'.exHirw-' j ted, and. tlie; eooner, th«TCi*w*. : &# ;■ epidemic, disappear. . ~" . \"„ "Jn- EtigtaMt .lasted: several irtpttfAs. ■ in- sojue localities, . ; tHit . generally $ ssent;. its force in : six or eSgH.t wfeefcs..' Its long duration- .was due to rrtmer »•" •currences and the inhesion' of >new eni Yfcomments. yfimb W w>wreqnrtro 4* . calmness on the psfft of the puibft* . easeful attention fe the earKesi : tores, laying tip at oaee If at a-8 pos'SiWte at least aaO the temperature toeleflmes normal, sfttei&fe nursing awJ iiwfifotl attewtfcw in all cases were the ; symptom* are not of the -mildest, and Isprarrrng and epeeisf fftten-San to sanifett&m, eJe, as devfeerl W ffce Pobrie .BeaKh The dbstrmtnes of p-reeanlfana Witt towem flte> sej: verity of -Mm attaetei, anC T*Jnce tJiej.ctimgnr of mmvpfkalSoms to a uriahmmt Old and enfeebled person's shwrid awrcis> sßsoinl care, -partrenlaTlv Vhert st- ', tacked. It is ahvayg wise to regard influenza as a daagerans infections dis"<wie, tint afc- Ote sane time one whose dansrerous tTiaracteristies can be almost wf'oilr controflpd Trv t>* «tnreise of rissyle precatrHews anfi '~~-**ui esoae.* \