PRECAUTIONS IN HAWERA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1918, Page 3

PRECAUTIONS IN HAWERA.

TEMPORARY ISOLATION HOSPITAL.

The Hawora Hospital Board and Health Committee set up to deal with the trouble met on Wednesday, and at fjiu-o sot to work to combat the spread oi influenza. A suggestion made by the secretary of the Winter Show buildings that the skating rink hall should be convartcd into a temporary hospital was acted on at once. Workman got to work at once, and by j'e&tarday morning all preparations had been made to accommodate up to CI) patients if required. The hall has been divided into four wards one for men, one for women, one for children, and one for serious cases. Temporary gas-heated kitchens have ihecn arranged, also bathrooms (hot and cold), food depot, nurses' rooms. The walls and floors have all been thoroughly fumigated, and bvtfy necessary precaution taken- A special telephone has been installed, and the suggestion has been made that an all-night service would be very useful.

It is intended to use this hospital for all cases of influenza that, in the opinion of the doctors, cannot be adequately treated in their own homes. Any cases directed by the doctors to go to this temporary hospital'will be compelled to go there in the interests of the patients and the general health of the town. Patients will require to supply their own sheets (three), blankets, pillow cases (two), and towels if possible. These will be conveyed from their homes to hospital if necessary. The ambulance will be available for any urgent or serious cases.

A trained sister from the hospital will be in charge, assisted by voluntary workers, who will act as nurses and attendant*.

The whole work has been carried out within about. 24 hours, a, result that refleets the greatest, credit on all concerned.—Star. i

DISEASE NOT BUBONIC PLAGUE,

Rumors are still current that somo of the people who have died have been stricken, not with influenza, but with bubonic plague (says the Auckland Star). This is emphaticallv denied bv the Acting Chief (Health Officer (Dr. j. P. Frengley;. Dr. Frengley states: "There still appears to be' a feeling among the public that the present epidemic i» something in the nature of bubonic plague. There is no foundation for such a belief. Everybody knows that in a European community such as New Zealand bubonic plague is spread by the agency of rat fleas, and obviously in this district tho rate of spread of influenza is greater than could ibe possible by the agency of these fleas. Again, the'time of year is not favorable to such spreading agencies. Briefly, this is not pests, or plague, to use a better-known term. Plague very definitely affects all persons who contract it, wherea3 in this epidemic, as all Aucklanders know, a very large proportion of the persons get the present trouble exceedingly mildly, and are about again in' a few days—a state of things not possible with bubonic pneumonic, or septicaemic plague. Persons who are suffering from the influenza, and who can possibly remain u' their own homes or rooms for an extra few days, are urged to do so in order to lessen the possibility of spreading the disease to other persons who arc well. Above all, recovered persons should spend as much time as possible, in the open air."

THE INFLUENZAL EPIDEMIC. (Extract from Journal of Public Health for October.) , The epidemic which New Zealand is at present experiencing is by no means a new disease. The term "Spanish influenza" has been applied to it just as the name "Russian influenza" was given to the outbreak in ISS9-MO, and merely serves to indicate the country whence' the disease invaded the English-speak-ing nations- Statements that appear in curreni English medical journals show that few cases have proved fatal, and that grave complications and sequelae are rare. This is reassuring in view of the scare paragraphs which have appeared in our daily papers of late concerning the large numbers of fatal cases in America, Australia, and South Africa. The deaths attributable to influenza within the four mfrtsppolitan and the. nine suburban areas of New Zealand during the past six months are as follow: Quarter ending Juno 30, 5; month of July, 7: month of August, 7; month of September, 5. Stew 'Zealand is fortunate inasmuch as the disease did not become epidemic until tho winter had nearly elapsed. The warmer weather will, to a large oxiyit, prevent pneumonia and other complications which prove so fatal in this disease.

Influenza in its epidemic form presents certain peculiarities, the most striking being the rapidity of extension and the large number of people attacked in a short time. The duration of an epidemic in any one locality is from four to eight t During this short period of tim Wwsi wtimated that some 'lO per cent, of ttie popiuStha f»3 vktit* to the disease. This sudden, almost simultaneous, attack of large numbers of people is due to the very general susceptibility to the disease and its very short incubation period, it was found uncontrollable by public disease in New Zealand, but was removed from Hie list owing to the fact that it was foim uncontrollable In; public health measures. Theoretically, notification, isolation, and disinfection are called for (1) the impossibility .of making an exact diagnosis in the early stages of an epidemic, or in mild oases at any time; (2) the rapid diffusion of the disease from such unrecognised eases; (3) the fact that, unlike the common infectious diseases, influenza, attacks adults rather than children. Adults are notoriously much harder to isolate than children.

The Department. Ims Tippn urged to quarantine and disinfect ships arriving with influenza; but- any steps further than those outlined above would not produce any useful results. The. quarantining of ships arriving from overseas would lie a drastic course of action iV view of the world-wide prevalanee of the disease, and would afford no protection to JTew Zealand, inasmuch as the disease is already widespread in -the Dominion. The virus of influenza bas very slight resistance to outside influence,', and soon dies after leaving the body. The disease is not spread to any extent, if at all. I>v infected articles, but is transmitted directly from one person to another in tlie minute droplets; oJE saliva given off in coughing, sneezing, or eveH in talking. Fumigation or.disinfection ' < Afag'-k. therefrcw, a msw**

would le of comparatively little value in checking the spread of the disease' GENERAL RULES FOR TREATMENT 01? INFLUENZA. 1. The patient should go to bed at once, and while the clothing is comfortable it should be reasonably loose and not heavy. Blankets can be used and warm 'bottles in case of chilliness. 2. The apartment for nursing these cases must he a well-ventilated one. Too much stress cannot be laid on this point. Plenty of fresh air is of great disinfecting value. 3. At the outset there is little desire for food, but the patient should drinE freely of water, milk, milk and water, soda water, and Imperial drink". The latter is made by adding one teaspoonff.l of cream of tartar to one pint of water. A slice of lemon may be added. Later, soups and broth, egg-flips and custards may be added. Orange juice is permissible from the start. •MEDICINAL TREATME>'I. 1. In every case at the cvftset sodium salicylate lOgs, tr. chinchoue cj». 30m, water to make two dr. Doses: Adults, two grains in water four-liourly. From 12 til 15 years, ljdr. Children from 6 to 1&, ldr.; younger children, %dr. 2. Cases with bronchitis, cough, etc.: Vin. ipecac Sm, ammon. chlorid. ]ogr, tr. of scillo l r 2m, tr. campli. Co. %di', with infusion of senega to make J / 3 oz. Doses: Adults, in water fonrhourlv. From 1-2 to 15 years, 3di\, fi to 12 -2flr., under C ldr. PILL&j 3. Aperient: Adults, .pi!, hydrarg. 2gr.. pil. col ct lysocyamus 2gr. One or two pills at bedtime, as required, followed by a small teaspconful of Epsom salts in a cup of hot water in the morning.