PREVENTIVE WORK IN NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1918, Page 5

PREVENTIVE WORK IN NEW PLYMOUTH.

HOOSE-TO-HOUSE VISITATION. The members of the local Public fcfealth Committee set uj> yesterday morning quickly organised the work of visiting the homes of the town and suburbs. They secured over thirty motorcar owners, who placed their services and cars at the disposal of the committee. The town was worked in 26 blocks, each under a captain, and practically tlie whole was covered yesterday.

The results showed that the work was undertaken none too soon. In one house in Devon Street it was discovered that there were six down out of seven, and without proper food or attention. In another place, in Belt Road, the whole of the family were sick, with no one in attendance. At Spotswood a mother and four children were all ill in a small house. The husband, wife, and two children of another household were all very sick and had been practically without food or medicine for two days. On the Eenlanade a returned soldier and his wife were both very sick, with a child in arms in the house. In another place the husband and wife were both ill and without'help of any kind. In one case, reported late last night, ten were down in one house, only one woman being on deck.

Arrangements were at once made for siving medical, nursing, and domestic help in these cases. The inspecting and relief work is to be continued to-day, and as soon as possible the neighboring country will be similarly worked.

Summed up, the Citizens' Committee have found that there are about 300 mild influenza, in various forms, and 40 to 50 case 3 requiring urgent attention. The whole of tho latter were attended to by last evening. Every house has been indexed, and notice taken of "clean" houses (where there is no illness), and those with sickness have been scheduled according to the seeverity of the cages. Several members of the committee have been deputed to take temperatures. 'lf they are found to be abnormal, doctors are notified, otherwise tho ordinary medicine is despatched, If nursing or domestic help is wanted, this is despatched immediately it is available. Cases coming in very late last night will be dealt with first thing this morning. To-day the Block captains meet* at 10 o'clock, and will again call at every house in the respective districts. It is proposed to deliver at every house today full instructions how to treat al! caws.

There are now 20 nurses down with influenza at the New Plymouth hospital. Five went to Auckland to help, and three of them have contracted tlhe disease. Another New Plymouth nurse, who was on a visit to Auckland, has also been attacked. This leaves the local hospital with less than half its usual staff, witfli work that has been increasing rapidly. The volunteer nurses ore helping to save the situation. One local doctor has been indisposed for some time, and another last evening had a high temperature, and will probably be unfit for duty to-day.

Seven new cases were admitted to the hospital yesterday, mostly from the outside districts. There are now 34 cases in the men's ward, of wihich five are pneumonic and serious. In discussing the epidemic with a News representative last night, the Medical Superintendent (Dr. Walker) stressed the necessity of free ventilation. Oxygen/ and sunlight were inimical to the growth of the influenza germ, and better than all the medicines. Dr. Walker was mudhi impressed with the work being done by the Citizens' Committee. It was really surprising how quickly they had got to work and organised. By to-day. the organisation should Be in complete working order, and he had every hope tlbey would be able to say. in a day or two that they bad gained the mastery of the epidemic locally.

The ladies' committee are doing good work They require fre3h milk, lemons, etc., for the poorer families, and those who can help in this respect are asked to get in touch with the Mayoress at once. Boys are wanted by the Citizens' Committee this morning to collect medicine bottles, etc. Soups, etc. are being prepared to-day at two of the restaurants. These will be despatched by tlhe Citizens' Committee to the homes unable to help themselves.

All the restaurants, etc.. were closed by the Mayor, some closing voluntarily. Several inhalers are being made locally. It is intended to fit one up near Johnstone's Store, at Moturoa, and another at Fitzroy. Mr. Dajf will select the places to-day. Last night a trial of a new inhaler was made with satisfactory results.

The New Plymouth authorities- are determined to prevent any congregating of the public in shops, etc. Yesterday the inspector visited one grocery shop, and ordered the people out, forming a queue outside and only allowing one customer inside at a time. The inspector will take similar precautions to-day in respect of the various stoops open for business. Anyone wishing for advice regarding fumigation is asked to get in touch with Mr. King, at the Borough office; 'phone 700. On Thursday 790 people passed through the inhalation chamber at the Hospital Board's office, and yesterday the numher was 1158. ' , ■ ■

The Borough Council has had. four or five other inhalers made, and these will be set up in various, localities;

The situation imPatea is vefy'.s&ibusV one doctor being away, and the other laid, up with influenza. There is therefore no doctor to attend cither the hospital or otflier cases in the district.

An inhalation chamber has been provided at Hawera railway station, and the travelling public has to pass through this before entering or leaving the station.

The Star is informed tliat the dairy factories close to Hawera are very seriously affected by the epidemic, and that there is a danger that some will not be able to carry on. It has been suggested that the elder iboys from the schools might help. If any boys willing -would ring up telephone 171, they could get into touch with the Hawera "manager and be told where they could help. Already two boys have gone out to Tokaora to assist

!At the Waimate Council meeting on Thursday, Mr. Bridge said he wa* i» commnuication with the chairman of the Hospital Board with a view to converting the 'hall into an emergency hospital. The ladies had met and were sowing sheets, etc.. for the neds. There were tt large number of cases in the Manaia district, including about 100 Maoris, and the doctor wad "run off his feet" It was decided to have the Council Chamber fumigated and to assist i-« any precautionary measures taken to Ideal with the epidemic * n *^ e * own an 4

MHdTARY CAMPS.

AN ABATEMENT OF SIOENIESS, Decidedly favorable reports were received from the military camps yesterday, and, so far as they are concerned, it is thought that the epidemic will be stamped out soon. Thursday's statistics were:—

T'tham. E"ston. A'puni, Paraded sick 42 143 6 Admitted to hospital .. 15 64 0 ■ . Remaining in

hospital -.. 1200 1083 55 Tlie numbers in hospital are still large, and there are many cases listed as serious, but against this there is mentioned the fact that there have been no discharges for some days, it having been decided that patients who have made a recovery shall be treated as convalescents for seven days after recovery. This step was taken because instances have occurred of soldiers, who, after leaving camp, fell ill again and called in the services of the already overburdened civilian doctors. Many of the "serious cases," to?, are likely to prove comparatively mild, as in all cases of more than ordinary severity cautionary measures are taken. In all camps the medical and military officers are exceedingly pleased with the outlook, the general feeling being that the abatement of the epidemic is due to the strenuous work and organisation which has been dude hy every rank in camp, from the Camp Commandant to> the orderlies, many of whom volunteered from fighting units to tend their stricken comrades. DEATHS OF SOLDIERS.

A victim of the influenza in Fe&therston Camp was Major McGilp, Chief Artillery Instructor, who, died yesterday morning. Major McGilp returned from active service recently, and had only been in camp a few weeks. The death, occurred at Palmeraton North Hospital from pneumonia of 3-3R89 Private T. L. Jffollev. iFeatherston CampTeports that 86244 Private Clarence Nobk| Gibson, 0 Company, 46th Reinforcements, died at 1.45 a.m. on the 13th imjt, frim influenza". Deceased was 31 age, and married. His next-of-kin is* his wife, Mrs. !H. S. Gibson, 89 Britannia Street, Petone. Advice has been received from Auckland of the following soldiers' deaths: No. 44861 Private William McKinley. a returned undischarged soldier, died in the Auckland Hospital on November 11, 1918. Deceased was twenty-five years of age, and single. His next-of-kin is his father, Mr. J. A. McKinley. Gate Pa!h', Tauranga. 8/663 Private William McKillop, a returned discharged soldier, died in the Auckland Hospital on November 12,1918. Deceased was thirty years of age, and single. His next-of-kin is his father, James. McKillop, Huntly. 15822 Private N. B. Wigmore. a returned discharged soldier, died at the. Auckland hospital on the 12th inst.. Deceased was twenty-four years'of age, and single. His next-of-kin is fois mother, Mrs. M. A. Wigmore. Kingsland Avenue, Auckland. 22912 Private Thomas Anderson, a returned discharged soldier, died at the Auckland Hospital on the 12th inst. Deceased was a single man. 28 years of age. His next-of-kin is his brother, Mr. W. Anderson, Blackball, Greymouth.

PRECAUTIONS AT OFUNAKK. | Cr. Cornish, speaking at the meet- | ing of the Egmoiit County Council yesterday, referred to the need for taking all possible steps to combat the spread of influenza. He considered that the Opunake Town Board and Egmont County Council should establish one or more places for disinfecting or inhalation. Tihe Town Board had arranged to have-the library for this purpose. Several ratepayers at the other end of the district had spoken to him in favor of tihe scheme, and he considered the council should share the exand he accordingly moved in jhat direction. » Cr. McNeill, in seconding, stated that he had recently visited Auckland and was quite cognisant of the seriousness of the position. i*

The clerk stated that he had been in communication with the health officer (Mr. Kendall) ; who stated that steam was required for the inhalation chamber. Mr. Kendall advised that they should urge all ratepayers to follow thj directions as published in the daily papers. The telegram from the Minister of Public Health, advising the precautions to be taken, was read, Cr. Cornish remarking that it was all very well for the Minister of Public Health to talk of doctors, when Egmont County had been witlhout a doctor for a long time. On the motion of Crs. McNeill and Cornish, the council was authorised to expend up to £25 on disinfectants, Cr. McNeill was also authorised to secure a sprayer.

The Hawera cases are regarded as not serious, and there is no indication of the disease making rapid progress. The cases taken to the Winter Show hospital were waiting to go in, hence-tite. busy time the ambulance had on Thursday!

THE HISTORY OF THE MALADY,

. ITS .PERIODIC VIRULENCE. A HISTORIC,, MENACE. ... Influenza is the' only disease that is world-wide. No other ailment known to medical scienc? bursts out witl* such virulence; and the strangest part of all is that, despite its widespread character, its origin remains a mystery. That it is a germudiseasc is a theory now generally accepted, but why these germs should lie dormant for periods of from ten to forty years, and then suddenly become active, has baffled all the bacteriologists of the age. The different countries of (Jhe earth have from ancient times claimed that influenza came to them from another country. The Germans, for instance, call it the Russian pest, while the Russians call it the Chinese catarrh. The French, while applying to it tftie eloquent term "la grippe," aver that it originated in the valleys of the Rhine, and the Italians, at a loss to fix the guilt upon anybody, turn to the heavens and ascribe it to the influence of the stars, giving it tlhe name by which it is now known in English-speaking countries.

From the year 1849 nothing was heard of influenza until the outbreak in Australia in 1885. The origin of this outbreak was and is still a mystery. The fact as known, is that in 1885 there. occurred in Melbourne an outbreak of a disease which corresponds with the influenza which had been last previously noted in virulent form nearly forty years before, and since that date the world baa tow Mffcrißg mors o» l*u-~fn»

its effects. In 1888 outbreaks occurred in Hongkong and Canton, and tthese am generally accepted in Europe as heralding the renarssanco of influenza. Then* came the great pandemic outbreak Of 1890, when the whole world was affected. Hundreds of thousands of deaths resulted from the outbreak, and, though ft passed away, the world lhas never since been free from occasional attacks.

The extraordinary malignity of the gemi may be gauged by the fact that outbreaks have taken place on board ships 1000 miles from land, while in the creut outbreak of St. Petersburg no fewer than 100,000 persons were stricken down in a single night. As a rule, influenza begins with a catarrh, the distinguishing feature of which is a severe frontal headache, affections of the nose, eyes, and throat, and utter pros* tration. Medical men recognise in influenza the best diagnotie agent known* If anybody has a weak spot, "»flipn»«i will discover it, where a whole college of surgeons would be groping in the dark. Even ailments which occurred vasttf. years ago, and of which no trace seem* ingly remained, are resuscitated by the magical touch of influenza. This is es< pecially the case as regards heart ami nerve troubles. So' depressing is th* action of influenza that persons wfljtt weak hearts are frequently placed in if position of actual danger by aa ottadk which would be trivial in an otkm'wtS healthy patient. . Though infmenza" cdmmonfy &t®cß persons in 1 a form easily recognised, ftl comes in different guises' of differeStf times, and some so distinct as to ooc#" sionallv confuse experienced medietf men. The complications it brings a»oifc& are equally incomprehesible, fet arte most to be guarded against Sy a persoa\ previously robust is the haSißty «jrt preumonin. "It is not a 'disease to' IS! trifled with," said a leading physiekijH "a healthy person can throw off a «otj£ but the man who tries to throw ©ff flw- : flnenza is either verv ignorairt &--voM foolish." ;?T

With an attack of influenza'' the brtt should go to bed, keeping Us Toap£ warm, taking plenty of nomrteneflS, and such medicine as, his medics! aivfifti may direct, and stay there •until Iwi |t>> quite well. Should He Ib'e a poWjff with a constitutional defect, it would Ri necessary to follow up this frestmeiit' with sTtecial precautions, and it w«mW ho found an ecomony of time and trouble' to go away for a change. "It woujff seem that there is some snbtle atmospheric condition necessary for the '4»-' velopment of the germs," eaid the same nhvsician. "It is not dne to the meteo-* rological or climatic conditions. It oo* cnr« in rainless Egypt and rainy dippS""; land- It occurs in frozen Siberia aljffl the hottest parts of China. It 5« fee*--fined to no particular soil. And the suggestion as to its origin that seems tyP be of any value is that it is affected lijf'• something connected with the taone ml the atmosphere."