DRAUGHTS AND INFLUENZA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1918, Page 8

DRAUGHTS AND INFLUENZA.

To the Editor

Sir, —In your issue of this day's date you have an exceedingly prominent fourcolumn advertUement, under the heading "Influenza" and purporting to be from the "Public Health Committee", which, in its last few lines, in very prominent type, states, inter alia, that people suffering from influenza should keep as much ss possible in the sunshine, but adds the questionable statement that "a draught never does any harm". This is the first time in my life that I have seen or iVanl ;-iich a statement with regard to t'lf sick, having from youth up —and that covers a few years—always been taught to believe that "a draught is the breath of death", to be avoided with the strictest care and caution. I should probably have thought that my early teaching was now out of date had it not been for another paragraph in the same paper, purporting to be from a medical man in Wanganui, which somewhat supports the old theory, at any rate so far as influenza is concerned, as it reads as follows, under the heading "Avoid Draughts", "A draught is a good thing for a strong, healthy person, but for an influenza case it is fatal." Now, sir, will you be good enough to tell the public, who have been thus instructed, whether the doctor or the committee of laymen have told us the real truth, as false information at this juncture may mean many lives ill the back country.— 1 am, etc., PERPLEXED. Inglewood, November 25.