THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1918, Page 3

THE EPIDEMIC.

.THE WORK OP THE WOMEN,

WORKERS GO DOWSu

CARRYING OX ADMIRABLY

The work is proceeding like a going concern, and I think we can carry oil indefinitely new,'' eras the reply oi the A"a\ (Mrs. (J. 11. Burgess) yesterday to an inquiry -js to how her work and workers were faring in the .stress of the campaign. As a matter oi' fact, the work that jhas 'been accomplished by the Women's Committee is' beyond all praise. TJiey have never failed in a single ease to respond where an appeal has been made to tliera, when assistance has been necessary. Workers have been sent to homes where whole families have been down with the epidemic, but so great has been the demand on these heroic women that as soon as one member oi a family was well enough to'be about and attend to the wants of the household the VAD 'a have transferred their energies to more needy sphere 3, though the committee have continued to send food to these households.

Wh?n it is stated that all tie workers who joined up with the organisation a*. t?;o commencement o; the campaign, with tlu exception of two, have at different times been down with the influenza, the difficulty of carrying on may be easily imagined. Now. however, some of those who fell victims to the "'flue" in the early stages are recovering, and their services are becoming available agai;*. Nevertheless, there is room for more workers in the several departments of the women's operation?. 'At present there i 3 great need for clean underclothing lor both men and women, and any gifts of thjse articles will be gratefully received- The committee do not niir.d if the garments are old or require patching or mending—the essential thing is to be able to give patients a clean set of underclothing, and night-dresses and pyjamas are especially needed. The last pvjama suit the committee had was sent out yesterday afternoon whilst the Mayoress speaking to a News representative. and Mrs. Burgess said she did not krow tvhero to look for any more. The committee ospsTally ask that such clothing be sent in cleait.

Any quantity of clean old linen and old blankets can "be ■utilised, as demands are constantly made for these from the Public 'Hospital and the temporary hospitals, and it is vith difficulty that they are being met. Then, again, the three ambulances that are running are being frequently renc-wed with tiiesa (lungs. Pillows also are amongst the articles that are in great demand.

FF.EDIXG THE WORKERS.

The business of providing meals for the workers has been a task of some magnitude. This has been carried out i>v the Women* Committee, and has been done from their rooms in St. Aubyn Street it was stated yesterday that meals for between 600 and 700 persons were provided every day Twice each day the ladies send hot tea and refreshments to the Health Bureau, and if the workers a third meal they can get it by going to the women's rooms, and this many of them have been doing. All this has been accomplished by means of voluntary contributions, with the exception of the bread supply. Only a very few small cash donations have been received towards thi9 branch of the work. Tn Addition to tin', then* has, of cotirre, f>een the huge tasl: of catering for those people where it was impossible, on account ot' sickness, for thjjn to provide food for thcnselves. and also the work of supplying the convalescent hospitals. An indication of the general improvement ir. the condition of tilings was give:' yesterday bv the lessened demand for soup-; end jellies, and an inquiry for more solid foodstuffs.

OEGAMISIMG THE COUNTRY.

TO LOCAS COMMITTEES.

Tbo Central Committee at Mew Plymouth Jias issued tbe following instructions for t'ue various district commit" tee? which are being jet u,i: Tbo A'ew Plymouth 'obone oiiuiMr is 703. Ksch country district Will ret up its own committee of management. A report will be required on .aeli household gvrry morning, as per record cards. Where necessary, the Medical Assistant rj!', cal', and in urgent cases the doetar will visit. To obtain the full benefit of the organisation, reports must he in. early to enable food or medicine to be rent, asd any help required rendered at one;.

1. Captaiss of avh "blocT: will report to the local secretary as early as possible each forenoon. Where cases of influenza are reported, the MA (Medical Assistant) will w.!l on the patient. Report early to tlio secretary Note: The M.A(from New Plymouth) has anthority to prescribe on the spot, and to order into the village hospital. 2. The secretary gives list of cases to Medical Assistants, mentioning urgent eases.

3. Secretary arranges for food, help, or medical supplies to ba scut if necessary.

4. All particulars re eac'u houeehold will be entered on the back of report cards.

5. 'Daily reports showing the position will be made up each day at 0 p.m., or nearest convenient time.

6. To enable the above records to 1)8 kept, a good clerk is necessary in each district, who could attend to medicina supplies and keep records of each house. 7. Someone also should be appointed to arrange for food, and help supplies when necessary. 8. A car record should bo kept showing movements of eacli car being used by the committee. 9. Orders for supplies when not obtained voluntarily will 6a signed by

10. To ensure the efficient working of the village hospitals, it is necessary that each district should provide at least sis of its own women for V.AD. Theso will receive one day's training at th« Xcw Plymouth Hospital before entering on their work at the village hospital. 11 Three local men will be required to be available near each hospital ia»«

lays of eight hours cadi to do the heavy work.

Whatever you car.not do yourself, ask 'Phone 70S, New Plymouth, and they will do all that is possible. N.Z. —The Central Authorities at New Plymouth are prepared to instruct one or more level-headed men in enrli district in the duties of a Medical Assistant.

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Stratford, Nov. 27.

Two deaths have occurred since my last letter. Mr. C. H. Vince was a settler of several years' standing in this district, and for some years was farming at Tuna, and then retired; coming to Stratford to reside. Deceased was 46 years of age, well known and universally esteemed, and the sympathy o? his numerous friends will bo extended to the widow and other relatives ia their sad loss. The funeral will take place at the Midhirst Cemetery on Thursday, leaving the Town Hall. Stratford, at 2 p.m. The second fatality was that of Win. Murdoch, of Mahoa. Deceased has been a resident of this district for a long period, working in both town and country. He is reported to be well connected and to have studied in a Home university, but. I could not gather whether he has any relatives m the Dominion- He was a man 1 of athletic build, young in years, and an amateur boxer of repute. It can now be safely stated that thß worst has been left behind, although it must, not be forgotten that there are still some serious cases that may, unfortunately, be lost, despite the best medical skill and attention.

It was a splendid suggestion to ifssno two bulletins daily of the condition of patients In the Technical College and Melrose House- This move saved a lot of telephone and inquiries From the sheet one could gather that there fro?e 34 patifciits, and the condition of each oiie wjuj outlined so that anxious relatives kid no cccamon to visit tho sic!; chambcra to ascertain derails.

Cardiff Factory had a bad na through shortage of hands. All ar« now back, With one exception, Mr. E. W. Hancock, of the Hospital Board, put in 10 days helping the company to cope with the milk supply. Bird Road ban alad 3 iew residents down, but although some of tl',3 cases were severe, no fatalities are reported and the settlers r.ope to score a lib.ntc—» so say all of us.

During the past tYiree days 'AO residents and visitors have gone through tho inhalatioa chambers.

I was unable to get a few words with TV. Paget on his return from out cast, but I am told he wep.t out as far as Tahora, the towns out there being now Weil organised, and that the latest reports of the MrioTW eases the doctor noted all show an improvement now. Word reaches me that no Te Wera nnd Bougl.n there are many down' with the epidemic, but the motor-cars are quickly removing the worrf cases to town. A wintry risrtor to town yesferiJav who. with his TrJfp, were amongst, the earliest to catch the eomDlaint and recover. speaks in grateful terms of the good work accomplished by the committee and the assistance of the neighbor? in their trouble

One finds the <iarae feeling W jrratitilde in town, of those who lure Ticsn flown and nearly "out at. the fine work nicnmpHshed by the fic-al'cn Committee "They are doinp great work," remarked one mail who i? now recovering, "and T appreciate the great' assistance given ns. Ton see, the -wife has also teen dmm. ar.tl thai fl'd not improve mutters for i,h<> children o'" mo. The lieip ire Tot nnd the interest' tak«i in lis made lis feel there Tffls some svmnathy for all, And t»o hare had our full share, nnd v.-fti tafce it. from me that these visits imc done irmc'h to null n man throneh, ««<! i Know it." Just them a tan at the door and two fneroliors of the committee were stand in<r there to see if tVv <wild P.ny further assistance. and I ftioTfd swj, conscious that thosie in pood hesli''-. -ffere doin? good Worst find those 'in distress Wera reee'fvin? S7eri* possible attention and appro"latins' {he mair-er m vhkli they were being treated-

TARIKI. I

(From Our Own Correspondent.)'

There is sorrow all round Tariki, many homes have been rendered desolate by the influenza scourge, the latest victim being young Jim Mathers, son of one o£ our moat respected farmers, William Mathers. Misfortune has beea evw close with the family, as one aon (Will), who left with the Main Body, is sleeping the long sleep in some Gallipoli grave, while Pvobert made the niprenw sacrifice some months back. A third son (Alex.) is lying dangerously ill m an English hospital, and cow news comes that Jim has breathed bis last at Nov/ Plymouth. Affliction like this is very hard to bear, but the sorrowing parents and other relatives have the deepest, sympathy of all in their grievous losses. The condition of Mrs. Kettlewell, a patient in Stratford, is causing some concern, and her husband is also lying ill here. We all hop? to hear of a decided improvement in both cases. A bulletin from Stratford. reports a slight improvement in the case of young Hamblyn, !mt his condition i 3 still serious.

Messrs C. Young and J. Therkloson are doing excellent work with their car. The mention of motor-car reminds me that, (vliereas the Taranaki County Council permits cars engaged in fighting the influenza free passage through their gates, the same does not apply to tlio \\"ai T "iku gate. One feels sure that the Stratford County Council will issue instructions not to collect these tolls when their attention is drawn to the fact. The car drivers are not making any noise over the matter, but others interested in the work believe tlie Stratford County Council could be a little more charitable, and ease down on these carSi

xcghjgvfk

Late last evPning one of the workers of the Public Health organisation reported that an old man had hi? niarffed daughter was down with th* influenza, and that he liad to look after her children, and also the children ot another daughter who recently suecumbea to tho epidemic and whose father was still an inmate of the hospital Some of the children were also down, Thouga close on 10 o'clock, t.hc committee at, once knocked up a business woman in Devon Street, and sho proceeded by car t0 render assistSface.

A MONO TTIE MAORIS.

■Mr- Hiekman Russell reported yesterday upon the Maori pahs between New Plymouth and Waitara, including tho odd Maori houses He also made inquiries from Mr Thomas Buchanan, q, r Waitara, as to the position north of Waitara. He said that tliey werp dealing with all tho Maori cases from north of Waitara to tho Onaero River, and all Maoris in that district were well looked after by the Waitara Committee. Conditions among the Maoris at present are rather had. He said that from the Onaero River northwards, he (Mr Buchanan) knew nothing, as they were under the Urenui Committee Waitara is also looking after Joe Taylor's pah at tho mouth of the Waiongona River, and there was no need to go to Rangi Watson's, at the Kairau Pah_, as the cases the?e were being dealt with by them. These wero the only palm 011 the New Plymouth side of Waitara that they visited.

At lvaipukapuka Pah there were several cases- These, he understood from the Maoris, were rtnder tho eye of the Bell Block Committee, "wlio had been visiting them. At Mrs. Tniah's house, on the Corbet Road, towards Iho_ sea, there had been six eases, but they were now convalescent.

At Mr. Carin's 'house, Mangatera, there were eight inhabitants, and all well At Mahoetahi Pah, as far as he coulij gather, there were 18 inhabitants in three whares. At present there "was only one case, which had been visited by Dr. Plackley, and upon his (Mr Russell's) calling that afternoon the Maoris said that things wero all right. At a pah on the corner of the Waitara and Te Arei Roads, part ,of the Kairau Block, there had been one detftb, and at present no Maoris wero residing there. At Tnruturu Wharcpouri, off the Waitara Road, two had been ill, but bad now recovered.

At lloreliu's house, on the Kairau, there were eight inhabitants. Nine had had it, of whom one, a girl, died a week ago. * The rest had recover®^.

The Maori whare3 on the Mountain Read were empty.

Mt. Atkinson informed him that the cases on tha Wortley Road had been attended to by Dr. Blackley. With regard to tho Okawa P.'.li and Manganui Pah, there were several cases, but at present they wera all doing well. There was a Maori then* called Jack Patu, who thoroughly disinfected the pah and who was looking after the medicine department, and was quite capable. He did not visit this pah himself, but obtained the information from Mr. Frank Atkinson and Mr. Smith, chairman of the Waitara Road Factory. They informed him that they were keeping in touch with these paha and with the Maoris through their pahs generally. Many of the Maoris are factory suppliers and supply all tho information to enable Messrs Atkinson and Smith to keep control of the disease. If any medicine, etc., was required, it would be supplied by Messrs Atkinson or Smith. On the whole, said Mr. Russell, he had been more than pleased at the fact that the Maoris were fully aware of the danger of tho epidemic and wore themselves keeping in touch with their pakefia friends. As far as he could gather from Waitara southwards to New Plymouth, tho condition of the Maori 'was distinctly good. Generally in this district, the worst was over.

ALONG THE COAST

Dr. Wade, who visited the coast yesterday, reported that there are 22 patients in the Puniho Native hospital, or which six may he classed serious, Mr. W. J. Gray is doing splendid work. There are eleven .cases at Pungarehu, one of which is to bo moved to the New Plymouth Hospital. Mr. R. IT. Roekell is now established at Pungarehu as medical asoistant, and is making a house-to house visit.

There are two cases at Waroa, having moved from Pungarehu.

THE WAITARA DISTRICT

A report from Waitara yesterday afternoon states that there were 12 neW cases. Dr. Blackley had been out, and everything waa working all right. Six V.A.D.'a had 'bean sent in to New Plymouth for training- ■ Forty-one cases have been sent to the Hospital at Waitara-. This included the convalescent hospital. One ea.se had been sent to the New 'Plymouth Hospital yesterday.