THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1918, Page 3

THE EPIDEMIC.

A SECOND WAVE.

PRECAUTIONS CANNOT BE

RELAXED,

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Wellington, Nov. 29. Tlie Hon. fl. W. Russell says racdieal men stale that we must be prepared for a second wave of the epidemic, consequently the precautions cannot be relaxed and tlie churches at night, marble bars and stock sales cannot be re-opened. There are most urgent calls for re-open-ing and he regrets that he cannot accede to them.

The Minister states that, though the Government will pay the cost of fighting the disca-e. they positively refuse to bo responsible for loss of employment or business. No Parliament has ever allowed such claims. Tt is stated there is a tendency of the disease to spread among children, tat it is not yet acute. The Health department is grappling with it.

There are now nearly MID beds vacant a< the hospitals and over 50 at the convalescent stations. One hospital has been closed and it is hoped to close, others next week.

The camps still have 370 eases, SO "of which are serious. Six soldiers' deaths aro reported.

OVERSEAS VESSELS Ef AUCKLAND.

STRONG ACTION BY THE MAYOR.

Auckland, Nov. 29.

Tlie Mayor (Mr. Gunson) states: "As regards the unsatisfactory reply by the. Hon. ft. W. Russell in reference to the precautions afrainst the introduction of disease from oversea vessels, after conferring with the chairman of the Hospital Board, if the Minister of Public. 'Health will not protect tiiis community it will become my duty as Mayor to take adequate steps to afford protection. That is our due, and I shall not hesitate to take any steps that circumstances demand. I look for support from all section? of the community to prevent a repetition of the disastrous epidemic or any kind of sickness."

OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Dunedin, Nov. 29.

The influenza position to-day is not so favorable, so far as the figures are concerned, the notifications for Otajro and Southland beinj; 93. Medical opinion, however, is that the epidemic is on the wane.

CHRISTCIfURCH.

Christchureh, Last Night. Tlie Ciirisuhv.rch infhier.za situation shows a marked improvement, and there were only ten admissions to the hospital aird one death.

WANGANUT.

Wanganui, Nov. 29.

The epidemic position in Wanganui continues to improve. Approximately only 20 fresh cases were reported during the last 24 hours, all being very mild.

WAIROA.

Wairoa. Nov. 29.

It is doubtful if the epidemic lias yet reached its climax In all there have Wn about .",0 deaths, mainly of Natives v.'hr, are bcin<; heavily hit. There li.ive been few deaths amoncr Europeans and those mostly of people who avoided the hospital. There are emergency hospitals in the district- schools and on the racecourse. The Europeans are do:nsr ?ood work thoujrh they are understaffed. An excellent, system of distribution of food has been organised. The Natives are the jrreat"st trouble nvinj; to toliiin?nism. One Eurnnean and one ball-caste died yesterday. The new eases, are mostly coming from the country.

THE CAMPS,

Wellington, Nov. 2!).

A steady diminution in the number of sicl: in camps continues and there has been no increase in the number of serious cases reported. At Trentharn there arc 13 serious eases, 11 being pneumonia and two ccrebo-spinal. At Eeatherston there are -0 serious eases; Awapnni reports Hi, none seriou s . One death occurred at Featherston and one at Trentharn.

AN IDEA,

An Optinake correspondent has hit h)ioil an idea, for killing the intlucnza bufilltis. . lie says:—(Jet a strip of ma-ti'i-ial, say ;--inth wide and :i to 4 inches long. On the one side of the strip i.ave something that would absorb a suitable disinfectant, say cotton wool or wadding. This would be saturated with a (lisiufectant. On the oilier side of the. strip it would be in the form of sticking plaster. Xow take the whole piece and stick it between the top of the bottom lip and the chin. In this way tho disinfectant would come, in direct contact with ever}- breath that entered the mouth; also with a person affected, it would come in contact with every breath he discharged, and by coming direct in contact with breath it might he more advantageous than applying the remedy otherwise. It would be. no inconvenience to the person using it, and, as I said before, it would cost little. I might also state when the disinfectant lost its effects more could easily be applied on the material without taking the plaster off.

NORTH TARANAKI.

USEFUL WORK BY MEDTCAL " ASSISTANTS.

ttorth " lediea, ,. a * si * {a ''fc visited follows:-?" 1 reP ° rted yestm]a y a3

Tongaporutu.~We have instructed Mr Ut enbury in the duties of M.A., and report to New Plymouth any eases of a serious nature, Ahitifi-A committee has been formed ° ?° »" P° ssi ble to organise the district. Mr. Thompson will visit, cases and take temperatures. Tlie supplies nf medicine will be kept at the creamery, Mere an inhalation chamber is to be installed.

At Okau Eoad a committee has heen formed, with Mr. Payne as chairman. He will patrol the road, and Mr. Payne will take temperatures. This committee will also attend to Rcrekapa. and it has been arranged for the settlers at Kotarc to keep in touch with Rerekapa. There are only four eases in the district actually down. Tliere have 'oeen cases in a mild form, all having recovered. Taking into consideration the number of serious eases occurring at Urnti, the settlers have become fully alive to the necessity foT every precaution being taken, and have responded nobly to the call for assistance. ■•

The establishment of a hospital at some central point will largely depend on the needs of Awakinn and Mokau. As far as that, district is concerned, there is yet no need for one. If it bwomes necessary, an empty house of seven rooms in the late R.' P. Batley's estate, healthily situated, two miles north of Tongaporutu, will be eminently suitable. Awakino The medical assistant has travelled the -whole of tlie district, and there are only mild cases just now. He. has visited everv case, no matter what the condition of the patient; *nd has prescribed what was neee«sarr. A committee hns been armointed in the district nnd they have <-ome fairlv o-oorl nnnincr exncw-rr,:., and caji Keep tiling in hand now.

ALONG THE COAST.

A STEADY IMPROVEMENT.

The medical assistant at Pungarehu reports, inter alia:—Yesterday two cases were reported to me for the first time, sne a married woman who has been in bed for eight days, but appears to be doing well, and the' other a lad of 17, who hits been Sad off and on for ten or eleven days. It appears to be more than -likely that this case will be sent to the hospital. As far as I can see, there will be no further admissions to the hospital. Most of the cases that I have seen ov henrd of (ire light- Until Friday I have visited ei-ery case dailv, however slight.

Pnngarehu.-tfencral conditions and r.-or. T ?« nr „ m - ltc sn t;,f (lctnrv -XnmhPT in hospilal, 1-2; admissions, prohaHv one to com« in on Friday. Seven to go out on snturdar if thev can receive proper jsolation. etc., at home. Wnrca.— -Nivmoer in hospil.nl 3- artnii«sion.-.. J; no discharges One to "0 "lit on Satnrdav- Tt should he possible <o e1.,50 this hospital at the week end Okato.-Seventeen cases, three serious' All .mprovmg. There is still on 6 bofl available.

Pnniho Pal, TTo=nital.-There a-e "' wises, and the building is overcrowded" X n , T nt I T T,itil ' t0 llp snt "" ! " solion!, ,f considered suitable bv medical ofhecr. A rendition for same is in Xiihg Ma ° ri P ° pi, ' ation rcq " iro3

ASSISTING THE FARMER

A USEFUL ORGANISATION.

The men In charge of the organisation lor assisting farmers and country people generally report that at 0.15 p.m. on Thursday they had a call from Mr Fox ot Okato, asking if it IV ere possible to supply him with a baker that niMit otherwise there would be no bread "for Okato district yesterday. They were able to secure a baker and assistant who were delivered at Mr. Fox's liakerV at s -10 p.m.. and by 5.30 a.m. Tostcrdpy these men turned out 180 41b loaves. Yesterday they canvassed (he Waitara district, visiting the different factories, with the view of rendering them .assistance if required, and also makinn- inquiries as to any of the suppliers being in difficulties in milking their herds. They heard of two urgent cases, and personally visited them. One, a man. '>m'. a boy, were endeavoring to milk 70 rows by hand, and -neither of them was well. Pour volunteers were despatched to their assistance. Mr. W. MeTCendo guaranteed to render the other ease assistance last night and this morning. Then, if necessary, other help will be sent.

Of (be factories visited two have been able to continue working. One started yesterday, and one is opening to-dav. Should help bo required by them, it will be found. A motor-cyclist was sent to canvass the upper Manjorci and Albert Roads. On the former be found everything satisfactory. On the latter he found an urgent caso of help required for milking, and arrangements have been made to send assistance.

At 5 p.m. assistance in milking was asked from Okato, and help is being sent this morning. There lias been a good response to any calls made, volunteers readily coining forward. Later in the evening applications came in for assistance on two farms on the Kahui Road, Rahotn, about 35 miles from New Plymouth. The assistance is to be sent this morning.

f gTKATFOKD.

jPrwn-Ota-pffn Corre^pondait),

Stratford, Nov. S9. Five jirore deaths have to be. recorded to-day. Air. A. F. fUdricll, postmaster at YViianganioniona, was recognised as «i serious case v.Jien received at Uie 'f'eclinitttl Hospital on Tuesday. iie was quite a i'ouiii; man (^iij > and a, brother-in-law of .Ur. Kotlier;-, wiio was brought in by the same train for treatment. Herbert J. jlooro was tiie second eon of Airs. ft. Moore, of Miranda Street. He bus been under treatment for some days, and his friends were hopeful that his position was improving. These hopes were doomed to disappointment mid at the age of 4t) years he lias passed away. J. Uhlenberg, a young man, wits brought in from Midhirst a few days ago, and although his ease was serious there were many friends who anticipated his recovery. Death, however, supervened, and lie made another to the already formidable list of victims to the scourge.

James Wellington was a teamster well known in Stratford and a member of the Druids' Order. Standing well over Oft, and of good physique, he looked to have a great chance of recovery. The unexpected happened, and a sorrowing widow and young family are left to mourn their loss.

I regret to report that young Hamblyn, of Tariki, has succumbed. His mother was motored in from Tariki this afternoon. The sorrowing mother has been very hard hit with misfortune, as she has lost four sons through wounds and sicKness whilst members of the Expeditionary Forces, and has also lost her husband and now her youngest son from influenza.

At a mooting of three local doctors and the flavor last evening, it was decided that the. town was clean enough to resume business on Monday, the doctors considering that they can "carry on'' with the assistance available. They desire, however, that there shall he no church services on Sunday, and this request will ho observed. This is very satisfactory, indicating that any alarfi ihat may have previously existed as tb the state 0/ the town may now be dismissed.

In conversation with the chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr. McAllister), that gentleman informed me that health matters generally show a decided improvement- Tt -was unfortunate that they were still losing patients, but this was inevitable, as there were several cases still under treatment whose condition gave considerable anxiety to their friends. « The bulletin issued to-day from the Melrose and Technical Hospital was the best yet placed before the public, and showed that ■with perhaps two executions, all tlio patients in these institutions had improved considerablyRound Douglas, from what I can gather, the position has not shown much improvement, several families being down. At Pukengahu the cases noted did not appear so serious. ft is pleasing to notice the hospitals are besinning to get clear of patients and the discharges are now becoming more numerous than the number of patients received. _

THE MAORIS. < >'T

•Dr. Wackier reported yesterday tli.it he liiifl visited Tito's hospital and recommended that all the patients, including Mr. Tito, three boys, two small children, and three other adults, eould now be transferred to the Bell Block clear-ing-house. Tui, his wife, and children, could go home. This now completely cleaned up Tito's.

UPPER MANCOREI.

Dr. Fookos reported that Messrs Jacksin andiHerbcrt will start a hospital in Mr. Carrick's bouse, which was empty, and arrange for all beds, etc. Mrs Goodrich, who has had some nursing exivrienec, is to take charge.