THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1918, Page 3

THE EPIDEMIC.

THE MAKURA'S PASSENGERS j -<sfe - _B ! ,« W,: A STRONG PROTEST, - AGAINST DETENTION ON THE .VESSEL. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland Wednesday. The following letter, signed by tiie members of the press delegation, who are quarantined on the Makura, has been received by the Herald:— rVom a strong sense of public duty, we deem it right to direct public attention to the circumstances following the quarantining of the Makura passengers and ere,7 at Auckland. The vessel arrived on Saturday evening and anchored in the fairway off Rangitoto Island, moving up to the quarantine station opposite Motuihi on Sunday morning, when three medical officers of the Health Department boarded her. They made no examination or inspection of the passengers, but were supplied with the temperatures and pulse readings previously taken. After a short stay the Department's officers left the steamer, and up to time of writing, CO hours after arrival, no official intimation has been given of the decision arrived at by the Department. Some half dozen patients, who had been seen by the health officers, were removed to Motuihi. The steamer has since been detained in quarantine without a visit from the mediqal a.ut!harilLes. No precautions have .been taken by the department to safeguard the passengers or crew, except the removal of the patients before mentioned, and no advice has been given by it that would tend to lessen the risk of contracting the disease by the large number of people on board, nor lias any fumigation of the ordinary cabins or saloons taken place. These are naked facts which admit of 110 contradiction, and betray an extraordinary lack of appreciation of what is • due to over 500 people who are compulsorily detained on the steamer.

elementary step to ehesk the spread 01 influenza is to prohibit the public from congregating together in numbers. In America, Canada and Xew Zealand, when fighting the epidemif, theatres, churches, hotels, and other places of public resort were closed, or restrictions forcedj yet on the Maktira 520 people have been forced to live in crowded quarters by an action of th© public health authorities, without any means of protecting themselves from contracting the disease, and without one single word of advice being given to them by the department. The medical officers, whoso perfunctory treatment of the position is the subject of severe comment bv those who are condemned to indefinite imprisonment under conditions which render them specially liable to contraction of the disease. The New Zealand Health Department, having exercised its power to quarantine the passengers and crew of the Makura, snould surely recognise its responsibility to ensure that the health and .rell-being of tlrose who are affected by its action will be fully and completely safe-guarded. According to newspaper reports, an inhalation chamber was to be established on the vessel. This has not vet been done, and no member of the health department's staff is, or has been, on board since Sunday to see that the neccssaJ'y requirements are carried out.

Wo now urge on the department that it should at once reverse the decision it is reported to have arrived at to keep the passengers on board tho Makura, and tako stops to have them removed to healthy surroundings ashore. We eannot help adding, reluctantly, but very deliberately, that, in our judgment, the attitude of the department is les3 likely to safeguard than to menace tho health of those aboard the Makura.

WELLINGTON NORMAL. ' Wellington. Dee. 3. The Waterside Workers' t/nion has decided to resume nightwork as soon as the suburban trains re-commence running at night. The trains start nightrunning again to-morrow. The conditions on the waterfront should aoon be normal. An indication that the epidemic is nearly over is the tramwav svstem, whic.i is quite normal. The traffic manaeer states that practically the whole staff has returned to work. Another gratifying feature is the number of passengers beinp carried. The deaths from influenza in TTellinffton Hospital during the 24 hours ended noon yesterday totalled three. Two hospitals have been closed. Telegrams from the country districts indicate a rapid abatement of the epiaemic. Doctors and medical students will he removed to the mora infected areas, for work especially anions the Maoris. c Camp reports al?o show a rapid decrease anion? the soldiers. There are only 144. remaining in hospital at Fcatberston, Trentham, and Awapuni. REPORTS FROM FIJI. Auckland, T>o. 5. Suva cables that the influenza is abating in Suva, but increasing in the country. Deaths in Suva number 250 natives and live Europeans. The relief ship for TSnga returned broken down. The mission schooner Southern Cross has arrived #it?i influenza aboard. DEATHS IN Cam*, Wellington, Dec. S. The total deaths in the camps in November were 229 —at Trentham 70 and at Featherston 159. The influenza epidemic was responsible for 220 of them. POSITION IN OUNEDIN. Dunedin, Dec. 5The influenza position shows a great improvement. To-day there were 11 admissions to the public hospital in 24 hours, and the number of deaths was small. Dr. Bowie, acting-medical sup?rinterdent, said that if the r»trietion9 locally had been left till next week he woulii have been able to let patients go with some kind of confidence.