THE EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1919, Page 6

THE EPIDEMIC.

EXPERIENCES IN EG MONT COUNTY (Contributed.). In discussing the passing of tli? epidemic in Egmont County through the evacuation of the last occupant of the Opunafce cottage hospital, the chairman of the Egmont Health Organisation (Mr W R. Wright) stated that owing to the rapidity with .vh'ch temporary hospitals were started th:; disease never got the district down, as in other places, and to keep the county as clean as possible, and to give the doctor absolute control over houses, places and people the penalty being .£3(10 fine or six months, on summary convictions, he called a special meeting of the Organisation to have Kgniont put in <ji!.irantine, so as to cut o/f the triple sources of infection where the disease was waging, but the Health anthoriUes thought this was too drastic, and in fairness to them it should be stated that Dr. Pomavc (a Cabinet Minister), who was present, adopted the snme view.

A leader in Tuesday's. Daily News shows what lives could have been saved had the Public Health Department woke up to the effectiveness of quarantine, ami the chairman still considers great benefits would have followed, for what lie dreaded occurred, the disease raging in its very worst form at ICaponga (18 miles from Opunake) swept along the R'*hft»i and Skfiet roads {3O cases on the letter) direct from l-'aponga, so that on ''imas. <M.v the outlook in Opt'nuke was very black Next morning soma of the ni:;-fss and later the matron .appealed io liim for help, as t.hev could not carry or, vbile prominent townspeople asked lii:n to call a public'meeting, and the C|'.;e:-tion of closing the town was discussed. to which, however, be was aver.se, l)nI he considered that owing to the \ts of nervousness go many had got in to, that the milder eases should be shifted at once into the Town fi'ali. and as some fifty beds and bedding were stored at Kahotu ii would not have taker. io:ig to effeci a change of quar-

Next day si.owed no improvement, and :.fr Wright came into >Tc,v/ Plymouth. ivli«n. after a lengthy interview with Dr Walker, and afterwards with Matron Campbell, arrangements were made to receive bad cases and to send down next, day nursing help. Two days afterwards the first case was sent in, while a Sister and Nurse took charge. C.S.M. having developed, coming from F.ltham Road, ivhieh with so many case 3 south .of Opunake (IS ic hospital from one family), added to the general anxiety, but through New Plymouth taking the severe case 1 :, the careful nursing of a really splendid staff and the strenuous efforts of Major Keenan, whose continuous successful fight with the epidemic was affecting lno health, the prospect brightened. and a week ago only a lady suffering from complications remained. Amongst the large number of voluntary workers whom the Chairman sin' cerely thanked are the Rev, Palmer, whose ever-to-be-remembered wife died practically at her post; Father Doolaglitv, and the Rev Strand, who devoted all his time to the Convalescent Camp, and whose car was constantly moving. Unfortunately one or two people who never by act or word helped, or were even ever seen, are now asking "what all the fuss was made about"—a thing no epidemic worker would say; but these "Dismal Jiromys" must be taught that that is bow Egmont's record, the premier one for ihe colony, was built up. The Clvpirman further stated that ho has heard the origin of the disease discussed from the highest to the lowest, but the g'uesn of a Pihama settler he thinks cornea as near the truth as a layman can ®-ef: "It's blackleg in a human form? Mr Wright, and r.othing else," said this man' 'See how people turn Mack, and only the strong people die from 'it, just as only strong calves get it."