EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1919, Page 5

EPIDEMIC COMMISSION.

— DISEASE INTRODUCED BY NIAGARA. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Epidemic Com.niis.sion concluded its local sittings. Dr. Milsom, recalled relative to a meeting of doctors convened by the Auckland division of the New Zealand branch of the B.M-A. in the early days of the outbreak, explained that the meeting was unanimous in its opinion that the disease was introduced by the Niagara, everyone present voting except Dr. Russell, the Port Health Officer who pissed the boat. Witness, in answer to the chairman, expressed tho opinion that at present there were about one hundred medieaj men in Auckland. There were about a dozen present. He considered this a very good attendance considering that the profession was so busy at the time with the epidemic, and that the meeting was hurriedly called by telephone, Dr. Milsom reiterating that the evidence he had given on the subject of the Niagara was the unanimous opinion of the meeting. Be added that he was at the hospital on the evening of the day the Niagara arrived, and Dr. Hall, house surgeon at the hospital, said to him: "We have some patients here from the Niagara, and they are desperately ill. I should like you to see them." He went to the ward and saw that the patients were in a dreadful way. He had never, seen anything like them before. They were all cyanosed. and were clearly cases of no ordinary kind. They were evidently suffering from capillary bronchitis, and were almost drawing, in their own secretions. He had never seen such a type before, although two days previously he had had a ease in which a woman was suffering from somewhat similar symptoms, hut without the dreadful toxemia evident in the Niagara cases. An effort was made to secure the attendance of Dr Hall for evidence, but as be was unable to leave his duties the Commission closed the sittings. The Commission leave to-night for Wellington, where they expect to resume sittings on Monday.