INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.
WANING IN LONDON, RAMPANT IN THE PROVINCES; - London, March lsi The influenza epidemic is waning in London, but is still rampant in the provinces. There were 300 deaths in Manchester last week, and 100 in Bolton. The gravediggers in Manchester are so hard pressed that the relatives of the dead are in some cases assisting in making graves. IN AUSTRALIA.
Sydney, March 17. There were three deaths from influenza during the week-end. Melbourne, March 17. There have been two additional deaths from influenza. NEW ZEALAND COMMISSION. DR. BARCLAY'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 17. Giving evidence before the Epidemic Commission to-day, Dr. Barclay, medical superintendent at Wellington Hospital, quoted statistics to show there was no special susceptibility in the matter of sex, and that the majority of the patients attended to were between the agea of 18 and 40. An unduly high percentage of males between 20 and 40 was attacked. On the subject of prophylactic inoculation he said that all the information available was vague. Nobody seemed specially to recommend it or generally condemn it. There was a certain amount of risk after inoculation. Influenza in Wellington appeared to have been no respecter of persons. It did not seem to matter whether we lived in slums or in the best surroundings. The only way in which such on epidemic could be coped with was by a general public organisation. For over a year past influenza had been in New Xeaiand, but a more virulent type made its appearance with its complications in the early days of November. Referring to the possibility of a. recrudescence he emphasised the-need for more attention to be devoted to home nursing.
A PUZZLING DISEASE. ITS TERRIBLE VIRULENCE. Wellington, March 17. Dr. Lloyd Clay stated that influenza was characterised by a very low mortality in any form. It took complications, too, which were comparatively rare, and included bronchitis, pneumonia and pericarditis. Of "i5,00n people fu the German Army during the pandemic of ISSrt there were only (!l> deaths, which worked out at 1 per cent. There was considerable doubt its to whether or not the recent disease was really influenza. With the exception of the septicaemic plague of Hong Kong he had never seen anything so virulent as the recent epidemic, which came with startling suddenness, and spread rapidly and widely, attacking a huge proportion of the population, entering mansions as well as hotels. The general impression of the disease was that it was hot really influenza, but a very virulent form of another disease, which was perhaps not properly understood. His clinical ex 1 perience led him to believe that streptococcus was the germ which caused most of the trouble, a germ capable of destroying the mucous membrane. The recent epidemic was greatly different from the previous pandemic, only resembling it in three points—the suddenness of the attack, the rapid spread of the disease, and the prostration of the patients. A remarkable feature was the serious blood change which took place in the majority of eases where death occurred. The patient had all the appearance of general septicaemia. , Wellington, Last l\\ht.
At the Epidemic Commission Dr. Lloyd Clay expressed a doubt whether it was the disease formerly known as influenza. The most startling feature of this disease was the serious blood changes that took place in the patients. Dr. McGill gave additional evidence, in the course of which he said the present status of the Health Department was most unsatisfactory. It lacked powers where they were most needed. Sanitary progress could only be secured by taking the public health out of the sphere of politics, and by establishing a continuity of policy, of which one item should be the education of the publie to seek after sanitary righteousness.
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Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 5
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627INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 5
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