INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1919, Page 5

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

A BAD WEEK-END IN SYDNEY. Sydney, March 24. The week-end proved the worst influenza period experienced. There were 83 cases and 18 deaths reported. After the Cabinet had considered the epidemic position, the Premier announced that there would be no further interference with business. SOUTH AUSTRALIA AGAIN INFECTED. Received March 24, 8 p.m. Adelaide, March 24. The State is again infected by iniluenzft. Ten cases were reported at Cnley. Precautionary measures have been taken. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE COMMISSION IN CHRISTCHURCH, SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IN CANTERBURY. By Telegraph. —Press Association. Christchureh, March 24. The influenza commission opened at Christchureh to-day. Dr. Cheddon, Health Officer, stated that the epidemic first came under notice in a serious form in the first week in November. Prior to this there had been numerous cases in Christchureh,V'tit the medcal profession did not seem regard them as much out of the ordii. They included a number of pneunv.. ..t eases, but at that stage they looked on them merely as pneumonia, accompanying the ordinary severe attack of influenza. The school epidemic commenced about October 8, and rose rapidly until October 15, when 127 boys were absent. The congregation of people in Christchureh for the races caused the rapid spread of the disease and fresh infection from other parts of the Dominion, but it was possible the epidemic might have arrived here had there been no carnival week. The false armistice news on November 8 upset Christchureh, seriously interfering with the organianaon. The people had not then become impressed with the seriousness of things. The total number of cases admitted to .the Christchureh hospital and the Royal hospita l from November 0 to December 8 was 122. The first death in Christchurch occurred on October 25, and the total number of deaths of Europeans in Canterbury and Westland health districts was 807, at the rate of 4.13 per thousand of the population. Certain people could acquire a certain amount of immunity from previous attack, whereas others seemed to be infected whenever exposed. There were other people who had never contracted influenza even in previous years, even though exposed to infection.

Witness described the relationship of the department to local bodies. On occasions the by-laws he had recommended had not been adopted, and he considered action should be possible to compel the adoption of the by-laws. He rarely acted directly in any question coming under his notice, but served his requisition by means of recommendations on the local authority. A number of local authorities had delegated certain powers to the Hospital Board, but though theoretically this should be a move in the right direction, the practice was not altogether satisfactory, owing to complications from the legal aspect.

A BACTERIOLOGIST'S VIEWS. Christchureh, Last Night. At the Influenza Commission this afternoon Dr. H. B. Pearson, bacteriologist at the Christchureh hospital, read the comprehensive and interesting paper on influenza which he gave before the Science Congress on February 7 last. Replying to questions regarding inhalation as a preventative, Dr. Pearson stressed the need for ventilation in such chambers and for thorough ventilation after each batch of people had passed through. Personally, lie did not consider the spray efficient in driving the germs from the nose. He particularly stressed the need for isolation in treatment, and commented favorably on the use of masks. From a diagnosis he had made he had found influenza bacteria in unexpected places. He had found them in asthma and diarrhoea patients, also in the genital organs of women. He was convinced there must now be a great number of influenza "characters" about, and they might remain "carriers" for a very long time. Inhalation might prove of use in such cases, but the trouble was to locate the germs. Influenza organisms were now much more frequently found than before the epidemic.