INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1919, Page 2

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

EPIDEMIC OOT OP HAND. T , . Sydney, March 26. It is now practically admitted that the epidemic is out of hand. The hospital accommodation is inadequate and people are advised to prepare for the treatment of cases in their own houses —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. A NURSE'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, March 26. Giving evidence before the Influenza Commission, Nurse Maude, district nuKe, said that in November the Hospital' Board asked her to organise the work of nurses. She was overwhelmed with people offering assistance, hut n great many were of little help. Shq had issued a leaflet giving directions how properly to wash patients and this saved many lives. In the majority of cases housewives were helpless, frightened and showed appalling ignorance of the ordinary rules of health and cleanliness. They had been good enough to do as they were toid as regards opening windows, but many had since dropped hack into the-ir old ways. She considered it would take a generation to teach people to value fresh air. Nurse Maude said the law should compe' people to open the windows. In a large number of houses the windows would not open owing to broken sashes and an appallingly large number had no proper accommodation for bathing. Many housewives eauld not cook a potato properly and there was a deplora'bie lack of milk puddings, such as were necessary for young children Mrs T. E. Taylor gave evidence re - Harding the care of children during the epidemic. About 160 had been received into sanitary homes. Many were in a deplorable aondition, being without a full set of underclothing, though outwardly tidy enough. Er. E. Jennings gave evidence of his experience in Auckland. Wellington Christchurch and Fiji. He perfectine the Mock system to avoid the considerable amount of overlapping medical attendance