INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1919, Page 4

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

BACTERIOLOGICAL ASPECTS. QUESTION OF INOCULATION. PROFESSOR CHAMPTALOUP'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Dunedin, March 31. The Influenza Commission sat at Dunedin to-day. Dr. Farris, District Health Officer, stated that during the winter months preceding the epidemic there had been numerous cases of influnza in Dunedin, but they were mild in character. He knew several cases, however, where pneumonia had occurred aa a complication, and he had also 'been informed, by one practitioner, of two cues which came under his notice on September 2, and which, in the light of present experience, he considered to be of the epidemic type. He attributed the spread in this district to the Christchurch Carnival Week, which commenced On November 4. At the Winton'faces on November 13 and 14 some contracted the disease and, returning at once to their homes in Otago and Southland, spread the infection. The Otago health district had a population of 190,865 Europeans and 298 foreigners. The total deaths in the laßt three months of the year 1918 were: October 0, November 470, December 428;,. total, 1)04. He considered the district needed more inspectors. Dunedin, Last Night.

; At the Influenza Commission, Dr. Champtaloup, professor of bacteriology and public health, said the world's leading authorities had divergent views on the disease. Expert opinion at present was divided into two lines, one believing that influenza bacillus was a primary cause, and the other micro organisms were secondary invaders after.the way had been prepared for them, other experts believing that the real cause was that the filter passing the vima was too small to be recognised by the microscope, and, that influenza bacillus and other micro organisms were all secondary invaders. At present experimental evidence in .support of the second view was needed.

Dr. Champtaloup handed in a report from the Medical School on the scientifiv aspects of the epidemic, presenting the chemical, pathological and bacteriological aspects. The results agreed very closely with those obtained in America, whilst workers in Australia were finding similar conditioni. In the light of present day knowledge we could expect very little help in preventing future epidemics from protective inoculation by means/of bacteriological leucines made from micro organisms found to bo most frequently present in the tissues of severe cases. He wag <>t opinion that protective inoculation gave in many of those inoculated a very brief and slight degree of protection, Efficient in some cases to make »U the difference between a mild attach on the one hand and a severe or fatal attack on the other. The ideal condition would be to administer the vaccine before the epidemic appeared, for there was e> certain amount of risk in giving it to petsons who might be incubating the dis> ease. For this reason and for the reason that the protection afforded wi* problematic, he did not recommend wholesale inoculation. During the last epidemic there were two classes of people, however, for whom vaccine should be available as soon as the epidemic was likely rig., doctor*, nones, and voluntary workers, and those wlo for any reason had an unusual dread of the disease. To these people inoculation would give confidence, apart from specific protection, and there could be' no doubt that fright contributed to death*. . Speaking on the improvements to health services he considered the active control of health and hospital services was now too much for one man, and he suggested a director general, with a deputy chief health officer and deputy inspector-general of hospitals, also the four central districts tp be divided, and junior medical officers stationed at suitable sub centres.

The most virulent type of the die* ease germs other than pure influent* were found in great numbers in the earlier stage. He thought the disease we had in New Zealand before the Nla» gara arrived would have in time reach' ed the same virulence.

TECHNICAL EVIDENCE. Dunedin, Last Night. At the Influenza Commission, Dr. Champtaloup offered to show the commission a collection of pathological specimens taken from actual cases—the only collection in the Dominion. The chairman said a visit would be paid to the medical school for that purpose. Dr. Drenna, professor of pathology at Otago University, said that in the cases examined at Dunedin vertain types were distinguishable—those fatal in seven to ten days and those fatal from ten day* examined at Dunedin certain tyneß were more typical of lobarpneumoniar and in which there were frequently secondary infections, and special cases which did [not fall into these groups. The variations in types were probably due to difference in resistance power and susceptibility, the amount and virulence of the infection and antecedent lesions, and investigation showed the great value of full post-mortem examinations, and laboratory examinations during life and the pressing need for more adequate support for research work in modliial matters in the Dominion. Besides the influenza problems there were others equally pressing, but not so obvlout to the public, that required workers and means to work.

LATEST AUSTRALIAN FIGURES. „,, , Sydney, Mareh 31. There were 71 deaths from Influmza duringt ic week ended Sunday, making the total to date 116. SCHOOLS CLOSED IN SYDNEY • Received March 31, 10,(1 p.m. .„ „ , , Sydney, Marol) SI. All the schools in the metropolitan area have been olosed.-Aus. N.Z. Cable ASSOC. Melbourne, March 31. . M"™™ deaths to date total 070, including 12 during the week R nd. « Since March li) there have been 104 cases of influenza. Seven deaths oeITan ** Cabk!