SPREAD OF INFLUENZA

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1920, Page 4

SPREAD OF INFLUENZA

LACK OF PROPER CONTROL' ALLEGED. HOSPITAL BOARD TAKES ACTIOS, At yesterday's meeting of the Tarauaki Hospital Board some strong comments were made as to the apparent lack of control of the spread of infections discuses, particularly in regard to the present wave of influenza. Notwithstanding the fact that it was said to be a mild form of the disease, if proper precautions were not taken it might easily develop into a malignant form. Tiie chairman (Mr. M. FrM«r) said he had been much concerned with reports he had heard and with instances that had come under his own personal notice showing how prevalent the trouble was- He was rorjvlnoen that it was being transmitted through children from infected homes being allowed to continue attending school, and yet there was no power to prevent these children going to school without advice from a medical man. and there seemed no power to isolate the affected houses. He said that although some, schools had been closed on account of influenza there had not been anything like the number of cases notified that the closing of the schools indicated should be the case. Ho reminded the Board members that, the medical superintendent of the hospital had reported two deaths from pneumonia following influenza, and the inspector had reported there were severe cases in the Opunake district. Mr. Eraser said he had discussed the matter with the health inspector, w»o did not seem to think the position Wft* really serious, and even if it was, had no authority to isolate infected places. In view of this the chairman said he. bed had a telegram sent to the Department on the matter and a reply had been received from Dr. Faris, district chief health officer, stating he would be in New Plymouth this week to inquire into the matter. Mr. Fraser said he had been accused of being an alarmist, but stated that after making inquiries he had found there were some hundreds of cases of a fairly severe type of influenza in New Plymouth at the present time. Children were being sent from infected homes to school and neither the teachers nor the Hospital Board had any authority to prevent their attendance unless advised by a doctor of the position. The medical men had stated that although they always impressed upon parents the advisability of keeping children from school, the advise was rarely taken. The chairman expressed the hope that his action would be confirmed. He felt very dissatisfied with the absence of control or prevention of the. spread of the disease. Other members of the Board spoke even more strongly than the chairman, and expressed strong disapproval of the failure of some schools to notify cases amongst boarders and against the reopening of schools while there were, still a large number of cases amongst pupils. Some comment was also made on the difficulty the Board appeared to have in getting at; the bottom of the trouble in regard to the origin of infectious diseases notified. It was agreed to endorse the action of the chairman and to point out to the health officer on his visit that the district under the control of the inspector was far too large to be worked satisfactorily.