H.—l9b

XVI

measles, and whilst under treatment contracted pneumonia and died from this malady. In the returns of the camp sick submitted to the Commission, some of those entered as admissions for pneumonia could not have had this complaint. For instance, Private H. F— is scheduled as admitted for treatment for pneumonia on the 30th December, and discharged cured on the 4th January. Private B. A is scheduled as admitted with pneumonia on the 22nd March, and discharged cured on the 26th March. The return shows that fourteen patients were admitted with pneumonia in June, and that there were seven deaths from pneumonia in this month. Yet only three of these fourteen admittances died from pneumonia, the other pneumonia deaths in this month occurring amongst patients who were admitted with the diagnosis " measles " and who subsequently developed pneumonia. It is therefore impossible to ascertain from the returns of sickness sent in the true number of patients actually suffering from pneumonia at any one time. The death returns are, however, more definite, giving for December one death from acute septic pneumonia, one death from pneumonia in April, seven in June, and eight in July, making a total of seventeen deaths from pneumonia from Ist December, 1914, to the 31st July, 1915. Fifteen of these deaths occurred in June and July, when the epidemic of infectious diseases at the camp was at its worst stage. During these two months 2,130 patients were admitted for treatment for the various prevalent complaints. This number, added to about a hundred patients still remaining under treatment in June from May admissions, gave a total of 2,240, with 'fifteen deaths from pneumonia. The number of deaths from pneumonia from December to the end of July cannot be considered a large one, and it certainly cannot be said, judging from the returns admitted, that pneumonia was epidemic at any time at the Trentham Camp. It can also be assumed, judging from the character of the cerebro-spinal meningitis diagnosed at a later period, that some of the patients reported as having died from pneumonia following measles died from cerebro-spinal meningitis. This would make the pneumonia casualty returns smaller still. Up to the end of May the number of men who had passed some time in the camp and those still resident in camp totalled about 11,480. On the 29th May about 3,000 men remained in camp. From the 29th May to the 14th June nearly 4,000 men arrived in camp. Tt was about this period that the pneumonia, hitherto not an illness causing great anxiety, became more aggressive. 54. The first cases of measles in camp—from the return submitted by Dr. Valintine —were those of Private F. G , sent to Wellington Hospital on the 11th November, 1914, and discharged on the 19th November, 1914; and Private W. MeG , admitted 11th November, 1914, and discharged 30th November, 1914. The Director of Medical Services (Colonel Purdv) in his evidence said that measles first appeared on the 14th November, and was brought into camp by Private McD , who had just come from Addington Camp at Christchurch. No evidence was adduced to prove this. No evidence has been brought before the Commission to prove how or by whom measles was introduced into camp at Trentham. Measles, however, is generally present at all times in any large city, and there were cases of measles in the City of Wellington and elsewhere iri New Zealand before the camp started, and during all the time it has been in existence. 55. A review of the measles outbreak in camp is afforded by the following list of admissions for the various months : — . November ... • • • • • • ■ ■ • • • ■ 14 December ... ••■ ••■ ••• ••• 16 January ... •■• ■•• ••• 23 February ... ■ ■ ■ • ■ ■ • • ■ • ■ • 24 March '... ... •■• •■• ••■ •■■ 59 April ... ... ••■ ••■ •■• •■■ 95 May ] 80 June ... ■ ■ • • • • • • ■ • ■ • • • July 132

.Measles.

Measles statistics.