H.—l9b

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TOTALS. Cases. 28th October to 31st October ... ... ... ... ... 46 Ist November to 22nd November ... ... ... ... ... 3,165 3,211 23rd November to end of month ... ... ... ... ... 9 3,220 By a most unfortunate coincidence the crest of the epidemic wave was synchronous with a spell of exceptionally wet, stormy weather, culminating on the 7th November with a gale which wrecked many buildings and tents, greatly adding to the difficulties of the Staff. One of the most serious results was the temporary crowding of cases that inevitably followed, and doubtless this, with the cold and wet, favoured the development of pneumonic complications. In all 3,220 cases were treated in hospitals and temporary hospitals, but a large number of other cases occurred, estimated by the Principal Medical Officer as bringing the total to 3,339, or nearly half of the population of the camp, which was 7,800 at that time. Of these 314, or slightly under 10 per cent., showed pneumonic complications, and of these 161 died, a case mortality of roughly 50 per cent. During the decline of the epidemic wave 19 cases of cerebro-spinal fever appeared among the convalescents, and of these 5 died, making a total death-rate of 166 from the results of influenza, or about 5 per cent, of those infected. Trentham Camp. —ln Trentham the first wave was somewhat later than in the other camps, coming in September with 877 cases, but without any pneumonic complications and only 2 cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis. There was a marked drop in October to 484 cases, but with these there were 4 cases of exceptional severity, 2 of which were definitely pneumonic, but recovered. One was admitted to hospital on the 16th October—a man who came from Auckland on the 9th October; the other 3 were admitted on the 23rd October. There was also 1 case of postinfluenzal cerebro-spinal fever on the 24th October, who also recovered. The following table shows the admissions for influenza, at the end of October and beginning of November :— Date. Cases October 28 ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 29 ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 30 ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 31 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 November 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 2 7 3 ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 4 (beginning of wave) ... ... ... 29 5 ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 6 ... 137 7 ... ... ... ... ... ... 102 8 ... ... ... ... ... ... 150 9 221 10(orest) ... '.'.. .'.'. 194 11 ... ... ... ... ... ... 209 12 ... ... ... ... ... ... 135 13 ... ... ... ... 94 14 ... ... ... ... ... ... 62 15 ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 16 ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 17 ...« ... ... ... ... 19 18 (wave ends) ... ... ... ... ... 17 The absence of any epidemic till the 4th November is clearly shown. The report of the Principal Medical Officer, however, indicates that the first of the severe cases were among seven men admitted on the Ist and 2nd November. Three of the latter were members of the N.Z.M.C, who arrived ill on the 2nd November from Awapuni and went at once into hospital. This seems to indicate the source of infection of the severe type, as we know that by that date the secondary wave had begun to develop in Awapuni Camp. Thus the history of the second wave in Trentham seems again to point to Auckland as the place from which the epidemic spread. As at Featherston, the men returning from week-end leave snowed a high proportion of infection on the 4th November. That there was no general infection in Trentham before the 4th November is shown by the fact that the 49th Reinforcements were transferred to Featherston on the Ist November, but on arrival there showed no infection till they had been four or five days in' camp. It is noticeable that the 4th November was also the date on which the wave appeared in Featherston. Probably the oontact in the week-end leave troop-trains accounts for this coincidence. The wave developed somewhat more slowly than in Featherston, as the 10th November was the date on which the crest was reached, but it declined more rapidly, and was over in a fortnight from its commencement. In all some 1.566 cases occurred in Trentham Camp during the second wave, 203 of which developed pneumonic symptoms. Of these 67 died, a case of mortality of 34 per cent. In addition 5 cases of cerebro-spinal fever occurred among the convalescent from this influenzal outburst, all of whom died. Thus the total deaths from the secondary epidemic wave were 73, giving a general