"Keep Yourself To Yourself"

New Zealand Listener, Volume 8, Issue 199, 16 April 1943, Page 6

"Keep Yourself To Yourself"

(Written tor "The Listener’ by DR. A. B. TURBOTT, Director of the Division of School Hygiene, Health Department) SPLENDID little leaflet has just A arrived from England called "Health in the Shelter." On one page, an influenza victim is perched up on the branch of a tree, wrapped in a muffler and blanket, grasping a bottle labelled "Cold Cure," and keeping himself to himself. You can do something to avoid these wretched infections. They attack the nose and throat, and the germs are showered into the air in their thousands every time an infected person coughs or sneezes, So if you ‘cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief. In this way you may save your neighbour from catching your cold or ’flu. And if you see him sneezing or coughing without covering his mouth and nose, show him this article, so that he may know better next time. "You may be asked to wear a face mask, especially if there is much ‘flu about," says this pamphlet. "The idea of this is to stop the ‘flu germs getting into the atmosphere, so be patient and wear it. In any case, if you have a cold, don’t talk to your neighbours, don’t drink out

of the same mug or bottle, don’t kiss vour children. Keep yourself to yourself till it’s over." England is concerning herself with the prevention of influenza. So is Soviet Russia, A special "All-Union Committee for Combating Influenza" has been founded. People with influenza have to stay home, or be isolated, in the army. Regular visits are made by the physician until all symptoms of influenza have disappeared. The advice is to stay at home, call in the doctor at the first symptom, and avoid visiting clinics at that time. Both countries realise the danger of influenza in wartime, and that to check the spreading of infection is to help both the army at the front and the great civilian army in the rear. One thing pretty certain in New Zealand is that people with influenza, coughs and colds will not stay away from others. Were success to follow the use of inoculations, this wouldn’t matter so much since we could all be immunised against colds. Though some of the viruses of influenza are known, active immunisation of the people before the outbreak of an epidemic of influenza is- impracticable, as, at the present state of our knowledge, it couldn’t be foretold which virus would be responsible. It is known that the movement ‘of people, some of whom are infected, through the country is the important factor in spreading influenza and colds. Troops on leave with infected members travelling, spread influenza among themselves and boost it among civilians. Troops shouldn’t go on leave when infective, Civilians shouldn’t go round sniffling, either. The rate of spread of influenza is increased many thousands of

times by gathering together at places of amusement, in trams and buses and trains. It is also spread through improp-erly-washed dishes and eating utensils in restaurants. So what? No country has yet solved the problem, apart from segregation, The only way to avoid coughs and colds and ‘flu is to persuade every sufferer to stay at home or away from others. Although that means you and me in due course, for nore of us is exempt, as good New Zealanders we keep at work, we go to pictures, we travel in Crowded conveyances, and we cough and splutter over others, and fail to cover our mouths and noses with our handkerchiefs.-And some of us get into serious trouble with complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.