TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8214, 11 August 1915, Page 2

TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

HUTMENTS AND HOSPITALS. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, August ,9. The Trentham camp inquiry was continued to-day. . „ I The Solicitor-General, Mr J. VV. balmond, said he would put in two defence files regarding hutments and the camp hospital. , -, ,i . Mr Justice Hosking remarked that the first reference to hutments was at the end of December, and tenders were not called until the end of March. The Solicitor-General: If it is suggested that there was unreasonable delay, I suggest that the matter should be more'fully investigated, as it appears to mo from tho file that there was no delay. Mr Ferguson said that when the First Contingent went away in October it was seen that the supply of tents would be depleted and that some other provision would be necessary. His Honour said the hutments were for the accommodation, not of the extra 2000 men, but of the 4000 who would be a permanent body at the camp. Lieutenant-Colonel Morice said he was appointed principal medical officer of Trentham camp about June 29. His -jurisdiction, extended over the camp (and hospital. When he ■ went-to Trentham he found' an increasing number (of patients at the racecourse buildings. The cases were mostly influenza and measles. The two were kept separate Iso far as possible, but measles in the (catarrhal stage remained with the in- ; fluenza until they could bo diagnosed by the appearance of the rash, then they were removed. At the beginning of July the minds of the medical men were exercised by the symptoms in some of (the cases. These were at first thought to be a malignant form of measles and were kept under special observation. On July 17 they sought special advice, with the result that the camp was removed. When witness first took charge he noticed that some of the hutmonts were overcrowded, and he discussed the matter with the camp commandant. Steps were taken to reduce the num-j ber. The camp was being partially depleted eacli day by transfers to tho hospital. On the removal of tho camp I the hutments were cleaned out and disinfected and left vacant for at least I a week. The men left in camp were the Sixth Reinforcements and men returned from sick, leave. Among these there had been a low proportion of sickness. Lieutenant-Colonel Morice outlined the measures taken to treat cerebrospinal meningitis cases and check the of the disease. • Colonel Valintine said it was' not j proposed to erect an expensive disinfecting plant at the racecourse until they knew whether they could continue to use the buildings. He awaited' the Commission's decision on that point. ; . His Honour said that it did not seem : necessary that anything should hang on the decision of the Commission. The camp was being used again, hutments were being erected, and a medical board.had given its decision as to the site. Colonel Valintino: Then I. tako it that we may proceed with improvements and alterations' at tho racecourse? His Honour: Oh, I don't say that at all. Regarding correspondence and communications with relatives, LieutenantColonel Morice said there was some little 'difficulty; in the rjish until a special record officer was brought out to take charge of that . branch. Many medical men were working long hours, but they could not,very well 'have been relieved without co'hfusion. They never complained of excessive work. In reply to Dr. Martin, LieutenantColonel Morice said that there had been three cases of measles in three weeks; and he considered' the camp now free from influenza. When men with measles came from, a hutment no steps were taken to disinfect the hut or isolate the rest of the occupants. Such a course would have been impracticable, since men were coming from every hut. After the men left the huts were cleaned with disinfectant. The camp at this time was practically under quarantine. His Honour said it seemed doubtful whether the suitability of Trentham came within the scope of the Commission. However, he asked witness whether, in view of the records of the camp in the past, its recent history as he himself knew it, the criticisms levelled at the hutments, etc. —in. which he concurred —he would say it was safe to bring troops back in largo numbers. ,« Lieutenant-Colonel Morice said it was a difficult question to answer. The improvements which were being carried out, and. which he hoped would be completed before the large body of men came-in;.he'thought would make it a safe camp. Dr. Hard wick Smith, formerly of the Wellington Hospital, explained that he had verbal arrangements with: Dr Purdy to take in as many military patients as he could up to 50. He; could not say exactly when the conversation took: place. This was apart from measles. If Colonel Purdy thought that they could provide accommodation for 50 cases of tneasles, apart from other cases, ho must have been mistaken. . Further evidence was given by Dr. J Valintine in regard to the conclusions 5 come to by the Medical Board ap{pointed to report to the Minister for j Defence on the future use of the camp. I The board reported that, provided ordinary precautions were taken to prevent the spread of disease, and that the general sanitation was put in order, there was no reason why 2000 men of the Sixth Reinforcements should not occupy the camp on August S. Further, the board reported that therewas no objection to the camp being occupied by 4000 men, provided the following important details were attended to: —Thorough'■..disinfection';' of the whole camp; not more thair 30 men to each hut; provision fo>- messing accommodation; the provision of stretchers ; the improvement of the huts as regards the exclusion of draughts- etc,; the improvement of the surface drainage, and the improvement of the sanitary arrangements. • • Tho board decided further, witness went on to state, that provided there was no case of cerobro-spinal meningitis tor 14 days prior to embarkation, there w £ as J . I n°cs l.' ca'? on to dGlay tho departure ot tho bixth Reinforcements, if prior to departure a very strict inspection was made of all the men. He concurred absolutely in all these recommendations. The members of the board, were unanimous. Since tho distribution of the camp there had been one case of ccrebro-spinal meningitis, and that case had not been absolutely veried. A man* belonging to the Seventh had died at Dannevirko under

| suspicion. Another case with the Sixth ■had not been verified, and the medical officers generally believed it was not '- a true case. The ■ man was now quite well." Colonel Purdy then gave further evidence. He said, with regard to the criticism about sanitation, that methods adopted were in accordance with the latest manuals. Dry earth at latrines had been discarded in favour lof creosote. Here kerosene had been ' resorted to. Dr Delatour quoted'no text-book later than 1886. 'In the field } service regulations of 1904 it was laid | clown that in a standing camp tents ! should be struck periodically, but "tents should never be pitched for occupation in the intervals." He submitted' that tho camp had never been overcrowded. They never had 80 tentsto the ncrfi. The criticism about 600 men to the acre fell to the ground, as j there were never more than 400 to j the acre. A camp destructor had b?en applied for to get rid of all-refuse, witness being strongly o-pnoseel to the idea of kitchen remnants being sent to a pig farm.