TOKANUI HOSPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 201, 25 August 1945, Page 6

TOKANUI HOSPITAL

MENTAL PATIENTS' DEATHS STATEMENT BY MINISTER P.A. WELLINGTON, Friday. "Fifteen deaths have occurred at the Tokanui Mental Hospital in which .infective gastroenteritis has been a contributing cause of death, said the Minister of Health, Mr. Nordmeyer, when commenting to-day on a report from Auckland that there had been a heavy death roll at the institution. The Minister added that although there had been a few notifications of dysentery during recent months, the Health Department had knowledge of a considerable amount of gastroenteritis in different parts of the country, particularly in the Auckland Province. "The incidence of the disease appears to have been particularly severe in institutions where large numbers of persons have necessarily been in close contact," said the Minister. "In many of our mental hospitals the infection has been experienced by both patients and staff." Of the 15 deaths which occurred at the Tokanui Mental Hospital, 10 were patients debilitated by old age, four others suffered from bronchopneumonia, which was considered to be the primary cause of death, while the remaining ca'se was that of a patient, suffering from general paralysis of the insane. The incidence of gastroenteritis appeared to be lessening, he added, but in view of the near approach of the fly-breeding season the public was warned that they should take all possible precautions against the disease. Cleanliness in the handling of food, and prevention of the breeding of flies were essential.