INFLUENZA.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16520, 12 May 1919, Page 6

INFLUENZA.

POSITION IN AUSTRALIA

(By Cable.—Prws Association.—Copyright) (Australian and Cable Association.) (Received May lltli, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 11. The resumption of racing and tho opening of tho football season took place yesterday. There -were good attendances, in spite of the provalonco of influenze. Tho position in the metropolitan and country districts of Now South Wales and Victoria is steadily improving. There is reason to bolievo that the top of tho wave has passed, and its infectivity and virulence are declining. Tho South Australian report shows that it is gaining ground. Thcro is an increasing numbor of deaths, though the death-rate is not largo. Tho Queensland reports indicato that since tho first outbreak it is steadily spreading. Thero nro many new cases. DOMINION REPORT. The Hon. G. .W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, stated to a "Press" reporter yesterday that during the Deriod from noon. May sth, to noon on May Sth, there were 62 cases of influenza notified in tho Dominion, of which 15 were severe. The details are as follows: Auckland Health District, 18 cases, 1 pneumonic in the suburbs, 2 at Matahata, and 1 in tho Thames borough. Wellington Health District, 20 cases, 1 pncumonic in Stratford, 1 severe at Elthaiu, 1 severe at Kaponga, 1 severe at Wellington City, and 1 severe at the Lower Hutt. Canterbury Health District, 22 cases, 2 virulent and 1 sevoro in the suburbs of Christeliurch; 7 cases at Ashburton, 6 mild and 1 virulent, and 2 cases at Timaru, both pneumonic. Otago Health District, 2 cases, both mild. PASSENGER SERVICE FROM AUSTRALIA. Speaking to a "Press" reporter on Saturday, tho Hon. G. W. Russell said that r.he embargo placed upon passengers travelling from Australia to New Zealand rendered it impossible—ointil conditions were sufficiently improved for miners to land in New Zealand. He hoped before long that tho position would have sufficiently altered to enable a restricted passenger service to take place, by which New Zealanders at present in Australia could be repatriated. _ _ This could not take place until conditions at the quarantine stations were such as to enable a full ship's company to be handled. Till then it was not considered desirable to relax the conditions of the embargo. VALUE OP INOCULATION. (SPECIAL TO "TTTE PRESS.") DUNEDIN, May 10. Colonel E. J. O'Neill, C.M.G., D.5.0.. who has returned to Dunedin from the Western front, speaking of inoculation for influenza, said he was inclined to look upon it with favour from the results he had seen obtained in England. The facts he had noted in regai'd to his own unit were that with inoculation the incidence of influenza was small, and among those who took it the complications were fewer in number. THE MANUKA'S CASES.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, May 10. The Manuka (which has been quarantined) was permitted to berth this morning. The watersiders will not work the vessel's cargo until Monday. The second death among- the members of the crew of the Manuka occurred on Thursday night, when John Sullivan, 38, a single manj who signed on as a fireman at Sydney, died at the quarantine station on Somes Island from the effects of influenza. It is reported that there aro two serious cases of influenza among the Manuka's crew on Somes Island. No further cases of influenza have occurred on the steamer Komata. The vessel, after being thoroughly furfiigated, was sent out to the stream yesterday, preparatory to sailing to-day for Westport. PAYMENT OF BLOCK DOCTORS. The chairman of the Christchurch branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. Duncan, with Drs. Foster and O'Brien, waited on the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister of Public Health, on Saturday, to discuss'the matters in dispute regarding the payment of block doctors. As tho result of the conference Dr. Duncan agreed to submit in writing the circumstances under which the Wock doctors operated in Christchurch and also the proposals of the Association -in regard to a recrudescence of the epidemic. DEATH ROLL IN JAVA. According to M. Rafalewski, .the pianist, who returned to Sydney recently from Java, 1,500,000 Javanese died from influenza in a few months. What impressed him was the philosophic way in which the natives took the disease. It was a case of "kismet." There was no panic. No masks were worn, and life went on as usual; even excursion trains were kept running. The white population suffered very little from tho disease, added M. Rafalewski, but the natives died liko flies.