DEATHS FROM HEAT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28801, 23 January 1959, Page 9

DEATHS FROM HEAT

19 Children In Australia

(Rec. 9.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, January 22. Melbourne’s heat-wave, which ended two days ago, has caused the deaths of another two babies, and the lives of three more are in the balance. This lifts the death-roll of babies and young children from heat exhaustion and dehydration to 19. in five days. Doctors are still fighting to save three critically ill babies—aged four months six months, and 14 months—who are also victims of the heat-wave. All three were admitted to hospital on Monday and have since been kept alive with oxygen and fluid injections Doctors and nurses are working round the clock keeping them cool with fans blowing across ice. At the Queen Victoria Hospital, where gift air-conditioning units are being installed, five isick babies today showed improvement. Meanwhile, a cool change which swept Victoria on Tuesday afternoon is giving way to more hot and humid weather throughout the State. The Melbourne Weather Bureau has predicted that temperatures will again begin to rise tomorrow. But it was unlikely, the bureau said, there would be an early return of the extreme heat of early in the week. Fire-fighting authorities have also warned that the State’s critical bushfire danger is continuing.