FIGHT AGAINST EPIDEMIC

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 55, 7 March 1919, Page 7

FIGHT AGAINST EPIDEMIC

THE LAXITY IN VICTORIA.

(FBOM OUt OWI CORRESPONDENT.)

- SYDNEY, 28th. February. Generally, Australia's fight against the epidemic has been successful^ The enemy has been stamped out in South Australia, held in New South Wales, and let loose in Victoria, but not in an alarming degree. At first, when oases were discovered, the people were inclined to be panicky. Their thoughts, turned at once to the tales of horror which came from -New Zealand. South Africa, and America. But now it is recognised that, if every case with its contacts'is intelligently handled, the disease cannot get away as it did in other countries; which were unprepared for it. Therefore, although the, same halfdozen cases or so are reported daily in Sydney, New South Wales is slowly and very gingerly lifting . its restrictions. The city, which had gone closely masked through the last few sweltering weeke, has been allowed at last to discard theobnoxious things, and at the end of this week it is probable that hotels, theatres, and churches will be allowed to reopen. The closing down of hotels and theatres has caused a great amount of unemployment and distress. It has been particularly hard on the theatre people, who are riot a class who provide for the rainy day. Stage hands, "front of house staffs, and chorus girls were promptly on th© relief funds^ but in the past week or two'many of the principals have sought assistance. As one of the. relief mittee put it, "We see twenty-quid-a-weekere every' day now." Up to the present, the Government Belief Committee -has had over 14,000 applications for aid, and has paid out nearly £15,000. The position in Victoria is riot satisfactory. The authorities acknowledge that about 5000 cases have occurred, and that the deaths are just under 500. Right from the start, the deaths in that State have been around 10 per cent, of the total cases. Victoria laughed at New South Wales, and talked on panicky methods, but had Victoria only adopted in time—she adopted them' ultimately— half the measures taken by the Mother State, the epidemic would never have got away as it. did. .•• .Therefore, while New South Wales is carefully restoring her services, and registers only 300 cases and 12 deaths, Victoria still has hundreds of cases a day, and sees no chance of restoring .normal services at present..

The Argus accuses the Victorian State authorities of withholding the true-state of affairs. Its independent inquiries' show that the total cases reported in the State are nearly' double the published figures. " The figures upon which the Health Board has based its policy," says the paper, "show 4419 cases from tlje whole State (up to the end of last week). Inquiries yesterday from eleven suburban municipalities, from which the board had reported 1582 cases, disclosed 4108 cases. In other words, the board does not know the number of cases or has withhold from publication half the. cases which occurred.'