BOARD OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 65, 19 March 1919, Page 8

BOARD OF PUBLIC HEALTH

FIRST MEETING GUARDING AGAINST RETURN OF INFLUENZA. The first meeting of the Board of Public Health appointed Under the Public Health Amendment Act, 1918, was held yesterday." The members present were: The Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister for Public Health), in the chair, Dr. Valintine (Chief Health Officer), Mr. G. P.' Newton (Officer in Charge of Local 'Government), Dr. Lindo Ferguson (Dean of the. Faculty of Otago University), Dr. Elliott (president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association), Dr. Gordon (Auckland), Mr. W. Ferguson (chairman of the National Efficiency Board), and the Hon. John Barr, M.L.C. The Hon. G. W. Russell stated that it was not intended on that occasion to deal with the more general duties imposed upon the board by section 3 of the Act of 1918, but simply to discuss the possibility of a recrudescence of influenza and the steps that were being or should be taken in view of such a possibility. The evidence given before the Epidemic Commission by the experts of the Health Department indicated, said tho Minister, the possibility of a recurrence of influenza as the cold season approached. That was the universal experience in connection with such epidemics, and, without being an alarmist, he desired to point out the notifications of influenza indicated a steady increase throughout the Dominion. A large majority of the cases, however, were of.a mild character, and the number of serious cases was very small. But the position required the closest watch, which was being kept by the department. He hoped that when its organisation had been matured, the board would appoint committees to apply themselves to research in special branches of public health, thus widening the ecope of its operations. Dr. Valintine intimated that steps had already been taken with a view to arranging through the hospital boards for any equipment that might be required for temporary hospitals. The Minister submitted to the meeting for consideration a number of questions relating to the quarantining of overseas ships, the existence of sum-, cient accommodation in the main centres for the concentration of infected patients in the event of a recrudescence, and other matters. These were fully discussed by the board and decisions were reached. y