FLOODS AND CHOLERA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 46, 23 August 1938, Page 7

FLOODS AND CHOLERA

DIFFICULTIES IN

CHINA

DOCTORS' LETTERS

Letters received recently by the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and New Zealand Red Cross Society from Dr. R. B. Grey and Dr. H. B. Tremewan, who went to China under the council's scheme for assisting the Chinese with medical aid, show the difficulties which have to be contended with, cholera and floods being two of the main ones.

Dr. Grey, writing from Chengchow on July 2, states: "The.League of Nations anti-epidemic people came to our rescue this week when we were just about snowed under. There are 43 cholera patients in hospital and more liable to arrive at any time. The antiepidemic group have already supplied us with three of their own nurses, and have promised several intravenous1 sets. ■ At the beginning of last week there were about 120 patients in hospital, for which there were only two foreign nurses and 15 Chinese; of the latter only two were fully trained. With the co-operation of the League group we hope to cater for 100 cholera patients if needed. The League group have the full power of the Government behind them and can force everyone to fall into line. We are still not receiving the patients as early as desirable, but the camp officials have improved considerably. Most "of the patients surviving the first 48 hours recover. We have had nine deaths to date, one died in the out-patients' department, two on admission before any treatment could be given, and of the rest four died within 24 hours of admission. It is really astounding how quickly some of them respond to treatment. WHEN THE DIKES WERE CUT. "A new flood has developed ' this week just north of Chengchow, and it is said to be advancing towards the town, but it is unlikely that the town itself will be flooded. The Government is drafting 50,000 coolies to build dikes north of Chengchow. This group of coolies will probably supply us with more cholera cases, as well as other medical work. "At present there are possible routes of leaving Chengchow, but when I am due to leave the situation may have altered, and it may prove quite a problem. If Hankow falls, the best route would be via Kaifeng, Suchow and Tientsin. The most difficult part of this route would be from here to Kaifeng, but it could be done." Writing towards the end of July Dr. Grey says: "The dikes of the Yellow River were cut in two places. One break north of Chengchow is 50 yards wide and the other, 25 miles east, is 200 yards wide. Many miles of country have been flooded and quite a few drowned. In the region of Chengchow alone, no fewer than 13,000 were rendered homeless. Chengchow itself is slightly higher than the country to the east, so it has escaped and the nearest flood waters are six miles away. "The refugees are being collected in a camp near Chengchow and moved westward and south as quickly as possible. The medical attention required is mostly for vaccination, anti-cholera, and typhoid injections." THOUSANDS HOMELESS. Dr. Tremewan, writing from Ichang on July 25, says: "A far bigger worry at Ichang is the river,,which has risen 22 feet during the last week. This means that we have to wade out the front gate and dispense with baths, because the bath-water will not run away. It also means that several thousand people are rendered homeless in an already overcrowded town. We have taken as many as we can into basements and sheds in the hospital and &Ii the various churches have opened their buildings for the refugees. One? church school which was giving shelter to about 500 was completely burnt out two days ago, however, which is little short of a tragedy, seeing how our accommodation is taxed. Incidentally, at the same fire I was fulfilling a hitherto-thwarted desire to be a fireman when I cut my. hand and so will be off the operating list for a few days. "The food question is getting serious again, but has not affected me at all. personally, but boats cannot get across the river because of the flood, and most of the town food supplies come from • the other side. Also, there is a large refugee camp over the river to which we have been paying periodic visits for the carrying out of treatment. "Floods are very* pathetic, and I should say this one is only a starter, as the water is higher than it has been since 1926 and the peak of the flood season is not due for six weeks yet." An intensification of tB«& cholera epidemic is reported by Dr. Tremewan in a letter dated July 29. "The flood'here, of which I wrote recently, has subsided somewhat and the boats can get over from the other side, which means that we are fully occupied with our work," he says. "Cholera is getting worse, if anything, and the local authorities have instituted a quarantine service. I am at present deputy-assistant-quarantine officer and inspect all boats before passengers are allowed to land. Yesterday I inspected four boats with from between 280 and 1500 passengers on each vessel, and, as a number Mo; not bother to purchase tickets, we have to a great extent to judge the numbers." Dr Grey and Dr. Tremewan are due back in Wellington on October 25. They are to be accorded a welcome-home reception in the St. John Ambulance Hall in Vivian Street on the evening of their arrival. ■