EPIDEMIC FIGHTING IN FIJI

Evening Star, Issue 16993, 15 March 1919, Page 6

EPIDEMIC FIGHTING IN FIJI

NEW ZEALAND PARTY'S EXPERIENCES. In December last Lieutenant-colonel E. Jennings, N.Z.M.C, loft the Dominion in command of a party told off to assist in coping with the influenza epidemio in the Fiji Islands. The party recently returned to the Dominion, and a representative of the Chrietehurch ' Press,' in the course of a chat with Lieutenant-colonel Jonnings, obtained some interesting details regarding tho work done. The party consisted of four officers, three nurses, six n.c.o.s, and 17 orderlies of the N.Z.M.C, with a civilian lady doctor, a civilian nurse, and three medical students, each with tho temporary rank of lieutenant. This formed a very* complete unit, and the original idea was to etart a base hospital, and from that advanced temporary hospitals, analogous to dressing stations ; beyond these—tho firing lino, as it wore—there would be the outlying native and Indian settlements. Before Fiji was reached, however, the accounts received, and the geographical conditions, made the success of organisation on those lines appear doubtful, and on arrival at Suva, and on talking matters over with Dr Lynch, it was decided to divide the party into nine sections, which were distributed over the several islands. Lieutenant-colonel Jennings's own district was the Rowa, the largest and most populous district, and his headquarters were at first at Nausori, on tho Rewa River, on which is situated the largest sugar mill south of the Line. Thore is also a small township with a population consisting of a hundred or so of Europeans, in addition to Hindus, Fijians, and half-castes. Matters hero were very bad indeed; there was a hopeless breakdown of the medical organisation, and chaos reigned undisputed. Lieutenant-colonel Jennings had with him an army nurse, a sergeant, and three orderlies. He put the nurse in an already improvised 'hospital for Europeans and of a creche which he established for Indian babies—orphans and those temporarily deprived of their parents. The sergeant had to bring order into the Indian hospital, while the orderlies, with interpreters, went into tho plantations visiting the sick and bringing them into hospital, if necessary. There was also a gaol and hospital four miles in one direction, and a Fijian hospital seven miles in the other—-tho whole 11 miles being dotted with huts singly and in clusters, forming villages. On the other side of the Rewa River was a large Wesleyan Mission station, and a dozen or so villages scattered over a good_ many square miles. So tho job was no sinecure for the relief party. t In a few days everything was m order, and tho patients were hopdful and grateful. In 10 days operations were extendod further afield. Leaving the nurse and the orderlies behind, Lieutenant-colonel Jennings and the sergeant went to the head waters of tho river, and worked down to tho mouth; then up the east to the middle of tho north-west of the main island, \ lti Levu Here they came in contact with another party, and ultimately returned to Nausori. , „,, , . , , M this time tho work fell into about the same groovo as that of tho other parties. Some were able to travel on horseback, but most of Lieutenantcolonel Jennings's travelling was done_ on foot, a launch conveying him trom centre to centre. At 8 p.m. or thereabouts a Fijian i village would be reached • a hut would be allotted to tho nartv dinner provided, and as soon as possible each individual got into a mosqnito net. Tho weather was hot and steamv, the nights often very pnd the mosquitoes and sandflies deadly. Rising at 5 a.m., a swim or a shower was indulged in, and after a cup of tea Lieu-tenant-colonel Jennings, with an interpreter, would start off walking from village if> village, four \o seven miles, seeing patients. Returning to temporary headquarters, breakfast would be taken at 9.0U am., after which (the sereeant having seen to tho patients in the village) Lieutenantcolonel Jennings would have four or sir to examine. About 11 a.m. the launch would be boarded, and ho would be taken down the coast, and tho morning's performance would be repeated twice before the sleeping place was reached. "It was distinctly an arduous timo > for everyone," Lieutenant-colonel Jennings said"; "but the whole party worked splendidly, and I have nothing but praise and gratitude for every member of the party under my command. From the start we wore shown the greatest kindness, hospitality, and consideration by all, from His Excellency the Governor down. Dr Lynch, the P.M.0., was most courteous and; capable. Not only did we receive formal addresses of thanks, but on all sides a grateful appreciation of our work formed a reward well worth earnta?;. The result of our work —not ours only, of course—was a clearing up of all epidemic conditions, and Fiji, if not. absolutely clean, was'sgo well in hand that no further trouble was likely. Before leaving We paraded, and wore inspected by His Excellency, who took the opportuntiy of formally thanking us, and congratulating the party not only on tho excellent work done, but the equally excellent behaviour of tho men. I do not wish to mention anyone where all were eo excellent, and more particularly -because I should -naturally lean to my own -party; but I can affirm that New Zealand had every Teason to feel proud of her citizens, who* performed arduous, dieacrreeable, and dangerous work under conditions, climatic and otherwise, that were exceptional."