INFLUENZA COMMISSION

Evening Star, Issue 16994, 17 March 1919, Page 4

INFLUENZA COMMISSION

[Per United Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, March 17. Giving evidence before the Epidemic Commission to-day Dr Barclay, medical superintendent at the Wellington Hospital, quoted statistics to show that there was no special susceptibility in the matter of sex, and that the majority of the patients attended to were between the ages of 18 and 4-0. An unduly high percentaie of males between. 20 and 40 were attacked. On the subject of prophylactic inoculation Dr Barclay said that all the information available was vague. Nobody seemed to specially recommend it or to generally condemn it. There was a certain amount of risk after inoculation. Influenza in Wellington appeared to have been no respecter o; persons. It did not seem to i.ratter whether we lived in slums or in the best surroundings. The only way in which such an epidemic could be coped with was by a general public organisation. For over a year past influenza had been in New Zealand, but the more virulent type made its appearance with its complications in' the early days of November. Referring to the possibility of a recrudescence. Dr Barclay emphasised the need for more attention to fee devoted to homo nursing.