NO INFLUENZA DANGER

Evening Star, Issue 19519, 29 March 1927, Page 10

NO INFLUENZA DANGER

RUMORS WITHOUT BASIS

[Special to the ‘ Star.’]

CHRISTCHURCH, March 28. Is New Zealand to bn visited by the influenza that lately has been ravaging England and the Continent. Ugly rumors have been abroad during the past few clays, rumors of a sudden increase ol pneumonic influenza which is rapidly becoming serious. To-day a ‘ >im 1 man visit* d many of the prominent Christchurch medical practitioners, and the opinions that were expressed to him showed for the most part that tho rumors aro unfounded. and that tho disease is at present no worse than is to be expected at this time of the year. Colonel Dawson, assistant medical officer of health, stated that, although there had been a few cases ol influenza, chiefly of gas'.ric type, throughout the summer, there hud boon scarcely any increase during the past few weeks. “ 1 can certainly say that there is no cause for any alarm,” concluded tho colonel. “Wo have not been acquainted with anything out ot tho wav” . , The reply of the first medical man to the question was short, torse, and well to the point. ‘‘There is nothing of Ihe kind,” he said. 1 Tho second was rather more loquacious. “At this time of the tear. when the weather is beginning to change, we all expect a certain increase in cases jf influenza, i liavo had several of tho gastric type myself, but I think the rumor of any serious increase is quite groundless.” Although one practitioner confessed that he had lately been -ather worried by a sudden increase, tho general orfinion of ten more doctors was that the rumor was unfounded and the danger negligible. 1