HEALTH IN U.S.A.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1943, Page 5

HEALTH IN U.S.A.

CHILD’S LONG COMA

NEW PNEUMONIA DISEASE

NEW YORK, June 14.

After being in a coma for 65 days, the eight-year-old Doreen Peabody, suffering from sleeping sickness, was aroused from the coma when her violin teacher, seated nt the bedside, played a familiar melody, which the child began humming. Some momeius later, she opened her eyes and spoke for the first time since the middle, of April. The child has suffered relapses, but the coma intervals are shortening. A new unidentified disease, witn a high mortality rate, probably from the pneumonia group, appeared in an isolated community. Doctor Dyer, Public Health Service, stated that ol 17 cases, eight, died, including several nurses attending the original case. Later, there was one case in an Army camp. Dr. Dyer said the discovery ol the disease was “rather astonishing.” The causative agent has been isolated in animals. ~ , n . Dr. Parran, Surgeon General, told the House Appropriations Committee that the United States death rate m 1942 was 10.3 per thousand, the lowest ever recorded. Infant mortality decreased to 40 compared with 45 per thousand in 1941. The birthrate rose to 20.7. The increase in fatal accidents in industry nearly offset the reduction in deaths from automobile accidents. Prompt sulfa drug treatment had saved the majority of meningitis cases. . American hospitals must be prepared to handle at least one million war casualties, during and alter the war, said the Director of the Government Division of the War Production Board, Maury Maverick, who added. We must realise this war will produce more casualties than we ever imagined. MANPOWER MILLIONS.

RUGBY. June 14

The United States were ultimately to have eleven million men in the armed forces by the end of 1943, and possiblv more in the first six months next year, the chief of the United States War Manpower Commission .(Mr. McNutt) told the House Appropriation Committee. The number will include one million seven hundred thousand to be added in die next six months. Munitions industrial employees now number ten million. The figure said Mr. McNutt, must increase to eleven million three hundred thousand in the next twelve months. Two and halt million civilian industrial workers will be transferred to the armed forces and munitions, while over a million housewives, students, older workers, etcetera, will be drawn into the war effort. 'fhe total national labour force will reach the record level of sixty-five million four hundred thousand.

PRODUCTION FIGURES

WASHINGTON, June 14. “Americans will spend 106,000,000 - 000 dollars on. the war in 1943, an 80 per cent, increase on 1942,” said the Chairman of the United States War Production Board (Mr Donald Nelson). “Munitions production is expected to rise 125 per cent. Last year’s production of 47,694 aeroplanes will be multiplied three and a-haff times in value, and it will be substantially greater in quantity.' Mr Nelson added that, leaner days for civilians were coming. Civilian goods and services in the last three months of 1943 would be 20 per cent, below the 1942 level.