PUBLIC HEALTH

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1917, Page 2

PUBLIC HEALTH

DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL REPORT. WELLINGTON, August 29 The annual • report of the Public Health and Hospital and Charitable Aid Department was laid on the table of the House' to-day. .- : The- report states Othat premises have been secured, and, -two sgldies with Roehampton Hospital experience em-p-oyed to manufacture artificial limbs, and they have alredy effected repairs for some of our mjaimed soldiers; , . There has been a considerable .0 increase in the number of cases of infectious diseases notified, especially as regards scarlet fever and diptheria. Of the former no fewer than _2 7,8 cases were notified — an increase of 1977 over the previous year. Of diptheria 2376 cases were notified being an increase of 972 as compared with the previous year. There was a de- I crease of 14 in the number of notifica- j tions of enteric fever. The year was an unfortunate one as regards the epidemic of infantile paralysis, no fewer than 1018 cases bjeing reported as follows :0-^From Auckland povincial district 5 _6, Wellington 382, Canterbury 65, and Otago 25. During the year 135 cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis were notified— an . increase of 50 oyer the previous year. There .were 5_ deaths. J "In several reports," says the In-spector-General (Dr. Valintine), "reference has been made to the . large number of. cases of consumption occurring among members of the Expeditionary Force. Up to date,, no fewer than 261 cases have been reported ; 281 cases were also notified by, the | Medical , Boards. These figures show J the necessity for increasing the accomodation for consumptives in the Do minion, and I have no doubt that it will before long be necessary to erect an additional sanatorium) for consumptives in the North Island. " Dealing with the question of smallpox, Dr. Valintine says :— The latest, reports of vaccination inspectors show that not 1 per cent of the children born in the Dominion have been vaccinated, and though, possibly a number of children were " vaccinated and were not notified, yet undoubtedly a very large percentage of children born in the Dominion are not vaccinated, though it is the "only known means of protection against the grave' and horrible disease of smallpox.