PUBLIC HEALTH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 5 September 1929, Page 2

PUBLIC HEALTH.

TARANAKI RETURNS,

DISEASES DECREASE

For the time of the year the position with regard to infectious diseases in the province was quite satisfactory, reports Dr. R, J. B. Mecredy regarding the returns in the Taranaki Health District for August. The returns for August showed a decline of 35 compared with those for July. August, owing to the cold and wet, is usually held to be the worst month of the year for infectious diseases, so the decline is reassuring. _ The largest declines in notifications have taken place in diphtheria and pneumonic influenza, while slight declines arc shown in ponumonia and scarlet fever. The August notifications of scarlet fever are still higher than the average, but they continue to drop steadily. The pneumonia epidemic has declined this year earlier than usual.

The following are the returns for August (the previous month’s returns being given, in parentheses. The returns for August 1928 are, also given): Scarlet fever. 26 (32), 107; diphtheria, 7 (27), .3; ' tuberculosis (pulmonary), 7 (1), 4; influenza (pneumonic), 3, (11), 11; pneumonia, 19 (26), 29. A considerable drop in influenza among school children is reported in the August returns to Dr.. Mecredy of infectious diseases from schools in the Taranaki education district. In July about 90 schools reported influenza, well over 2000 children being absent. Last month the number of schools reporting. influenza dropped to' 46, and the number of children absent was 400.

Similarly, in line with the decrease in influenza, pneumonic, influenza showed a fall. In July six schools reported cases and last month there were only three.

The present wave of influenza was drawing to a close, said Dr. Mecredy. Nevertheless there ■would probably still be a cow fases in isolated districts. There was, however, no evidence of an epidemic. In New Plymouth a mild epidemic of chicken-pox had prevailed during August. In the Central ‘School, ‘out of 853 children, 43 cases had occurred. Only two other Taranaki schools had notified cases —Opunake and Bird Road. Only one case of whoo.ping cough was notified in the district and there were several eases of ring-woTm in South Taranaki. No cases of mumps had been notified.