EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 80, 19 March 1919, Page 5

EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

SEI’TICAEMIA AXD XOT IXI’LI EX7A. Wellington, March J*. At the Epidemic ('mntnissiou inquiry Dr. Lloyd Ulay said in the majority of eases where death <>*riin,d the patient had all the appearances of general septieaen.ui. Patients Utgan to turn blue in colour before they had pnemnonia at all. While there were still good breath sounds in trio langs this hhieness appeared, shoning that, the blood colls were affected nitli toxins that they uere mnihle t,o take up the oxygen from the air coming into the lungs. PREVENTIV E MF.AsI RES. Dr. MakGill gave additional evidence, staling that, iiillm'iu.a was a preventiblu disease in that by extreme measures its spread could be slopped, lit practice, however, it. »iih known that in no country had it been found possible to avoid the pandemic, even in those, such as Australia, which took every known measure within the sphere of practical administration. It was true that in Now South VVales the recent outburst bad been apparently very promptly cheeked, but the case was scarcely parallel to that, of New Zealand in October last. It had come upon Australia in the summer, when the people could be induced to live out of doors and the seasonal tendoney to pneumome infectious was absent. In New Zealand the weather was exceptionally favourable to catarrhal troubles. Australia had yet to face the effects of a winter epidemic. Also the authorities in New South Wales had oxprienee of other countries, including New Zealand, to guide them, and being forewarned were forearmed. BOARD OF HEALTH. Witness said the present status of the Health Department was most unsatjsi'actory. It lacked powers where powers were most needed. Sanitary progress could only be secured by taking the public health out of the sphere of°polilies and by establishing a continuity of policy of which one item should bo tin; education of the public to seek after .sanitary righteousness. To this end it was necessary to establish a strong controlling body representing various grades of public opinion and seasoned by a liberal admixture of export knowledge in the sciences and trades with which sanitary work was most directly concerned. In the Public Health Amendment Act of 1918, clause 2, an amendment hail been mad" to establish such a body, but unfortunately this board was merely mi advisory hoard reporting to the Minister their opinion on public health questions. The board could not enforce any sanitary works and could not initiate precautions. It could not bring pressute to bear on local bodies or give directions to departmental officers. Their recommendations went to the Minister and thus were subject to political considerations inseparable from Cabinet control. In the saute Act district advisory boards had been constituted. Their function was to report on matters which were referred to the Minister. He might refer to them as a variety of .sanitary debating chib in tact, to whom subjects for dismission would Is allotted and which might, be dull pigeon-holed if they ran contrary to popular prejudice or wt*ri* otherwise inconvenient. Little of mine need lie anticipated from the creation of these bodies as at present constituted. Alter referring to the Act of 1909, which he said was passed in a iiiirvy, when there was a plague scare. Dr. Makgill said doubtless a Minister of Health is needed to represent the claims of sanitation to the Cabinet and to I’arliiimeiit. Tl.e general expenditure must be thus controlled, as also tiniuudmonts ami additions to sanitary legislation, but hero, bis tnmtions should be non-politicnl. A board oj health should he set lip composed of poisons with, experience and expert knowledge, whose actions ami decisions would bo tonnded on seieniilie laws mid actuated by the practical needs ot the community. To such a board the departmental ollieer.- would appeal and its powers should be such that mutters such as the passing of smiitury by-laws amt the mid ■rtaking <>t siiimary works would he compulsory on its mandate. To this end the decisions ot the board in local goveitimeni should lie linal ami modified only on epp<*al to the Supreme Court. In West Australia ami i.i Queensland those powers me delegated to u eoinmissioiter of public health, but. probably in Now Zealand public opinion ..mild pr. I, i a board such ns he had sketched.

PGSSIBILITY OF REt RUDESCENCE

FIRST MEETING OF THE BOARD

Wellington, March IS. The Board of Public Health held an initial meeting to-day. The Hon. («. W. Russell said it was not intended on the present occasion to deal with tho general duties imposed upon the board, but rather to discuss the possibility of a recrudescence of influenza. and steps to deal with a further outmeak. He desired to point out without being ati alarinisL that notifications of influenza were indicating a steady increase throughout the Dominion. The large majority of cases were of a. mild character and the number of serious cases was verv small.

The Al mister placed before the meeting a series of questions lor consideration detiling witli quarantine of ships, ami the existence of sufficient, accommudation in the main centres tor the concentration of infected patients in ibe event of a recrudescenve. These questions were fully discussed by the board mid decisions were reai hid. AIANI FAITCRE OF SERUM. (Received 19, 8.40 a.m.) London, Match 14. A distinguished bacteriologist claims the discovery of an influenza serum, based on the theory that, influenza is primary due to pielifers bacillus. The •seriHii is being manufactured in largo quantities mid will he immediately available. (A. mid N.Z.)