EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17112, 18 March 1919, Page 8

EPIDEMIC INQUIRY.

POWERS OF THE MINISTER.

CURTAILMENT ADVOCATED.

DR. MAKGILL'S OPINION. NEED FOR. SPECIAL BOARD. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] WELLINGTON, Monday. Interesting evidence was given before the Epidemic Commission to-day. Dr. Barclay, medical superintendent, of tho Wellington Hospital, quoted statistics to show that there was no special susceptibility in the matter of sex, and that the majority of the patients attended to were between tho ages of 18 and 40 years. An unduly high percentage of males between 20 and 40 years of age were attacked. On the subject of prophylatic inoculation, lie said all tho information available was vague. Nobody seemed to specially recommend it, or to generally condemn it. There was a certain amount of risk after inoculation. Influenza in Wellington appeared to have been no respecter of persons: it did not scum to matter whether people livod in slums or in the best surroundings. The only way in which such ail epidemic could be coped with was by a general public organisation. For over a year past influenza had teen in New Zealand, but the more virulent type made ! its appearance with its complications in the early days of November. Referring j to the possibility of a recrudescence, he emphasised the need for more attention | being devoted to home nursing. Nature o! the Disease. Dr. Lloyd Clay stated that influenza was characterised by a very low mortality in any form it took. Complications, too, were comparatively rare, and included bronchitis, pneumonia, and pericarditis. Of themen in the German Army during the pandemic of 1889, the deaths totalled only one per cent. There was considerable doubt whether or not the recont disease was really influenza. With tho exception of the 6epticaemic plague of Hongkong, he had never seen anything so virulent as the recent epidemic, which came with startling suddenness, spread rapidly, and I widely, and attacked a huge proportion ! of tho population. The general impression | of tho disease was that it was not really | influenza, but a vjry virulent form of another disease which was perhaps not understood. II clinical experience led him to believe that streptococcus was the perm which caused most of the trouble, a germ capable of destroying the mucous membrane.

Continuing, witness said tho recent epidemic was greatly different from the previous pandemic, only resembling it m threo points—the suddenness of attack, tho rapid spread of tho disease, and tho prostration of patients. A remarkable feature was the serious blood change which took place in tho majority of cases where death occurred The patient had all the appearance of general septicemia. Patients began to' turn blue in colour before they had pneumonia at all. While there were still good breath sounds in the lungs this blueness appeared, showing that the blood cells were so affected with toxins that they were unable to take up oxygon from the air coming into the lungs. The Australian Outbreak. j i Dr. R. H. Makgill of tho Health De- j partment, gave additional evidence. Influenza, ho said, was a preventable disease in that by extreme measures its spread could be stopped. In practice, however, it was known that in no country had it been found possible to avoid the pandemic. In New South Wales tho recent outburst had been apparently very promptly checked, but tbe case was scarcely parallel to that of New Zealand in October last, as it had come upon Australia in tho summer, when the people could be induced to live out of doors, and the seasonal tendency to pneumonic infections was absent. In New Zealand the weather was exceptionally favourable to Catarrhal troubles. Australia had yet to face the efforts of the winter epidemic. The authorities in New South Wales had had the experience of other countries, including New Zealand, to guide them, and, being forewarned, were forearmed. Witness said the present status of the Health Department was most unsatisfactory. It lacked powers where powers were most needed. Sanitary progress could only be secured by taking public health out* of the sphere of politics and by establishing continuity of policy, of which one item should be the education of the,pub! to seek after sanitary righteousness. To this end, if neeeMarv, they should establish a strong controlling body representing various grades of public opinion and seasoned by a liberal admixture of emert knowledee in sciences and trades with which sanitary work was most directly concerned. Functions of Suggested Board. Dr. Makgill said that doubtless a Minister of Health was needed to represent the claims of the public health to the Cabinet and to Parliament, while the general expenditure must be controlled, as also must amounts and additions to sanitary legislation, but hero his functions should end, and the real control of public health should be in tho hands of a nonpolitical Board of Healtij, composed of persons with experience and expert knowledge, whose actions and decision would be founded on scientific laws, and actuated by tho practical needs of the community, To such a board departmental officers would appeal, and its powers should be such that matters such as the passing of sanitary by-laws and the undertaking of sanitary works would be compulsory on it* mandate. To this end the decisions of the board in local Government matters of h'ealth should be final and modified only on appeal to the Supreme Court. In Western Australia and in Queensland these powers were delegated to a Commissioner oi Public Health, but probably in New Zealand public opinion would prefer a board such as he ' ad suggested. The commission will sit to-morrow.