COMBATING EPIDEMICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17130, 8 April 1919, Page 9

COMBATING EPIDEMICS.

VALUE OF FRESH AIR.

NEED FOR SOUND HYGIENE. The value of open-air treatment, in the recent influenza epidemic was referred to by Dr. Colquhoun in the course of his evidence before the Epidemic Commission i iin Wellington. As to the use of vaccines, I medicines, etc., this, he said, wais a techi nical subject which could only usefully be - discussed by a professional jury, but the following facts were suggestive: --At Hawera, owing to overcrowding of the hospital wards, many patients of them .of the severest type—were treated on balconies and in tents. They all did well, he was informed. On the ships (sarryiog men to England epidemics broke out, and the medical men—Dr. S. A. Moore in one i case and Dr. Wishart in the other— I treated their patients by placing them on I deck. All the patients diet well. His own 1 experience was that those patients who got most fresh air suffered least. Those who were treated in small and ill-venti-lated rooms did badly. The inference which might be drawn fairly was that in preparing for a possible epidemic hospital and municipal authorities should try to get accommodation in open sheds or tents. The fresh-air hospital bad been tried ex ' tensivcly in England, with excellent re- ! sults in medical and surgical cases. There should be prepared a series of tents or places where patient* could sleep in the open air nighl and day, protected from wind and rain. But a great deal of opposition would have to be fought. Until the public were educated one could not cam out reforms of that kind. They would come when public opinion was ripe. Dr. Colquhoun negatived the popular belief that persons who had the influenza once would be immune from further attacks. In influenza, he said, one attack predisposed to another. In this regard influenza differed from smallpox, for instance, of wb.ch one attack protected against a subsequent infection. As to precautions which might be taken Dr. Colquhoun said he was not an advocate of quarantine generally, for sooner or later the germ of the disease crept in. He ! did not mean that we should never quaran. 1 tine boats, etc. But the English practice had been to place less reliance on quarantine and more on hygiene; and the results had shown that the British method was the better. The best defence of any country was sound hygiene. As long as ordinary laws of health were neglected in i the building of cities ai.d houses, 60 long i would epidemics be liable to occur. If 1 peoplo would keep their bodies and their '. houses clean thai would be the best de- , fence. ™ I The Chairman: Is not the position of [affairs in this direction improving? Dr. Colquhoun: Yes, there has been immense improvement, and there is a growing tendency thereto. But there is still too much conservatism.