MENACE OF DISEASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 10

MENACE OF DISEASE.

PLAGUE AND INFLUENZA.

NEED FOR EXTREME CARE.

MINISTER URGES PRECAUTIONS.

The necessity for continued health precautions in view of the existence of bubonic plague in Australia and of a virulent form of influenza in various parts of the world, was emphasised by tho Minister for Health (Hon. C. J. Parr) last evening.

The latest advice from Sydney," he said, makes me very apprehensive about keeping tho plague out of New Zealand noxt mouth whon tho danger really begins. In Sydney they have done everything that human ingenuity can suggest to exterminate rati. They have even gone to the length of making a law rendering it a crime for rats to be permitted in a person's premises. The utmost co-opera-tion prevails. The business people in the infected Sussex Street area have united with the health authorities in the antiplague campaien, and are now forming plague committees of shopkeepers to assist.

" In view of theso precautions it cannot be said that, while we have dono our best wo have done too much here. I am satisfied that rats still abound in many places, and that for the next few weeks there should be a renewed campaign everywhere, especially in tho direction of depriving tho rats of all food supplies. Produce stores, fruit and vegetable markets, and kitchens, public and private —these aro the places that should be watched every day. Where there is no food there will be no rats. Conversely, where there is the possibility of a food supplv. there will be found the rat. Eliminate the food supply and you eliminate the rat."

Mr. Parr will meet the medical officers of health and inspectors to-day with a view to keeping up the campaign at full strength. Proceeding, the Minister said: " Tho Parramatta case, whore a young girl died 25 miles from Sydney, is an "illustration how this diseaso when once it enters can be widely spread. There are no infected rats at Parramatta. Then how did the girl contract tho disease! Thero is now proof that she bought clothing in a shop in the infected area in Sydney, and tho doctors are practically unanimous that sbo must have been bitten by a plague flea secreted in the clothing. It no doubt came from a plague rat which must have been in the shop. The slogan must still be to clean up everywhere. ' A still more dreaded malady, influonza, is approaching the Pacific Coast (rem the Eastern States of America," proceeded Mr. Parr. "It is proved that wherever there are dirty conditions influenza, in the case of these visitations, takes tho direst form. The best preparation against influenza is to have a clean "This matter also 1 shall discuss with the medical officers. Wo must not be caught napping. In every city there must be organisations which will largely control the medical and nursing services and have proper hospital and kitchen facilities for treating the epidemic should it unfortunately come our way. The Mayor and the Civic authorities in Auckland already have organised to ft certain extent and have shown themselves alive tip the risk. Added and stringent precautions are being taken by the port health officers everywhere in respect to ships coming from overseas to prevent influenza, if possible, from coming in."