INFLUENZA PATIENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18222, 16 October 1922, Page 8

INFLUENZA PATIENTS.

THE CHATHAM OUTBREAK.

ACCOMMODATION QUESTION.

DEPARTMENT'S ATTITUDE.

Reference was made in a statement by the Mayor of Auckland, published on Saturday, to " the singular position of the Department of Health actually proposing to send to the Auckland Hospital serious cases of influenza." Mr. Gonson also stated that " when that was vetoed, quite properly and promptly, by the hospital authorities, the departmental authorities proposed introducing these cases into the district of another local authority. In the face of this, the council felt it necessary to make strong representation to the Minister on the matter."

To these observations, whioi referred to the sickness on H.M.S. Chatham, a reply was made on Saturday by the medical officer of health, Dr. T. J. Hughes. He said:—"l would point out that no inquiry up to the present time has been made by the Mayor to the medical officer of health as regards any matters m connection with influenza cases or H.M.S. Chatham, therefore he is apparently unaware that no representation had ever bteeo made by the medical officer of health, who is in charge of the Auckland health district, to the hospital authorities as regards admission of cases of influenza into the Auckland Hospital for the Chat"The Department of Health had no intention whatever, at any time, of asking the Auckland Hospital Board to admit into the Auckland Hospital any cases off flia Chatham, however mild. The secretary of the Auckland Hospital Board could have supplied this information to the Mayor before the arrival <of the Chatham if he had been approached. " As regards the proposal to make use of certain accommodation provided by the Admiralty at the naval reserve, Calliope Dock, Devonport, this was not made by the medical officer of health, but there ras no intention at any time by the Admiralty or the department of using this accommodation for cases of the severe form of influenza, should such be found en arrival of the Chatham to have occurred aboard."