SPREAD OF INFLUENZA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22777, 10 July 1937, Page 12

SPREAD OF INFLUENZA

VEHICLES NOT TO BLAME CONTACT IN WORKING HOURS [FROM OCR OWN correspondent] LONDON, July 19 It is popularly believed that much of the spread of influenza, and other infections, takes place in public conveyances, states the medical correspondent of the Morning Post, London, but results of a census undertaken among a group of workers during the receni influenze epidemic, and reported in the British Medical Journal, suggests that there is no scientific foundation for this belief. The medical officer to a large factory, with a total of 6354 employees, found that of these 4345 travelled by public conveyances to and from work; the remaining 2009 did not. Of the Hrst group, 19,7 per cent contracted influenza during December and January, while among non-users of publif conveyances the incidence was very little less, being actually 17.6 per cent, and this slight difference might possibly be explained by slightly increased resistance to disease on the part of walkers or cyclists. The suggestion is made that it is industrial workers who are the first in be attacked by epidemics of infiuenza. that much of the spread takes place, at work, and is due to unavoidable contact and not to poor hygienic, conditions.