AGAINST TETANUS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23601, 9 March 1940, Page 13

AGAINST TETANUS

CAMP INOCULATIONS ABOUT 850 MEN TREATED BRITISH SYSTEM FOLLOWED Most of the infantry on leave from Papakura camp last evening had had an anti-tetanus inoculation during the day. Inquiry elicited the information that some 850 men had been inoculated with the purpose of giving them "active" immunity against lockjaw, the danger of which is greatest when wounds are sustained in an agricultural countrv.

In the last war "anti-tet." was the routine inoculation when a man was wounded. This, it was explained, gave a passive kind of protection against the infection. -In both the British and French Armies of to-day soldiers are inoculated against tetanus by the active agent prior to their going into action and New Zealand is following the example.

In the morning about 450 officers and men received an injection in the arm of the serum, which is obtained from the blood of a horse, which has been prepared to render this important task to mankind. Seeing that certain reactions can be expected in about three cases in 1000 the treated, who had brought their blankets and greatcoats to the "surgery," which was the new beer canteen building not yet opened for social business, were required to lie down for some four hours under the eye of medical officers. Another large number followed in the afternoon. In one or two instances there was slight reaction, but it amounted to nothing more than a little physical distress. This inoculation is only precautionary. In wound cases there will be the usual injection of the passive agent against tetanus.

WELFARE APPEAL THE FIGHTING SERVICES WORK OF TWO ORGANISATIONS The provision of recreation facilities and other amenities for the men in training camps, on troopships and at base camps overseas has been largely entrusted to the Young Men's Christian Association and the Salvation Army on account of the excellent service they rendered to the men of the fighting forces ; .n the Great War. It was only last week that the Fighting Services Welfare Appeal was launched to provide the financial support for their work, but both organisations have been busily engaged since the beginning of the war. *

During the first few months nearly £15,000 was expended in providing buildings and equipment for the work of these organisations in camp, and now the call is for funds to make the best use of this equipment for the men during their leisure hours. House-to-house canvasses are being arranged in various districts, and next Friday a street collection, for which additional helpers are needed, is to-be held. Much of the expenditure made so far is of a non-recurring nature, and when the war is over the assets purchased will be available for sale to assist the rehabilitation of returned men.

OPEN-AIR CONCERT STIMULUS TO RECRUITING EXPERIMENT IN AUCKLAND An experiment in the campaign for obtaining recruits for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was tried in the city Inst night, when an open-air concert was held at three points between ! seven and eight o'clock. The concert was arranged by a sub-committee of the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee with the assistance of one of the concert parties which have been visiting the camps in the district. Girls in brightly-coloured costumes doing a tap dance 011 a lorry soon attracted much attention when the first short concert was held near the recruiting hut outside the chief post office. From there the truck went to Victoria Street and again a large crowd collected, spreading so thickly into Queen Street that some congestion occurred. After more tap dances and Scottish national dances, the truck went to a site just below the Town Hall and the concert party gave another performance. It is intended to continue with open-air concerts every week and a recruiting truck will probably follow the concert truck from point to point.

MEN OF THE ACHILLES WELCOME AT PUKEKOHE [from our own correspondent! PUKEKOHE, Friday Five members of the Achilles' complement whose homes are in the Krankli 11 district were tendered a civic welcome at Bledisloe Park to-day before a very large gathering, comprising the schoolchildren in the district, who were engaged in the Franklin primary schools' annual sports meeting, and many adult residents. A parade led by the municipal band and including returned soldiers, the five Achilles men and the pupils of the Pukekohe Technical High School marched from the Strand Theatre through the main street to the park, where addresses of welcome were giyen by the Mayor, Mr. John Routlv, and the chairman of the Franklin County Council, Mr. .J. N. Massev. M.P. Leading Seaman F. btringer, of Pukekohe, replied on behalf of the five men of the Navy. His companions were Seaman I. Rodgers, D.S.M., of Pukekohe; Seaman J. C. 0. Moffatt, of Bombay; Stoker A. E. Franke, of Karaka, Runeiman; and Seaman D. Chapman, of Waiuku. It was announced that Stoker Fletcher, of Bombay. and Seaman Barker, of Pukekohe, were unable to be present.

BOXER JOINING THE NAVY DARCY HEENEY FAREWELLED [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] Friday The New Zealand welter-weight boxing champion for the past three years, "Parev Heeney, who leaves to-morrow to report at Auckland for service with the Navy, was farewelled by the Gisborne Boxing Association. He was presented with tho Semmens Cup for the most successful boxer in the lightweight class and the Ben Aislabie Memorial Cup for being the outstanding amateur of 1939-40 He was also farewelled by the Marist Football Club, which he has captained for the past two seasons, and -was presented with a piece of inscribed plate.