HEALTH OF THE CAMPS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10073, 11 September 1918, Page 6

HEALTH OF THE CAMPS

A GOOD YEAR’S RECORD SURGEON-GENERAL RENDERSON’S REPORT. How good was the health record of the troops in our New Zealand camps last year is shown by the report submitted by Surgeon-General Henderson (Di-rector-General of Afedical Services). During 1917, states the report, tho number of officers and men present in the training camps totalled 36,191, with an average strength of 9.991. Tho total admissions to hospital numbered 4104, giving an admission rate per thousand of 410 and a constantly-sick rate of 12.49, as -against 1623 and 19.59 in 1916. In the Imperial Army in 1913 (the last statistics available) the admission rate was 437 per thousand and tho constantly-sick rate 23.53. , DEATH RATE. 3.S PER CENT.

Tho number of deatns from disease j was 30. and of those-15 wore in camp ■ hospitals and 15 were in civil institnj tions elsewhere. In addition, there | Wore seven deaths from accidents, of ; which five occurred out of camp, and 1 eight from suicide of which two occui- ! red out of camp- Tho total number of i deaths in and out of camps of men on the strength of tho Expeditionary Force was therefore 46, equal to a death rate of 1.2 per thousand on tho total numbers, and 4.6 on the average strength. It is estimated, however, that the death rate (which cannot be exactly arrived at owing to the movements of men) would bo about 3.3. The deaths of males between ages of 20 and 40 in Now Zealand in 1913 was 4.02 per thousand. The disease which caused the chief mortality was ccrebro-spinal meningitis—nine de.aths. one a case which had remained over ill from 1916. Pneumonia caused one. death. The disease in this case, however, was contracted in Wellington, and the man died there. COMPARATIVE FIGURES.

The admissions and constantly-sick rates based on the- average strength with the, number of deaths were as follow (rate per thousand is given in parentheses in each case): —

Average _ . , strength. Aclm’ns. Con. sick. 1> ths Fe’th’ston 6474 2286 (354) «•» 0-O.to) 29 Trentham 3015 ltd: (M a ; -« l (]'■%) U Nar. Neck 212 61 (2ib) JM IbAkl I Awapuni 22fi 112 (405) 1.82 1 Rotorua 41 :i ( .“ J ) b-G Hanmer 23 10 (434) 0.36 (Io.M Trentham had a higher admission and eonstantlv-sick rate than Featlierstoii. And whilst Awapuni had a higher admission rate than Narrow’ Neck it-had the lowest number of coastantly-sick of the four camps. The figures lor 1!o----torua and Hanraer refer to N.Z.i—L. Camp men on duty, not to sick and wounded in hospitals and convalescent homes. Under all headings the numbers show' a great improvement on those of the previous year, and compare favourably with tho Imptifial Armv in time of peace. 01 the death.. 04 occurred awav from the camps but are entered as against the camp on the strength of which tho men were when they died, but this does not necessarily imply that the disabilities which Cliu^ d the deaths were contracted in the Cam P S - , PREVALENCE OE INFLUENZA. The report indicates that ?■«> i- if: 1 L m camps, but in a j ratio from .the P rc ™“ q o * t Vcutherston it accounted for BcJ on of a total of 2296 admissions from all causes; in Trentham, tor out of 1622; at Narrow Neck, lor 13 o 0 (>1 • and at Awapuni, for 10 out of 11-. The disease was most prevalent in September and October at 1 eatherston, and occurred chiefly amonßst wimb, who brought it m wuh them to l.ra herenikau. Measles: Thanks to the Tauherenikau Camp and the prompt segregation of all contacts, there-were only 54 cases of measles, of which lo were of the- mild typo known as German measles.” Poatberston had 28 admissions and Trentham 26. Ceiebiospinal Meningitis: There were 9 cases admitted to hospitals in camp during the year. Altogether 13 cases wore admitted amongst men on the strength of the camps, with 5 recoveries and 3 deaths. The following statistics 'are given as to other diseases:— Diphtheria, 13 cases, no deaths (all brought into camp, promptly detected and dealt with and contacts isolated, it is a tribute to the vigilance of the medical officers that this disease did not spread). Tho same applies to scarlet fever; 4 cases, no deaths; pneumonia - 14 cases against 91 the previous year, 1 death in Wellington, where the disease was contracted; alcoholism: 86 admissions, against 91 the previous year; nervous system: 148 cases, of which 36 were epilepsy, 3 deaths; mental 1 eases, 31. and 2 deaths; diseases of the circulatory system: 104 admissions and 5 deaths; digestive system : 501 admissions, and 5 deaths (thanks to the cleanliness of the camps there were only 88 cases of gastritis, chiefly due to errors in diet, against 834 in 1916). TO PREVENT EPIDEMICS.

Tho marked absence from the camps of diseases of an epidemic character is chiefly attributed to the careful segregation at Tauhcrenikau of’each fresh draft of recruits, the prompt transfer to hospital of cases of infectious disease, the use of the inhalation chambers at Featherston and Trentham Camps, tho high standard of cleanliness maintained in the camps, and the absence of flies. As regards tho prevention of cerebrospinal meningitis' (states the report), in addition to the bacteriological examination of the throats of all recruits and tho Isolation and spraying of all suspected carriers, Lieutenant-Colonel Robertson, Principal Medical Officer, Featherston Camp, introduced a system of inoculation with anti-meningo-coccal vaccine in the case of all men admitted to hospital, and ho considers that the fact of no case of.cerebro-spina! meningitis developing in hospital during the year may have been tho result of this precautionary measure. Tho throat-examination of all recruits, and also of all reinforcements prior to embarkation, involved an enormous amount of work on tho Wellington Bacteriological Laboratory, and also on tho camp laboratories at Trontharn and Foathcrston, and too much credit cannot bo given to tho officers in charge of these institutions for the successful results of their efforts. During tho summer months tho Tauherenikau Camp was utilised an a graduated-training camp for insufficiently developed men to min the fix-

peditionary Force, more than 50 pe,r cent, of those so trained having since been added to the reinforcements; whilst the Heretaunga Camp at Trentham was used to segregate the new reinforcements, and this procedure will bo continued during the winter months. Experience has now proved that abundance of fresh air, plenty of space to live in and consequent avoidance of overcrowding, ample hospital accommodation and facilities for isolation, with good drainage and avoidance of damp, are essentials to secure healthy camps.'