INFLUENZA

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12076, 2 March 1925, Page 7

INFLUENZA

WILL NEW ZEALAND ESCAPE?

AUTHORITIES HOPEFUL.

Df M. H. Watt (Deputy-Director-General of ‘Health) interviewed on Saturday with regard to the. influenza position, and especially in view of the warning from the DirectoifGeneral of Health of Australia, stated that New Zealand at: the moment is very free from the disease. “Of course," be said, “only the severer forms of the disease —namely, pneumonic, septicaemia, and fulminant influenza —-are now notifiable, but the department has no information, that the returns of notifications hre other than a true index of, the position, and that the minor - forms of the disease are-in any way prevalent. NATIONAL IMMUNITY.

The Federal Director-General ofHealth has - made a pronouncement that Australia might expect a visitation of the disease in some five weeks’ time. This period is fixed, of course, by the. time of duration of the voyage-between the two countries, and taking cognisance of the fact that the disease is man-home. , “Although the probabilities,” added Dr Watt, “are that New. Zealand will in turn be invaded -by the disease, and the public should be warned of this fact and asked to take all reasonable precautions,. the fact that influenza as present in England—or Australia, even, for that matter—does - not necessarily mean that. New Zealand will he affected. Past history shows this clearly. A (classic case quoted in the medical literature is that- pf. the Continent , of Europe in, the (influenza period of 18S9-, 92. In . the original epidemic wave of 1889, England, -France; and Germany suffered equally. Twelve, months later England: was . again severely involved, while Germany and France-, which from' geographical-! position are especially exposed to the introduction of infections from England, were entirely exempt. The only explanation is that there is such a thing as national immunity. PRECAUTIONS TAKEN.

“This being the ca'se, we in New Zea. land have some reason for hoping that our experience of 1918; which in comparison with other countries was particularly severe, has conferred some immunity npon us. Be this as it may, it would be unwise to rely on any such problematical factor, and the Health ■Department, of course, does riot propose to do so. Actually when the cables' announcing the presence of influenza in England first appeared in,our papers some weeks ago, all medical officers of health and port health officers were communicated with and advised to be on their guard against any importation of the disease or any tendency towards spread in New Zealand.' “Our organisation for fighting influ. enza has been developed te a high degree, and rHe public can rely upon the department doing all in its power to prevent any further .outbreak. The public, however, should be made aware of the facts, so that, they, in their turn, can help the department.”