INFLUENZA

Otago Witness, Issue 3413, 13 August 1919, Page 29

INFLUENZA

VALUE OF INOCULATION. MELBOURNE, August p\ Dr Penfold (chief quarantine laboratory officer) reports regarding the value of inoculation in connection with influenza that the use of vaccine was associated with a fall in the incidence and mortality of the disease, the ratio of deaths in inoculated and uninoculated croups being as 5 to 24. Some small part of the improvement might have been due to the fact that quick treatment -was received by those who were inoculated. Dr Penfold says that inoculation should have been more widely used and the doses should have been larger. A repetition of inoculation would certainly extend the period of immunity. IMPROVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, August 7. The deaths from influenza in the metropolitan area have for some time ranged from two to three daily. The country records also show that the epidemic is disappearing. PRECAUTIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, August 7. The Mayor stated to-day that inquiries Into recent cases of pneumonia showed they were of the serious but not virulent type. It had been agreed that it was necessary to warn the public that all the old precautions should be adopted. If a person's temperature rose he or she should go to bed, and should not be visited. Garbage should be cleaned up and disinfectants used, and crowds should not congregate. " This is not an alarmist thing," the Mayor added, " but is a warning in view of next week's gathering."