INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16302, 30 November 1918, Page 3

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

IMPROVEMENT MAINTAINED IN NEW PLYMOUTH. The statistician’s report for Friday shows there were 25 new cases. New houses affected numbered 11, whilst the recoveries totalled 104. This brings the total number of cases- to 2190 and the recoveries to 1193. Curiously, Fnday’s total is exactly the same as on tho two previous days. Several of the recent sufferers are from the ranks of the workers. The number of recoveries registered shows an improvement again, due no doubt to stricter attention to the work of recording such eases. Tho number of report cards handled on Friday was on .185, compared with 236 on Thursday, whilst last week tho numbers varied from 432 to Last Monday, (the special census day) was the ■record dav, with a total of 741 cards. Tho work is thus becoming lighter. A meeting of the executive of_ the Health Committee was held on Friday night, when it was decided that Sunaay shall be tho last day on which block captains are to nay visits to the houses It was also decided as far as possible to keep the organisation going at least throughout next week. Practically all the medical assistants have agreed to continue the work, whilst the majority’ of the car owners have also agreed to place their cars at the disposal of the committee when required.

% TO-DAY’S CASES. Thirteen new- cases had been reported to-day up to 2 p.m., only one being recorded as severe. The recoveries numbered 63. NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL. 16 ADMISSIONS; 2 DEATHS. The admissions to the New Plymouth Hospital during Friday numbered 16, the details being; From New Plymouth 2, Carrington Road 1; Oaonui 1, Tariki 1, Uruti 5, Pungarehu 1, Urenui 1, Rahotu 2, Upper Mangorei i. •There were two deaths, via., Joseph Sims, New Plymouth; Edmond Aitkcnhead (271, Uruti. The total in hospital is 202, the influenza cases being 159. Discharges 11. The mortality to Friday night in New Plyni(f.ith hospitals is 70—26 from New' Plymouth, 12 from Inglewood, and 32 from other parts of the district. The pressure on the hospital staff as the number ,of cases shows, is still very heavy and likely to remain so for some time, so that it will be necessary for the V.A.D.’s to continue to render their much-needed assistance for some two or three weeks at least.

CONVALESCENT HOMES. At the Women’s Convalescent Home, East End, , on Friday, there were fmtr admissions and four discharges, leaving 20 still in residence. At the Men’s Convalescent Home, Kawaroa Park, there were four admitted and six discharged, leaving 23 inmates. MAORI HOSTEL. There were 19 patients in the Maori hostel at mid-day to-day, and two more expected daring the afternoon. Upon their arrival the building wil bo full. However, there are three patients ready for the convalescent home, and their removal will relieve the position. Three cases are recorded as serious. An improvement in the condition of Messrs. Jackson and Brooks, who are inmates of the hostel, is reported. UPPER MANGOREI. This hosnital has now been fixed up with four bods and four patients have been transferred thereto. Four V.A.D.’s will come into New Plymouth for training. TITO’S HOSPITAL CLEAR. Dr. Blackley reported on Friday that he had visited Tito’s hospital and recommended that all the patients, including Mr. Tito, three boys, two small children, and three, other adults, could now b© transferred to the Bell Block clearing-house. Tui, his wife, and children, could go home. This now Completely cleared up Tito’s.

COASTAL REPORTS. The medical assistant at Pungarelm reports, inter alia:—On Friday two cases were reported to me for the first time, one a married woman who has been in bed for eight days, but appears to be doing well, and the other a lad .of 17, who has been ill off and. on for ten or eleven days. It appears to be more than likely that this case will be sent to the hospital. As far as I can see, there null be no further admissions to the hospital. Most of the cases that X have seen or heard of are light. Until Friday 1 have visited every case daily, however slight, Pungarehu.—General conditions and progress are quite satisfactory. Number in hospital, 12; admission, probably one to come in on Friday. Seven to go out on Saturday if they can receive proper isolation, etc., at home. Warea.—Number in hospital, 3; admissions, 1; no discharges. One to go out on Saturday. It should be possible to close this hospital at tho week end. Okato.—Seventeen cases, three serious. All improving. There is stdl one bed available.

Puniho Pah Hospital.—There arc 22 cases, and the building is overcrowded. Convalescent hospital to bo set up in school, if considered suitable by medical officer. A requisition for same is in hand. The Maori population requires patrolling. MAORIS REFUSE ASSISTANCE. Sir. W. R. Wright (chairman of the Egmont County Council) reported on Friday night that some residents of Opunake went to Parihaka fo establish a hospital there, but, as bo feared, the Maoris refused to allow them to do anything. Only four deaths have occurred at tho Native hospital, Pihama, where accommodation has now been prepared for an additional 20. WAITAKA. A convalescent hospital for Maori women has been opened in tho Technical School, at Waitara, and here 12 more have been transferred. This building is eminently suitable for the purpose, the inmates being comfortably housed. This should take the pressure off the Maori hospital at Waitara, where on Friday 13 were admitted. It is hoped that the epidemic has now reached its height ■ among the Natives, and that the present arrangements will be sufficient to meet the requirements.

LEPPERTON. Tlie medical assistant who visited Loppcrton yesterday reported; Matters are distinctly good in this district. 1 visited three patients, all of whom arc convalescing. EGMONT COUNTY ORGANISATION.

On Friday, Dr. Walker visited the i Egmont County and met at Opunako | Major Keenan and representatives of I the Egmont County Council, Opunako ; Town Hoard, and Parihuka Road Poard. 1 Ho also visited the various hospitals in | tlie countv, viz., R-aiiotu, Oaonui, Opunake, Pihama, Te Kiri, Pungarehu, Warca, Puniho and finally Okuto, in j the Taranaki County. _ ■ He states that the organisation throughout the Egmont County is very good, and that there are fine bands of workers at the various there are seventy cases in the Egmont j County hospitals, the great majority of i them being mild. Throughout the county there is an efficient process of daily | inspection, and it is highly probable j that the tine effort made in the Egmont County will prevent occurrences of such , gravity as were witnessed in this *dis- | trlct in the earlier clays of the epidemic. |

NORTH TARANAKI. MEDICAL ASSISTANTS’ REPORTS. The medical assistants who visited North Taranaki report as follows: Tongaporutu.—Wo have instructed Mr. Rattonbury in the duties of M.A., and he will report to New Plymouth any’ cases of a serious nature. Ahititi.—A committee has been formed to do all possible to organise the district. Mr. Thompson will visit cases and take temperatures. The supplies of medicine will be kept at the creamery, whore an inhalation chamber is to bo installed.

At Okau Road a committee lias been formed, with 31 r. Payne as chairman. He will patrol the road, and Mr. Payne will take temperatures. This committee will also attend to Rcrekapa, and it has been arranged for the settlers at Kotare to keep in touch with Rcrekapa. There are only four cases in the district actually down. There have been 20 cases in a mild form, all haying recovered. Taking into consideration the number of serious cases occurring at Uruti, the settlers have become fully alive to the necessity for every precaution being taken, and have responded nobly to the call for assistance. The establishment of a hospital at some central point will largely depend on the needs or Awakino and Mokau. As far as that district is concerned, there,is yet no need for one. If it becomes necessary, an empty house of isoven rooms in the late K. P. Bailey's estate, healthily situated, two miles north of Tougaporutu, will bo eminently suitable. Awakino.—The medical assistant has travelled the whole of the district, and there are only mild cases just now. Ho has visited every case, no matter what the condition of the patient, and has prescribed what was necessary. A committee has been appointed in the district, and they have some with fairly good nursing experience, and can keep things in hand now.

STRATFORD RE-OPENING SHOPS. Per Press Association. . STRATFORD, Nov. 30. , Stratford and district have suffered -severely during the month from the ravages of the epidemic, business being almost entirely suspended for the past three weeks, but the outlook now- is so much improved that it has been decided that the shops will re-open as usual on Monday.

Two temporary hospitals hecamo necessary in Stratford in addition to tho general hospital, to accommodate the more severe cases. Splendid organisation by the Citizens’ Committee, hospital staff and volunteer workers saved many lives. Tho total deaths in the Stratford hospital district, with a population of 9000. during the last three weeks number 46. In ont-back centres the establishment of small temporary hospitals helped greatly to minimise tho spread of the disease. CONDITIONS ELSEWHERE. REPORTS STILL FAVOURABLE. AUCKLAND. Nov. 29. With reference to the Maknra, tho Mayor, at tho citizens’ meeting, said that if the matter lay with Dr. Frengley the city had nothing to fear, hot if left to the Minister in Wellington, who might telegraph that the vessel be cleared, as ho had done in the case of tho Niagara, there was cause for alarm.

The statement hy the Minister that measles were rife in Auckland was contrary to Dr. Frengley’s opinion. Mr. Savage assured the meeting that no ship would be allowed by tho watersidors to berth if there was the slightest danger of infection. The Mayor was supported to the full by the other civic authorities. WELLINGTON, Nov. 29.

The latest reports from all quarters indicate that the steady improvement has been maintained. The number of fresh cases recorded to-day is very small, and in como districts none were reported. A further -distinct advance is recorded in connection with the various hospitals, and tho outlook grows brighter every hour. Three medical military orderlies leave for 1 Waifcara by Saturday morning’s train. Mr. W. T. Jennings has further requisitioned some more military orderlies for other outlying places, and Sir James Allen, Defence Minister, has assisted very much in this way, and, if ho can get tho men, will send them forward. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 29.

The Christchurch influenza situation shows a. marked improvement, and there were only 10 admissions to the hospital and one death. STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 30. It is now generally admitted that tho most acute phase of the epidemic passed a week ago and a steady improvement .has been recorded daily ever „sincc. Admissions to tho hospitals yesterday were 9 and the deaths 5. HOKITIKA, Noy. 30. There have been 26 deaths for trvo weeks and a-half, 11 of whom were country residents. Tho deaths included three ex-soldiers and tw r o hospital nurses. A third nurse is dangerously ill. The staff is thus seriously depleted and further nurses are urgently required. Reports show- that the serious cases aro are disappearing and the actually dangerous cases with ono or two exceptions are mending slowly. In South Westland the epidemic is not proving very serious, though several patients . ate down.