INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16303, 2 December 1918, Page 7

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC.

IMPROVEMENT MAINTAINED. SHOPS RE-OPENED TO-DAY. The new cases of influenza reported during the week-end again showed a decrease as compared with previous days. To-day the town re-opened for business and the streets presented a busy appearance compared with their condition during the past fortnight of inactivity. The shops arc to observe slightly curtailed hours:—from 0 a.m. to 4 p.m. —and purchasers are requested to continue to observe the rales that have been laid down lay the Public Health Committee. lintels, barbers, picture theatre;;, billiard rooms and other places closed by proclamation by the Health Department do not re-open until, further notice, and neither docs the.-*prcsent re-opening affect eating places, which will continue to observe the stated hours previously notified. On Saturday, according to the report of the statistician, there were sixteen new cases and' three new houses, one case being serious. Eight cases required medical assistance, one help, and none required nursing; 16 required food; 74 had recovered. This made the total cases 2212, the new houses 3-56, serious oases 131, recoveries 1267. ■ Saturday marked another step in the right direction, only 16 new cases being recorded, as against 25 for each of the three preceding days, while only three new houses were affected. The number of recorded recoveries was gradually mounting, so that for the first time since the 18th ultimo the books showed less than 1000 sick in the town. Sometimes the new houses appeared to be hunched in certain localities, but on Saturday they were spread widely. On Sunday there were 17 new cases, four new houses being infected. Two were classed as serious, two required medical assistance, and one required domestic help. There were eight cases requiring food, and 45 recoveries were reported. This makes the total cases 2229, new houses 360, and serious cases 133.

Altogether there have been 1312 recoveries, leaving 917 still sick. Several of the rounds’ men report their districts clean. On Sunday the block captains made their daily round of the houses- for the last time. AVith this exception, the organisation will he kept going this week at least. Men will be continuonsly in touch with the telephones at the central office, and there will also he officials at the counter to attend to inquiries, etc. The medical assistants will carry on their good work in the town and country, and' so, too, will tho committee in charge of farming assistance. People in town or country requiring assistance must let the committee know as early as possible.

HOSPITAL REPORT. On Saturday 11 patients were admitted to the New Plymouth Hospital—--1 from Oaonui, 2 Okato, 3 Uruti. 3 New Plymouth, 1 AVestown, and 1 AA raitara. Five patients were sent to the East End Convalescent Horae and 4 to Kawaroa. There were eight deaths, namely;— Airs. AlTvay (Inglewood), 26. Herbert Treves (Aloturoa), 40. Brian Bielby (New Plymouth), 19. Miss Kate Cleary (New Plymouth), 50. Aliss Alargaret AVallcr (Oaonui), 18. John Stachurski (Ratapiko), 20. Miss Ivy Alitchell (Fitzroy), 30. Airs. (Nurse) Sisley (New Plymouth), 62. There remained in the hospital 190 cases, 14S being influenza.' At the Native hostelry there was one admission, no deaths, and no patients discharged, 21 remaining in the institution. On .Sunday there were six admissions to the hospital—3 from New Plymouth and 3 from AA’aitara. Seven patients were discharged, 4 to the East End and 3to Kawaroa There was one death— Frank Drosdowski (Tariki), 60 —leaving 196, of whom 142 were suffering from influenza.

There are now 23 convalescing at the East End and 21 at Kawaroa.

At the Native hostelry there was one death, leaving 19 cases at the institution. GOOD POSITION TO-DAY. The number of new cases reported at the bureau up to 2 o’clock to-day was o, none of which were serious. The number of recoveries recorded to the same time was 22. To-day, up till 2.30 p.m., three patients were admitted to the New Plymouth. Hospital. There had been no deaths. THE CRECHE. There are now only eight babies at the creche in charge of Piunket Nurse AVilliams. No further babies will be taken in and it is expected' that the crechc will bo closed in a day or so, as the mothers recover sufficiently to take back their children. HOSPITAL ASSISTANTS REQUIRED A 1 ith the resumption of business in the town a number ol health workers have had to discontinue giving their assistance The emergency staff at the hospital lias been a fleeted in this wav and assistance is still urgently required. The position there is still very serious and in order to carry to a conclusion the good work that has already been done at the institution by the staff and the V.A.D.’s, whose work is thoroughly appreciated, it is absolutely essential that additional V.A.D.’s shall be obtained. An appeal, therefore, is made for girls to assist in nursing; girls to do any work in the wards other than nursing; girls not desiring to assist in nursing, but willing to do work outside the wards; men for both day and night duty in the wards. Those willing to assist in any of the above duties should communicate with Mr. J. M'Lood, or the Health Bureau (’phone 700).

Tlie Health Committee is making an appeal for old clothes for men. women, and children, suitable for the Maoris who are in the Convalescent Homo at Bell Block. NATIVE HOSTELRY. Up to Saturday 12 patients had been admitted to the Native hostelry, most of them unfortunately being in a serious condition on admission. To this is attributable the largo number of deaths which up till Saturday stood at 16. On Sunday another death occurred, the victim being Miss'Taylor (Waiiara). Early this morning (12.30 a.m.) James Watson (Waitara.) died, leaving IS inmates of the hostel. Up till noon there had been no admissions to-day, but one patient was exnected.

FA !i AI TNG A SSIST A NCE. The Fanners’ Assistance C'oramitioe have reported that they visaed Kaluii Hoad factory, and found the staff won' just.able to keep it miming. After putting the “bacli” in a sanitary condition, tlicy guaranteed to supply help should it be required. On the Kabul Road the farmers were in difficulties, 19 having gone down in one day. At Rabotu they were in difficulties for a baker, but the committee were able to put them in touch with a medical assistant. A volunteer were also taken to Otako to assist a boy and girl who wore endeavouring to milk 70 cows. There was another urgent case on the Allred Koad, when' a boy, whose father is dead, was endeavouring to milk 27 cows. Assistance was at once sent. They were able to .supply volunteer milkers for all the other eases, for ■ whom -they had for some, time been rendering assistance, and, thanks to the splendid response of volunteers, every call for assistance had been met. DISTRICT KUPOIITS.

Waitara.—The convalescent home for Maori women at WaiLara is working well, and has taken considerable pressure off the hospital.' The medical .superintendent visited V.'uitara, and condemned the State school as unfit-to put .Maoris in. lot alone school children. Provided there is iu sudden increase in the epidemic, which might, happen should further plague spots bo discovered among the Maoris, as was recently the case, the present organisation should cope with the demand. Lower .Mangorei.—A report from Lower Mangorei states that. everything is working well and in good hands from a medical and nursing point of view. Good eo-operation prevails. With the sanction of the borough council, the ’phone at the 'waterworks will be open night and day. In the event of an outbreak. Air. Rcnoui White offered two or three rooms in his house, and suggested other premises. Sentry Hill.—A report from Sentry Hill states that the district is all clear and that no further report will be made unless anything fresh occurs. Tikorangi.—A fairly representative meeting of keen and willing people was held at 'Tikorangi. There is a good hall suitable for a, hospital if'required. An inhalation plant is to be fitted at the factory. Steps were at once taken to organise the district, and the settlors promised to send in four V.A.D.’s for hospital training. There, have been a number of mild cases, and One or two bad cases .are now on hand.

Okoke Road.—Two representatives visited the Okoke district and mot the settlers, who formed a committee, with Air. AVright as chairman. Air. AVright offered a seven-roomed house for a hospital. It is within five minutes of the telephone, and eminently suitable. Airs. Puller has been installed as matron, ..and the Rev. Air. Rarnitt. who had instruction as a medical assistant, is to act as secretary. Four patients were to be shifted to tho hospital, and two children from a house whore all tho rest were down were motored to Urenui. The representatives state, th* t the committee readily adopted the plans suggested, and will now be able to keep an eye on all- tho settlors. The position at Okoko was not very bad yet, but the settlors were determined to be prepared.

Alokan.—The medical assistants reported that tho Alokau district is practical) y all well. There is one patient, who is now convalescent. There have been one or two "cases of mild influenza in the town lately. A meeting was held on Friday evening, when full arrangements were made for combatting the epidemic should it reach the district. A patrol of the river has been arranged, and medicine has been sent up to Air. Mount, manager of Chambers’ station, Air. Maine has undertaken the management of the district, and Messrs. APGregor and AFDonald have been given instruction in medical assistants’ work. Several ladies avo willing to proceed to Now Plymouth to gain ALA.D. experience if necessity arises. A suitable hall is also procurable should it be necessary to establish a hospital, and .settlers have guaranteed to supply tho necessary■ requirements. Pnniho.—The ' school building has been opened as a Native convalescent hospital. Seven patients were admitted on Sunday. Ten were ordered in, a report states, but three, declined to go. Tho Punilio main Native hospital ;s being carried on satisfactorily, although the building is very crowded.

Pnngavehu.—The Pungarohu hospital has been closed and convalescents dis-c-ha; ged. Four patients have been removed to AVaroa hospital. The medical assistant at Pungarehu is to take charge of Punilio, AVarea and Pungareliu districts.

Okato.—A report states that at Okato there are 17 cases, one serious, and one vacant bed. The doctor recommended the ton floor of Mrs. Gill’s house, if Mrs. Gdl was agreeable, as a convalescent home. DISTRICT HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION. A report on the various hospitals shows the. maximum accommodation at Pungarohu is 16, and the present accommodation 12; Punilio, 16 and 16; Punilio School. 12 and 0; Native hostelry, 25 and 21; New Plymouth Hospital, 20 and 20; Bell Block convalescent, 31 and 19; AA’aitara Hospital, 31 in No. T and two .available beds ; in No. 2 ward, 9 patients and three available bods. MARKED IMPROVEMENT AT DUNEDIN. • Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Doc. 2. The influenza position is regarded very hopefully. Notifications for Otago ami Southland for the two days have been only thirty. The improvement is more marked in town than in the country. Deaths from influenza during the month have been 21 in Gore and 13 in Mataura. Few new cases are reported, and the position is mending quickly. CHRISTCHURCH POSITION SATISFACTORY.

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 2. The influenza patients admitted into tiie hospitals on Saturday and Sunday wore 17, and tli'c deaths 10. Reports regarding the epidemic are generally satisfactory. Evidence of the improved conditions is found in the decision of the tramway authorities to resume the day time-tables. The burials in November in the two municipal cemeteries numbered 446, compared with 63 last year.