HEALTH IN CAMPS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12083, 11 August 1917, Page 8

HEALTH IN CAMPS.

«. GENERAL HENDERSON'S REPORTTHE PREVAILING DISEASES. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 10. Surgeon-General Henderson's report on the health of soldiers who passed through camp last year, totalling 4239, V'ith an average strength of 11,7//-, Avas submitted to the House by Sir James Allen. 'lho Director-General of Medicai Services stated that there were 12,0-18 admissions <o hospital, representing a constantly sick rate of 19.09. As far as venereal disease was concerned, 372 cases were admitted to hospital, a total admission rate of 8.77 per thousand on the number of men who passed tluougu camp, and of 31.8 per thousand on the average strength, or about half the amount th.a/t occurred in the Imperial Army in peace time. Admissions xoi venereal disease showed that the pioximity of a large town affected the numbers" of cases in New Zealand just as iti did elsewhere. . The prevailing diseases were lniluenza and measles. The diseases which caused the chief mortality wore piicuI monia (39 deaths) and cerebro-spinal i fever (36 deaths). There were 92 deaths, | of which 85 were in camp hospitals, giving a death-rate of 7.8 per 1000. In 'addition there wero nine deaths from ac- : eidents, of which seven occurred outI side the camp, and three suicides. The total number of suicides since the camps started was eleven. The Director-Gen-eral pointed out that the rate of suicides in military camps was about twice as high as among the civil population. The rate in England was 227 to 100. Influenza was itho chief cause of sickness, accounting for 5527 admissions to hospital. This disease appeared periochj cally in epidemic iorm, and was reported to bo very prevalent in Wellington I City last ye;u\ As to the ramps at I Trentham, it accounted tor 3138 admissions out of a total of Featherston for 2231 out ol 02n', at Narrow Neck for 121 out of 319, and at Awapuni for 31 out of 211. l'ao disease tvasprevalent nil the-: year at i re-i- ---; them, but chiefly in January and February, Juno and July, when it attained its maximum. It almost disappeared in December. In Featherston it persisted from Juno to the end of the year. The, next most prevalent disease was measles, which was very prevalent m the towns of New Zealand, and was brought into camp by recruits and men on leave. At Trcntham there were ureases, and at Featherston 1548 admissions. Rigorous inspections or all troops were conducted twice or thrice a week in camp, every precaution taken and all contacts isolated. I As regards alcoholism, there were 91 admissions (Trenitham 39 and Featheiston 52). In respect of the nervous svstem wero 129 cases, of wbich 41 were epileptic, with one death, there i was one death from convulsions. There I wero 19 mental cases, of which _ the i largest number wero cases of delusional ' insanity. There were no cases of aleo- , holio insanity. There were 91 cases ol pneumonia, with 39 deaths. In order to prevent diseases, the Director-General urges the provision of well-gravellecl roads, that the men should make proper use of drying-rooms and that tho men should bo kept away as much as possible from towns in winter, the fault of Trcntham being that dr. is much too near Wellington to avoid overcrowding in buildings. Tho prompt segregation of all contacts in infected cases and the provision of ample hospital accommodation for isolating sick are necessary.