reports 'Three communteable diseases of the respiratory group, namely smallpox, scarlet fever and' diphtheria, greatly increased in Incidence over' that. last month, whilst influenza registered.
slight increase, The last mentioned, however, deserves special mention at the present time.
The public no doubt are aware of the prevalence of influenza both In Europe and on the American con~ Unent, Information in the hands of the Public Health Department Indicates that the epidemic has not yet reached its maximum, Great Britain, in particular, is suffering more severely than other countries and has a heavy "fatality role, The presence of the disease on the Pacific coast of America is, however, of greater importance to this Town, since past experience influenza has shown only too clearly how influenza may, in the space of couple of weeks, spread from one Continent to another, nally becoming a world wide disease as occurred in the pandemic "of 1918-1019, As the increasing rapidity of intercontinental communteation is the most outstand~ ing feature of modern elvillzation, the Public Health Department con siders a few words of advice and warning desirable.
Influenza belongs to the respiratory croup of diseases, in which the causal agent is transmitted from person to person by what is known as "droplet Infection," Lo, the infective secretions of the nose and throat in a person suffering from the disease are projected Ju speaking, coughing, ete,, In the form of minnie dropleis: which carry the disease to such susceptible persons in the near vicinity as may inhale them, so that, from the point of view of the patient, there is little difference between the onset of {influenza and a common cold; hence when influenza ly prevalent' in a community it is undesirable to treat cold casually. Any person foding 4 cold coming on should, particularly the cold is accompanied by any marked.rise in temperature, go. to bed at the earliest opportunity, taking such domestic remedies as have by experience been found to be service. Tt the Fast does not prove beneficial, medical advice should be sought at the earllest opportunity, Many of the more serious after effects of influenza are due to the ation "sticking it out" with the r0- sult that a short absence from work is converted into a longer illness.
Certain precautions should be care fully observed to prevent "chills" and "olds." Avoid over heated rooms, especially. those centrally heated. a form of heating which" dries the delicate lining of the respiratory aystem and renders infection more liable. Avoid draughts and" wear warm clothes, Do. not go diteclly from a very warm room into the open air, without extra clothes, "After faking exercise, before bath= ing, put on extra clothing until sweating has ceased, Gargles and irrigants have a place in the prevention of influenza; but It important to remember. that the nose is the important protection against respiratory diseases and that this line is more easily. penetrated after the nasal membrane has been overworked, og occurs in crowded and overheated places such—og theatres, cinemas, public con-voyances, ete.
The actual formula of a gargle is of slight importance; in fact a salt and water gargle (}'tea-spoonful of common salt to pint warm water) is regarded as quite adequate by many authorities, This same formula may be used for douching the nose, but it Is considered by some that either olive of oF a petroleum all with a trace of Eucalyptus, or other suitable mild antiseptic, of any oily nature is less damaging to the nasal membranes, Thia is best inserted warm into the nose with a medicinal dropper, the head being thrown well back to enable the uld to penetrate to the back of the throat.
Whilst gauze masks protecting the nose have a value, It is questionable whether the public is ever likely. to adopt them except under the threat a greater danger than fs apparent at the present time, Derecrwves attached to the West Gate Branch of Nantao Police Force arrested during the week-end, Chu Meng Road, five men wanted for the murder of Chiang Huai-an, stable of the Naniao Police Force, and the theft of the constable's service pistol at San Kwan Tang last year. Taken to the West Gate Station they admitted having committed several armed crimes following the con-table's murder.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.