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112. Have you got any report to show that? —Yes. As a matter of fact, during the whole period of the tent life of the camp our sick-returns show a record that is unsurpassed by any camp anywhere : we had only two deaths out of twenty thousand men attributable to the camp— one in December, from pneumonia, and one in April, from pneumonia. These are the only two deaths during that period as the result of camp life. 113. There was, then, practically no disease during the eight months? —No serious disease. We had six deaths altogether from the 20th October to the 10th June. 114. Dr. Martin.] What were your deaths from the opening of the camp in connection with the Second Reinforcements? —We did not have a single death. 115. You made a general statement that it was the healthiest camp in the world, taking the period?—l think so, from the records. 116. You are basing that on the returns of the deaths per cent.? —Yes, sir. As I say, up to 10th June we had six deaths altogether. The first man, Clark, died from pneumonia in Wellington Hospital; then a man called Keating was picked out of a truck at the station on Boxing Day morning, and it was supposed he had been injured in a drunken row. He was operated upon, but they could not find any trace of injury, and he died next day. 1.17. We do not wish all those details?— There were only six deaths and two cases of very serious illness. 118. In a return which has been supplied to us it appears there were seven, apart from the man who was killed? —Yes, there were seven. 119. That is up to but not including June?— And only two practically attributable to the camp life —one from pneumonia, and one from pneumonia after measles. 120. That covers the various camps up to June : had you much sickness? —Very little sickness. 121. Are you considering the measles that broke out as sickness? —Yes. Of course, they had measles in the main body. 122. When did the first measles break out? —On the 14th November. It was brought from the Addington Camp at Christchurch. 123. What date did the man arrive? —He came with the Canterbury Mounted, and it was on the 13th November that he was diagnosed as having conjunctivitis and influenza. 124. How do you prove that he brought it up from Addington ? —We always reckoned at the time that he brought it from Addington. 125. The Chairman.] Unless you can prove it, all that we could find would be that the camp authorities thought it came from Addington. Can you not find the date he came up?— I do not know, but that was the first man who had measles in the camp. 126. Mr. Salmond.] What would be the period of incubation for measles? —It varies from fourteen to twenty-one clays. 127. Before they would manifest themselves? —Before the rash comes on. In a measles epidemic you could diagnose measles four or five days beforehand. There is an entry in the hospital register: " Macdonald, C. Nov. 14. Macdonald to go to hospital; all men in tent to be sent to isolation tent." 128. What date was he sent to Wellington Hospital 14th November. 129. The same date; and his tent isolated? —Yes, the whole of the contacts were isolated. 130. Dr. Martin.] Was this done on the 14th, too? —Yes. 131. The Chairman.] Who would order that to be done?— The Medical Officer, Major McKillop. 132. And the man reached the Wellington Hospital on the 14th?—I would not like to say that; they may have treated him in the camp. It simply says, " Measles cases to go to hospital." 133. During November did further cases of measles occur?—We had altogether in November twelve cases of measles. 134. There is a report here from Dr. Fyffe that there were thirty cases sent in to the hospital? —But they could not all have been measles. I interviewed Dr. Hardwick Smith, and said that I did not like to treat measles cases in the camp in tents in any sort of weather, and he agreed with me. He said that he would look after them, and keep them over the pneumonic stage of measles. They were kept in the Wellington Hospital for fourteen days'. 135. We have then in this report of February 119 cases of sickness, a large proportion being measles, during November, December, and January? —No, sir; there were twelve cases in November, twelve in December, and twenty in January, and fifteen in February. 136. Dr. Martin.] How many in March? —Forty-eight. 137. In April?— Eighty-six. " 138. In. May?— Two hundred. 256 up till about the 20th June. 139. Are these all cases of sickness, or measles? —Measles. 140. Did they all go to Wellington Hospital?— Not. all of them. On the 12th April some cases of measles went to Berhampore Hospital. There was very little sickness in the camp during the Second Reinforcements— from the 22nd October till the 12th December. 141. How can you understand that Dr. Fyffe should report that during November there were thirty cases', December thirty-seven, and January fifty-two—that is 119 cases altogether—a large proportion being measles? —I cannot say, sir, because Dr. Fyffe had nothing to do with the camp in November. 142. This is written in February, reviewing the matter? —Well, these are the records. 143. Did you see this, letter by Dr. Fyffe?—l cannot say. [Witness examines letter.] Yes, I have seen that letter. 144. He has overstated the case, apparently? —Quite so. My return was made out to the end of June, to find out exactly how many cases of measles we had, and the doctor made it up carefully from the records.
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