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1917. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (REPORT OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF MEDICAL SERVICES SHOWING THE STATE OF THE HEALTH OF THE) WHILST IN CAMPS IN NEW ZEALAND, FOR THE YEAR 1916.

Laid on the, Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Memorandum for the Hon. the Minister of Defence. Department of Defence, Wellington, 27' th July, 1917. I have the honour to submit a summarized report on the health of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force whilst in camps in New Zealand for the year 1916. The health statistics have been worked on the estimated average annual strength. R. S. F. Henderson, Surgeon-General, The Hon. Minister of Defence. Director-General of Medical Services.

NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Health of Reinforcements in New Zealand for the Year 1916, Strength. —The total number of officers and men who have been present in the trainingcamps during the year 1916 equals 42,390. The average strength was 11,772, Admissions to Hospital. —The total number of admissions to hospital was 12,048, giving an admission-rate per thousand of 1,023 and a constantly-sick rate of 19 - 59. Deaths. —There were 92 deaths from disease, of which 85 were in camp hospitals and 7 in civil hospitals elsewhere or at sea, giving a death-rate of 7'B per thousand on the average strength. In addition there were 9 deaths from accidents, of which 7 occurred out, of camp, and 3 suicides, giving a total number of deaths from all causes of 104. This amounts to a death-rate of 24 per thousand on the total numbers and of B'9 on the average strength. The prevailing diseases were influenza and measles. The diseases which caused the chief mortality were pneumonia (39 deaths) and cerebrospinal fever (36 deaths). Health of Camps. —As regards the four camps, the admissions and constantly sick, based on the average strength, with the number of deaths, were as follows : —

Thus Featherston, with a slightly increased constantly-sick rate, had a smaller admission-rate and fewer deaths than Trentham. Narrow Neck had a, smaller admission-rate but a, larger number of constantly sick and a higher death-rate as compared with Awapuni, which had no deaths at all.

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Camp, Average Strength. : Admissions Admissions. 1 per Thousand. ,, ,. Constantly constantly D - i 0 . , J Sick, per Sick. „,, ' r , thousand. Deaths. Disease. Accident Suicide. 37 I 2 45 1 1 3 I ■ I Featherston Trentham .. Narrow Neck Awapuni 6,466 4,737 317 193 6.277 970 5,239 1,105 319 1 .000 211 1,090 125-16 19-35 91-50 19-31 10-66 33-68 3-33 17-25