HEALTH YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 16, 20 January 1933, Page 5

HEALTH YEAR.

OFFICER'S REVIEW. FREEDOM FROM DISEASE. INCIDENCE OF 'FLU. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", this day.

"The past year has been a fortunate one in its comparative freedom from infectious disease in New Zealand," said Dr. T. McKibbin, Director of Public Hygiene of the Department of Health, yesterday.

"For some time past," he said, "the figures have shown a tendency toward reduction, a condition which we hope will continue permanent. In quite a few instances there is a reason to believe that such a condition will become permanent if the people live up to a certain hygienic standard. The modern demands for good water supplies, sound drainage, good food, and plenty of fresh air and sunshine are factors likely to bring about permanency in these satisfactory returns." Notifiable Diseases. Dr. McKibbin said that the total number of cases of notifiable diseases for 1932 in the Dominion was 3685, as compared with 5013 in 1931. The chief diseases of the notifiable order were as follow: — 5 1032. 1031. Scarlet fever 820 Diphtheria 802 13'_^ Influenza -j,' Typhoid 18*' Tuberculosis 01- 110J Puerperal fever 92 !(><> Abortions 136 133 Tetanus v.... 17 21 Hydatids 36 *j9 Infantile paralysis 2j 148 'Flu Epidemics. Dr. McKibbin said that a moderate form of influenza was at present affecting the Northern Hemisphere, and particularly England, and it was poesihle

that some reflection of it might be experienced here during next winter. From the newspaper reports, it was gathered that the epidemic at Home was of a moderate type, and with the greater immunity which existed in a country like New Zealand it might be very light, if it came .at all. Such epidemics, however, did have the effect of leaving in their train bronchitis and other lung troubles. , "The worst form of influenza, such as that experienced in New Zealand in November, 1918, arose, I believe, out of conditions supervening on the'war in Europe," said Dr. McKibbin. With the good building up we have in New Zealand, establishing to some _ extent an immunity, it was scarcely likely to be repeated. You will remember that some authorities, who support the wave theory, believed that there would be another epidemic five years later, but it never came, though New Zealand was on its toes over the matter. ■ Two Schools of Thought. "There are two distinct schools of thought in connection with these epidemics. One is that practical immunity can be established by building up-against it in our life habits, conditions of living, good food, fresh air, etc. That is the theory held by Sir Truby King in respect to children. Give him the children young enough to be reared according to his principles, and he can practically guarantee immunity from disease, in the same way as similar principles are applied to young plant life. The other school believes in the wave theory, holding that certain epidemics will recur after a time—that a people will become immune for a time by experience of tlie disease,, but after that, period is up another wave may come along."

Infantile Paralysis. Infantile paralysis was a very difficult disease to combat. It usually occurred in the summer time, as it did last year when, of the 148 cases reported, 104 occurred during the summer of 1931-32. This year the figures were much better, and as summer was now well advanced it looked as though there would not be much of it. Only seven cases were reported for November, and seven for December last. .