NO ADVANCES MADE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 219, 16 September 1935, Page 5

NO ADVANCES MADE

LEPROSY TREATMENT.

HEALTH IN THE PACIFIC.

CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY.

"There have been no real advances for many years in the fight against leprosy, said Dr. H. de Rook, chief medical officer of Cele'bes Island, Dutch East Indies, who is returning by the Monowai after attending the Pacific Health I Conference at Sydney. "The changes lin medical outlook on tropical diseases were fully discussed, but little of great importance transpired," he said. "Leprosy continues to be the mysterious and deadly disease of the tropics. It's <rerm is like the tuberculosis bacillus ! and was discovered at the end of the last century. Since then no advances have been made. Animals do not get leprosy and therefore research is held up as no experiments can be carried out. EiForts have been repeatedly made to cultivate leprosy germs, but all have failed. , "If treated in its early stages leprosy can generally be cured, but skilled attention is necessary as soon as the I first symptoms are noticed. In the Dutch East Indies there is no compulsory segregation for leprosy or tuberculosis as in the British possessions. We find that people come readily to the medical authorities at the first sign of 1 these diseases, whereas in those countries where they know they will be I quarantined they keep away from the doctors until the disease is too far gone to be cured." . , , , Dr. de Rook said that it had been decided to hold another Pacific Health Conference in three years' time, probably at Suva. The doctor is on his way to Suva, where he will take a cutter for the Makogai Island leprosy station. After making a study of the conditions prevailing there Dr. de Rook intends to visit the American leprosy station in the Hawaiian Group. He i will then return to Holland on furlough. J