PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 214, 11 September 1939, Page 10

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.

WEAPON IN WAR.

HINTS FOR EMERGENCIES. Tlip |>art played by preventive medicine in curbing infections diseases was explained liy Dr. Hubert Smitli, M.A., M.D.. of the Health Department, in an interesting talk t«> meniliers of the New Women's Club on Friday. The president, Mrs. \V. B. Darlow. ]>resided. and Mrs. (ioodridge and Mrs. Klliot wore hostesses for the afternoon.

"In regard to war. - ' said Dr. Smith, "it, is recognised that bacterial preventive medicine is the strongest defensive weapon we have. If war hangs on we can expect measures that are outlawed at present will become part and parcel of war. It is not the army in the Held that is going to be affected, but the people behind the lines —(terms in water systems, and so on—so that everyone should have some knowledge of how the greater part of the evil effect* can be mitigated. In the Boer War 30 per cent of the casualties were caused by typhoid fever, and of these 1.1 p"r cent died, while in the (ireat War less than one per cent suffered from typhoid and only fixe per cent of that number died. This reduction was achieved hv improved sanitation, looking after the water systems, and by innocuhition."

'I lie speaker went, oil to explain how science was investigating all the time how germs lived and how they died, and stated I hat great strides had been made in this work in recent vears.

"The best disinfectants we have,"-said Dr. Smith. "are not to be found in bottles, but in heat, sunshine, and fresh air. A few words ot advice closed the address: "Should the Health Department at any time become disorganised the things to do to escape infections diseases are, avoid overcrowding, boil water used for drinking, cooking and washing utensils, burn your rubbish, scald your milk, and cook your food, even at the risk of destroying a few vitamins."