HEALTH STAMPS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20413, 7 December 1931, Page 11

HEALTH STAMPS.

NEW ZEALAND CAMPAIGN. FUNDS TO SUBSIDISE HEALTH CAMPS. Tvrenty-eight years ago -a young mail clerk in a small post offiee in Dnuurk was,, working far into the night •* Christmas Eve distributing holiday greeting cards and letters. He saw that as a rale they would go to comfortable homes* housing happy, vigorous -families. He knew, too, that where kind Christmas wishes and good Chrtatmas deeds were . most needed there would likely come not even a brief word of greeting. Thus in Denmark.» j 1903 was born the idea of the Christ .Seal, for.the young mail Holboell, "then conceived the placing a voluntary tax o» *TMHE cards, the proceeds from wMtodWHt* be devoted to alleviating of the unfortunate. ■« Subsequently the idea, in all countries of the with the greatest sueJ? B ** eiple has been adopted the- .Aw Zealand Health this year with the object of subsidising of ift Y*iio«a parts of New.- Zealand, and the#* "Health Stamps for Health Camps, 5 * i* denominations of 2d and 3d, in sow w sale at the ppst offices. The porta** values of these stomps axe 2d and 3d respectively, eaclr sitfa, benefiti»g_th« fund to the extent of 3d. "• Health camps have proved to .be «f great value, and mferit.tke interest asi support of all who have, at sseart th» . welfare of New Zealand TSjey are established primarily foip tfw benefit of under-nourished childre* fratlr the object of fortifying . them against tuberculosis. It is generally reeogniawd that many,-individuals-.fall victims' to the disease owing to (Mr having bet* exposed to infection, perhaps in their own homes, "during cMldlhood. It is al** known that th? disease nay be -fn*-* vented in tie majority of instaneea by the suitable treatment of those -srk* might be expected to beeome infected. The safeguarding of children Hxißg in homes where an inmate Is a talmenitMiia patient is therefosa an essential precaution. ~ . .' It should be clearly understood;, hoyever, that these camps do not- twta positive tubercular .eases; the children are rather what might bp termed wws» pective eases, and are <»eleetedb by school medical officers and nurses of the , Health . Department on . thair own observations and on the mnawwdatifw of medical Supervised rest and feeding, sun-MtHing, and! a modified school currieulum are featsm of the strict schedule of the eamjta. Very, seldom do the ehSdrenfall ' to show an improvement. In four or £*a weeks-of camp life it is not uncoauaea. indeed, to find* improvement in vreijjfet of from 61b to 141b. Subsequent watch-, ing shows that only about 19 per eeafc. fail to continue their improvement in health and physique.