TREATMENT OF LEPROSY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29931, 19 September 1962, Page 17

TREATMENT OF LEPROSY

Medical Secretary’s Address

The greatest need of the Mission to Lepers today was not money but personnel, said Dr. Neil Fraser, medicsl secretary of the mission, st a meeting of its Canterbury area last evening. New Zealand had led the world in mountain climbing and in some spheres of medical research, and could lead the world in integrating leprosy work with the wider missionary field, he said. Dr. Fraser said that 50 years ago little could be done in the wav of a cure, but with the introduction of the drug diamano- diphenyl- sulphone, treatment had been revolutionised, leprosy could be cured, and was being cured in all parte of the world. The new drug, however, was not the final answer, but research in a series of drugs was being maintained to find a more effective cure. Man was coming out of the darkness into the light in the treatment of the disease. The Mission to Lepers was trying to meet the need in each country wherever there were workers to meet the task. Dr. Fraser reviewed what had been done, what was being done and what might be done in the treatment of leprosy throughout the world. The Mayor (Mr G. Manning), who welcomed Dr. Fraser and Mrs Fraser, said the city recognised the wonderful work they had performed for humanity. That work demonstrated there was within the country a wonderful response to the suffering and the need for treatment of the disease. It was gratifying to know that so much was contributed by New Zealand in the Pacific Islands and the Near North.

Mr Manning expressed his pleasure that It was the fiftieth anniveraary of the establishment of the mission in New Zealand, and said he hoped the jubilee year appeal would be moat successful. Mr H. Beattie, chairman of the Canterbury committee, presented the annual report. The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mr Beattie; minute secretary, Mrs G- Cameron; committee, Mesdames H. Silcock and S. A. Brooker, and Messrs G. L. Hight, G. L. Crozier, and Beattie; church representatives, Mesdames G. Cameron and A. S. Blackwood, the Revs- P. N. Wright, L. N. Morris, F. H. Woodfield and G. A. Doecke, and Messrs R. D. Pryde, F. Winder, P. A. Stead and W. Salter-