PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30535, 2 September 1964, Page 5

PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS

Campaign Change Deplored

There would be fewer cases of tuberculosis if B.C.G. vaocination had been continued on a large scale in the South Island, said Dr/A. A. Cox at the annual meeting of the Canterbury and 'West Coast Tuberculosis Association yesterday. Although still given In the North Island, where a high percentage of tuberculosis exists among Maoris, B.C.G. injections have been discontinued in the South Island, except in certain, situations. The injections had been discontinued at a. time-, when health authorities' were on top of tuberculosis, Dr. Cox said. "I consider it was a retrograde step.” Dr. Cox said he did not consider that tuberculosis would .regress to the stage where it was again one of New Zealand’s major health problems, but it would have been wiser to continue the injections. Dr. Cox said he would like to see children skin tested, and those who reacted negatively given a B.C.G. injection. Officers elected were: president, Mr C. A. Rattray; vicepresidents, Miss M. Enright and Mr F. S. Taylor; executive, Messrs P. P. J. Amodeo, B. A. Caygill, H. E. H. Denham, A. R. Giithrey, W. J. V. Hamilton, H. E. Perry, A. H. T. Rose, R. H. Truscott, L. Wilson, the Rev. G. A. W. Armstrong, Dr. A. A. Cox, Dr. I. C. Mclntyre, and Dr. W. Smith, with the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. L. F. Jepson) and Dr. T. O. Enticott as ex-officio members.