Poison Residues In Body Fat

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30632, 24 December 1964, Page 10

Poison Residues In Body Fat

Sir, —A month ago it was announced that the Health Department is undertaking this research seeking permission from patients undergoing abdominal operations to take fat specimens for the purpose. The programme outlined for Auckland Hospital provided for 24 samples each year for 4] years, 108 in all. It was not stated whether Auckland was the only hospital involved, but it seems to be a slow and cumbersome method of arriving at mere statistics. The question is not numbers of cases in the

population, but the amount of residue where it is suspected of causing illness. The department doing the analyses already has tested numbers of cases connected with arthritis and at least one meat inspector has been testing human fats sent to him by doctors. He has found up to six parts per million. What is more important now is that research should be devoted to methods of reducing residue in patients.—Yours, etc., W. B. BRAY. Leeston, December 10, 1964.

[The district Medical Officer of Health (Dr. L. F. Jepson) replies:—“Your correspondent is correct in stating that a survey is being made in selected areas of New Zealand to analyse fat specimens from patients undergoing operations. The areas involve rural centres besides the metropolitan area of Auckland, and these have been chosen having regard to the different occupational pattern of employment. Research is being continuously carried out in New Zealand in methods of reducing poison residues by the analysis of foods, dusts, and of the different chemical formulations, in which the World Health Organisation has an expert committee continuously studying the problem."]