Maori Afflicted By Affluent Disorders

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31205, 1 November 1966, Page 18

Maori Afflicted By Affluent Disorders

(New Zealand Press a»»ociaUan» AUCKLAND, October 31. Initially a healthy race, the Maoris were almost decimated after the coming of the European and now, after a resurgence in numbers, they were afflicted by the disorders of more affluent living, said Dr. B. S. Rose in Auckland today.

Dr. Rose, a rheumatologist from Rotorua, was addressing the Pan Pacific Surgical Association’s mobile seminar at the Medical Centre, Auckland Hospital. He told the doctors, mostly from the United States, that with increasing life expectancy. chronic degenerative disorders were a major factor today in the health of Maoris. The Maori, like the European, had moved out of the area of infectious diseases, but unfortunately seemed to suffer more severely now from degenerative disorders such as gout, obesity, dia betes. blood pressure and

heart conditions. Dr. Rose said. It was believed that most of the Pacific races had a genetic predisposition to the disorders, but environment was also a factor. Statistics showed there was more coronary disease among Maoris than Europeans and it was higher among Maori women than in the men. “As well as alcohol and muskets," Dr. Rose said, “we brought venereal disease which affected the fertility of the race, tuberculosis, small pox and measles, decimating the population, in some villages there were not enough people left alive to bury the dead.” The health of the Maori population was also affected by poverty resulting from dispossession of their lands. In a review of the history of the Maoris, Dr. H. R. Bennett, medical superintendent of Tokanui Hospital._said the Maori population was*WO,ooo at the turn of this century. Better living conditions and increased public health measures had helped raise it to the level of 200,000 at the last census.

“There must be further fusion with the white strain,” Dr. Bennett said, "but the vast mass of the Maori people are extremely conscious of their race and ancestry."