Multiple Sclerosis Research Project

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32037, 11 July 1969, Page 12

Multiple Sclerosis Research Project

Plans for a New Zealand research project on multiple sclerosis will be made at a special meeting in Wellington in October, according to the Dominion president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Zealand (Mr I. J. Main).

Funds for the project were being held by the national society, as well as a bequest contributed specifically for research into multiple sclerosis in New Zealand, he said. It was hoped that the research programme would be preceded by an incidence survey.

Multiple sclerosis is a crippling neuromuscular disease, for which neither causes nor cure is known.

On progress towards finding the cause and cure, Mr Main reported to the annual meeting of the society in Wellington recently that diverse but co-ordinated research activity was going on in many countries.

“There is increasing evidence of the faith we share that before too long the mystery of multiple sclerosis will yield to the efforts of many dedicated professional and lay people in many countries,” he said. Mr Main said that there were eight regional multiple sclerosis societies in the country, each giving all possible aid to people who suffer from the complaint. Practical ways shown the meeting of assisting patients included a walking frame developed in Invercargill and a demonstration of an electronic page-turning machine developed in Christchurch under Rotary sponsorship. New Zealand would be represented by a Wellington neurologist and an Auckland doctor at the first meeting of the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies in New York in September, the meeting was told. At the election of officers

for the national society, Mrs N. Mcllroy, of Christchurch, was re-elected to the national management committee. Also elected to the committee was Mr J. V. Sawers, secretaryfield officer of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canterbury.