MEDICAL RESEARCH

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 270, 20 August 1925, Page 8

MEDICAL RESEARCH

WORK NOW IN PROGRESS Asked yesterday by Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., for information with regard to the scope of medical, research at present being carried out in the Dominion, the Minister of Health (Sir Maui Pomare) said that the only medical research about which the Department of Health was in a position to give information was that which was being carried out with the funds provided by the Government. “The work in hand,” the Minister added, “comprises: (a) An investigation into the incidence, causation, and prevention of goitre, (b) The study of anterior poliomyelitis (infantile paralysis) with a view to discovering the factors which cause the disease to display epidemic' manifestations, some means of detecting it in its early stages and methods for its prevention, (c) An investigation into rheumatoid arthritis and kindred diseases, which are the cause of much invalidity and suffering. (d) An inquiry dealing with cancer is about to be started, a sum of money having been recently made available for the purpose. This inquiry will probably be of a statistical nature. 'l'i’n <v ( ,rt- (’’cideutnl to (a), (b), and (d), is being Undertaken at the Medical School in Dunedin. The Department has recently appointed a research officer with special qualifications for this work, and he is acting in collaboration with the university authorities. (c) This investigation is being carried out by the orthopaedic specialist of the Dunedin Public Hospital. As the result of the investigation dealing with goitre, very material advance has been made in the treatment and prevention of this disease among school children ill particular, and among the population generally. It is yet too ear.'v to make any pronouncement in connection with the other investigations. The intentions of the Government are to set aside from time to time sufliicent sums of money to enable investigations to be undertaken into any matters of special interest to the Dominion. The Department of Health has no knowledge of the intentions of others in regard to medical research work.”