DISEASES OF THE ORIENT

Evening Star, Issue 19443, 29 December 1926, Page 6

DISEASES OF THE ORIENT

CO-ORDINATING ISLAND RESEARCH [Pee United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 29. Dr M.'Watt, Deputy Director-Gene-ral of Health, Iho New Zealand representative at the Pan-Pacific Conference of Health, at Melbourne, returned by the Uliraaroa. yesterday. Dr Watt said that among the matters discussed were the best means of disseminating information regarding the outbreak of any epidemic or unusual disease in any island group of the Pacific, some common basis regarding quarantine in the areas, and the best method of developing some system of research, so that the various groups could co-ordinate their activities and supply the results to one another. In many of the groups the indigenous races were rapidly declining, and diseases, such as measles, which wore not a. serious matter for white races, caused havoc among the natives. The League of Nations already had an epidemiological bureau at Singapore, which supplied valuable information regarding diseases in the Orient and the Pacific generally, and was greatly interested' in the suggestions of the conference. There was a great deal of valuable discussion among the representatives on the question of co-ordinating the various islands, and the results of this woul d prove hel pfu 1. Dr Watt said New Zealand was at present doing practically everything that would he required of it. As the result of the conference the dominion would possibly be required to supply information to some place that would act as the clearing house of the Pacific. Dr T. Ritchie, chief medical officer for Samoa, who attended the_ conference, also returned by the Ulimaroa.