THE PEOPLE’S HEALTH.

Evening Star, Issue 21218, 27 September 1932, Page 6

THE PEOPLE’S HEALTH.

Too many departments, it is said, litter the roads and byways of Government administration in this dominion. There is one, however, among others that is doing invaluable work without any sounding of trumpets. That is the Health Department, which keeps up a constant offensive against the diseases that afflict humanity. Considerable progress is being made, as will be noted from this year’s report of the DirectorGeneral of Health, which as usual is a document of great interest. In a general survey of the position he points out that one of the least satisfactory features of the statistics is the decline in the birth-rate, from 20.29 per thousand of mean population in 1927 to 18.42 in 1931. This, of course, is not peculiar to Now Zealand. It is a feature of the social life of many of the countries inhabited by the white races, and it is one that causes concern to economists and others in contemplating the future. In the immediate sense it is a reflex in part of the present economic position, but in its wider aspects it is due to universal education and the enlarging of the boundaries of scientific knowledge. In the present, circumstances there seems little prospect of a swing back to the custom of large families. As the health report indicates, one of the outstanding features of the year was the exceptionally low infant mortality rate in New Zealand—32.ls per thousand live births, constituting a record on the right side. It is gratifying to read that the problem of infectious diseases is being attacked with considerable success, particularly in the case of scarlet fever. A note of warning is issued in connection with the dreaded diphtheria.’ In pointing out that there was a further slight decrease on the low figures for the preceding year, attention is drawn to the fact that, unfortunately, very little active immunisation against diphtheria is being carried out at present, and unless the public avail themselves more widely of this proved preventive further outbreaks of the disease in the cou. - of the next year or two must be expected. The report announces that it is proposed to extend immunisation as opportunity offers, for it is realised that the “ presence of such a large proportion of suseeptibles amongst our pre-school and school population constitutes a most undesirable condition.”

Among the successes that have been made in the campaigns for the conquest of disease that which has been waged against tuberculosis is one of the most notable. Known in years gone by- as the “ white plague,” it was probably the most dreaded of all physical disorders. Now under modern methods of treatment In the early stages of the trouble remarkable result-; arc being achieved, and the deathrate, even in the unfavourable lean years that have been experienced, shows a steady drop in most of the countries of the world. Last year the total of the deaths from tuberculosis, in all forms, in the dominion was 617, .while

the mortality caused by cancer was 1,493. Fifty years ago our death-rate from tuberculosis per 10,000 of mean population was 13.8. In 1931 it was 4.27. The death-rates from the common infectious diseases also show a steady and definite reduction. The greatest example is that of typhoid fever. A five-year average taken fifty years ago gave a mortality more than forty times that for the five years ending in 1931. There is an important section of the report dealing in detail with maternal welfare, in which emphasis is laid on the urgent necessity of still further reducing the mortality figures. The DirectorGeneral says that the administration of the Health Department in 1931 was dominated by the need for economy. Substantial reductions were brought about, but he adds: “ It is obvious that this process cannot continue indefinitely without endangering the public health.” This is a statement that should be pondered. There must be no slackening in the fight against disease. It is only by ceaseless effort that the gains that have been made can be consolidated and further advances made. This is a department in which saving, unless very judiciously effected, migut prove false economy.