HEALTH OF MAORIS

Grey River Argus, 29 July 1940, Page 3

HEALTH OF MAORIS

TROUBLE FROM BAD DIET,S.

WELLINGTON, July 2b

The prevention of disease and the correction of diet among Maoris are the subject of special reports attached to the annual report of the Health Department. Dr. H. B Turbott. Medical Officer of Health at Hamilton, refers to the heavy toll taken of theMaoris by preventiblc intestinal' disease, and to the campaign against typhoid In a report cn Maori diet, he concludes that “from whatever angle the Maori diet is viewed, it proves faulty.’’ Dr. Turbott notes that in 1'937 (the latest year for which figures are available) typhoid and paratyphoid fever caused 39 times more deaths among Maoris than among Europeans.

“The preventive attack has been concentrated upon typhoid fever, for if headway i s made her e the battle against dysentery and Summer diarrhoea will be won also, similar modes of spread prevailing,’’ he states. “The attack on typhoid, if successful, W'll affect the whol e group of intestinal diseases adversely affecting the Maori. DEPLORABLE HOUSING“The housing of half the Maori people is still deplorable, but to rehouse the Maori would cost millions of pounds, and is economically impossible. The attack on typhoid is twofold for the present; yearly inoculation campaigns should be reinforced by sanitation drives to eliminate those particular sanitary weaknesses helping th e spread of intestinal disease. This was done in the Waikato with yearly inoccupations since 1937 reinforced in 1939 by concentration on soil sanitation.”

An example of Maori diet is taken from an account of a visit to a Maori home when the midday meal was being eaten: “Th e family of five, two adults and three children under five years, had an apparently satisfying meal of white bread plucked from the big loaf, pieces being soaked in sweetened milkless tea from time to time, and the children happily eating to repletion.

“That the Maori diet of to-day is illbalanced is proven by giving dietary additions... Not only is the present diet, ill-balanced, but it is soft and pappy, providing insufficient jaw exercise and gum massage. From whatever angle the Maori diet be viewed, it proves faulty. The pakeha is partly responsible in that h e has introduced his foodstuffs without inculcating knowledge of their correct proportional use. While it is difficult to alter dietary habits in adults, young Maoris are susceptible. The best attack on the dietary probem is undoubtedly correct teaching in senool ye'i.r?, some native schools are giving this, but fuller exploitation of school and otner preventive avenues is needed to cope with a widespread Maori need ”

The incidence of tuberculosis among Maoris i s referred to in th e report of the Director-General of Health (Dr. M. H. Watt), who says that th e department is at present consideringmaking a special grant to certain hospital boards in districts wher e there is a relative preponderance of Maoris, to facilitate th s building of . special blocks for the accommodation of Maori tuberculosis patients.