PITCAIRN ISLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1937, Page 7

PITCAIRN ISLAND

j A MEDICAL REPORT. ON THE ISLAND INHABITANTS. WHANGAREI, July 9. Interesting comments on the history mode ,of life and health of Pitcairn islanders, were made by Dr. D, Look, medical' officer of health, Northland, who returned after five weeks investigating the health of the inhabitants at the request of the High Commissioner for Western Pacific. The doctor’s conclusion is that the most pressing need is provision of sound educational facilities based on a true appreciation of the needs of thfc inhabitants. While the climate is good and soil better than the average, considerable physical effort i s needed to wrest a Ji\ ing by the old methods of agriculture. He said the original stock was ai good sample ot picked English Sailors and healthy Tahitian women and the progeny strong and vigorous. This combination of excellent vigorous stock on a good environment, Horn which a living could be wrested only by continuous activity, produced a people lithe of build but strong and free of disease. Their teeth only were bad, particularly those in the front upper jaw. This he attributed to inbreeding but in Dr. Cook’s opinion the more probable cause, was deficient dietary. There appeared to be a lack of relative animal food, with an excess of starchy food and no milk in the diet. Much was s aid on the subject cf degeneration from inbreeding, Dr. Cook said, but the Islanders compare very favourably with any race at the present time. Mentally there was no degeneracy and the intelligence of the average Islander was good. There is, however, a cultural, decline, the result of inadequate schooling, and many young people make little use of the English language, using a dialect unintelligible to visitors.