MEDICAL RESEARCH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 227, 24 August 1938, Page 8

MEDICAL RESEARCH.

SUBSTANTIAL VOTE PASSED. (By Telegraph-—Special to “Standard”) WELLINGTON, Aug. 24. A £SOOO vote for medical research which was included in the .Health-De-partment's Estimates caused a brief discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, one point made being a question from Mr R. A. Wriglit as to whetlfer this meant another new State Department. : The Minister of Health (Hon. P. Fraser) replied that there was no intention of setting up a special department. -The expenditure, in liis opinion, was very important, for, without detracting from the curative work of the .medical profession, he considered that the greatest hope of the future lay in preventive medicine, therefore £SOOO was not too much for this work, which might -easily save five millions. Those who were doing this valuable research work were giving voluntary service beyond their usual duties, and he was more hopeful about .research than of any other aspect of health activity. Already great work had been done in connection with tuberculosis, particularly among Maoris, where its incidence was tragic. The Health Department was fully alive to this question, and the profession was co-operat-ing to the fullest extent. The Minister said the problems were local, but who could tell but that some great contribution might be given to the world by New Zealand in connection with the prevention of some dread disease?