HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19658, 9 June 1927, Page 13

HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE

DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH. PROGRESS DURING YEAR. FUTURE PROGRAMME OUTLINED. [Bl* TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. At a meeting of the Board of Health in Wellington yesterday, the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. Young, said he thought a statement should be made to the board, setting out the research work which had been undertaken during the past year and the programme which it was hoped to undertake during the coming year. At his request Dr. M. H. Watt, deputy-Director-General of Health, had arranged to make a statement. "The research," said Dr. Watt, "carried out in New Zealand in tho past year falls into two broad classes —laboratory investigations and field inquiries. The laboratory investigations comprise three studies, which have been carried out at tho Otago Medical School under the general supervision and direction of Professor Hercus. "The first was an investigation into the nature and causation of infantile paralysis. A second inquiry undertaken at Dunedin was one by Dr. Steenson, into the nature of rheumatoid arthritis and allied rheumatic conditions. Claims Not Maintained. "Rheumatoid arthritis is a particularly distressing disease, and one with which we have a fair experience in New Zealand. Dr. Steenson's investigations sorve to prove that the claims with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by the aid of serological tests cannot be maintained. So far the findings have been more or less of a negative nature. The third inquiry carried out at Dunedin was one into goitre. "The field inquiries carried out during the last year includo an investigation into cancer by Dr. Fulton, who visited most of the districts in New Zealand. He also visited all the larger hospitals, and made detailed inquiry at these institutions in regard to the type of disease, the actual duration of the disease, and the result of operation. His report has not yet been completed, but it is hoped that it will be in our hands in the course of the next two or three weeks. "A second inquiry was one into the incidence of tuberculosis in school children. This was carried out by Drs. Mary Champtaloup and Eleanor Baker McLaglan, of the school medical staff. The method adopted was, briefly, as follows: The consent of the parents was obtained, and then a harmless test was applied in certain standard schools, taking in town and country alike, to determine the incidence of infection with tuberculosis. "It was found that infection was less among New Zealand school children than among the children of the older countries; that Maoris were infected to a greater extent than Europeans; and that town children were infected to a greater extent than country children. A fifth inquiry, which may be classed as either routine or research, was one into diphtheria, in Kaitangata, by Dr.- Shore, of this department, in collaboration with Professor Hercus. A sixth inquiry, into the Christchurch milk supply, was carried out. This was a group inquiry by a bacteriologist, a chemist and the medical officer of health." j Observation ol Children. I>r. Watt then briefly outlined the work proposed to be undertaken during the coming year. "This," said Dr. Watt, "will include further investigation of infantile paralysis, hydatids, rheumatic diseases, goitre and cancer. The school division of the department has established some nutrition classes in different places, where advice is given in respect of the dietary of the physically defective child. Observation will be carried out as to the growth and development of children attending these classes. Attention will be devoted to the pre-school child, and detailed observations will be made in regard to children who are contacts with cases of tuberculosis in their homes. "An intensive system of 'follow-up' will be adopted and advice will bo given in regard to dietary, habits, housing etc. Another important study which it is hoped to undertake is one into maternal mortality. We now have a relatively small number of maternal deaths in New Zealand, and it is thought that a detailed inquiry into each individual case might be productive of some good. This inquiry, if it is undertaken, will be under the personal direction of Dr. Jellett, an acknowledged authority on the subject. Closely allied with the matter is the first-month mortality of infants." "-'"v