HEALTH IN PACIFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20114, 27 November 1928, Page 12

HEALTH IN PACIFIC.

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. COMMISSION APPOINTED. MALARIA AND OTHER PROBLEMS. I HiiiM (II I; OWN CORItrsI'DNPKSr J SUVA, Nov. 22 Willi tlie visit to Fiji of Drs. R \V. Cilento and I'. Hermant, this colony had the first direct attention paid to it by the League of Nations. Before sailing for Noumea on Sunday, thoy told tho story of the circumstances which led to their tour In 1926 there met m Sydney the Inter national Pacific Health Conference, at which representatives of all the Powers with possessions in the Pacific assembled. One resolution contained a suggestion thaian attempt be made to unify the health and quarantine regulations of the Sor.'.h Pacific Islands. The matter of research work was also considered. I lie outcome was that the League of Nations was asked to send representatives to the South Pacific to consider the possibilities of development along these lines, and more especially to ascertain in what way it might be possible to co-ordinate the research work now being carried out independently by the numerous administra- j tions of (lie Pacific. The League of Nations adopted the proposal and the commission appointed was to commence work by touring Melanesia and Polynesia. As these islands are administered rit her by the British or French, British arid French represent a- I lives were selected for the work. Drs \ Cilento and Ilerniant were appointed. Both arc particularly suited to the woik. 1 If. Cilento is an Australian, who, by the way, was a full corporal with the Australian " foot sluggers" up till 1916. when he was discharged as unfit for active service He then took up his medical rank as captain, and server! with the forces in New Guinea. He was at one time directoi of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Towns vi lie. Queensland. Later lie w.V transferred to New Guinea as director of public health to reorganise the public health services. For the past four vears he had been director of the Division of Tropical Hygiene for the Commonwealth of Australia, with headquarters in Brisbane. Two Distinct Lines of Inquiry. Dr. Hermant has had more than 20 years' experience with the French Colonial Medical Service in French IndoCliina, which is a series of co-ordinated administrations. including a population of 26 million people. The only break in that period was when he served with the French Army during the war with the rank of colonel. He is a member of the Legion of Honour. On tlie completion of the League of Nations' work he will I return to IndoCliina. but hopes to leave] immediately for France, where he will serve bis Government in an advisory capacil v. It was derided to begin in Fiji, work north, and finish in New Guinea in March of next year. Dr. Cilento pointed out that their investigations were being carried out along two distinct lines, inquiry into present health conditions and inquiry into health problems. I'iji, he said, while ethnologicallv predominantly Melanesia!), was Polynesian from a health point of view. This was largely owing to tho absenco of malaria, which coloured to such a vivid extent the entire life of the more northern islands. They had been very kindly received by the Government of Fiji, which had done everything to assist them in Ibeir investigations, placing all its resources at their disposal. They were also indebted to the Colonial Sugar Befming Company for the ready way in which its officers had assisted (hem. Precautions Against Malaria. The elaborate precautions which are being taken to exclude the malaria is of particular interest to (lie investigators. The experience of Mauritius in 1865, of Rarbadoes recently, and of various island groups when invaded by flic nnepheles mosquito while actually under medical observation demonstrated the terrible devastation which could result. In tlie northern islands of the New Guinea group, malaria was introduced in 1901. and within four years had destroyed 30 per cent, of the population, and the group had remained endemic ever since. In one particular island, where Ibe population numbered many thousands, there were now 265 people. "It appears inevitable," Dr. Cilento said, " that Fiji should escape except under tbe conditions that the Government is encouraging, namely, closer contact with the Solomon Islands and NewHebrides, introducing elements of possibilities which cannot be regarded with eqna nimity." Referring to Makogai, Dr. ( ilento said that better figures were shown there for the curing of the disease than were shown in some much larger establishments. They had been very much impressed with the devotion of the French sisters who were spending their lives there in the service of the sicl;, and with the skill and splendid organisation shown by Dr. Nelf Generally speaking, there were not many problems in Fiji which would be found throughout the South Pacific Islands, j Fiji's safely lav in her present exclusion from even the members of her own ethnological group.