THE HEALTH OF A PEOPLE

Otago Witness, Issue 3743, 8 December 1925, Page 25

THE HEALTH OF A PEOPLE

A VITAL RESPONSIBILITY. A nation's strength is the collective health of its people and a high standard of national health is made possible only by s high standard of individual health. A sane. Government, therefore, finds it incumbent upon itself to do its utmost to maintain, as far as possible, this standard and to inculcate in the minds of its peoiplcs ideas of health and hygiene. The cities of the world have certain recognised laws of sanitation that must be conformed to, and some of these have existed since the time when man first hacked a hole through the roof of his cave to ensure a flow of fresh air and when he dug his first storm-water drain. There are, however, various standards of health and hygiene, and it is a fortunate city or country that can boast B perfect system. To strike a universal standard, and a high one at that, it is essential that a Government should take a hand, and thus it is that we have the Department of Health. Public health in New Zealand has attained as high a standard as that of almost any other country, and indeed the- Dominion can justly claim the lead in child welfare. The ramifications of the Department of Health spread from the cities and the townships into the farms and stations and into every school in New Zealand, and because of this there must necessarily be a liigher tone physically, mentally, and morally, for health is not only a physical condition. What the Department of Health is teaching and has taught is demonstrated in a comprehensive way in the New Zealand Government Court, where a spacious area is occupied by health exhibits and educative pictures, charts, and models. Of the models, there is a wonderful object lesson in hygienic farming, and the visitors have shown an intense interest in it. It is well worthy of notice, for the workmanship is not surpassed by anything of its kind in the Exhibition. The model represents two styles of farm—cne insanitary and the other sanitary—and the obvious contrast in the two is brought out with striking realism. The former is an untidy gorse-covered section, riddled with rabbit warrens, and with unhealthy, stagnant watering holes for the serubby-looking stock and the questionable breeds of poultry which are permitted to scratch around the back door of tbe dilapidated homestead. The family washing is on the line, and it is not a delectable display. Then, side by side, is the picture of what a farm should and can be. It is a refreshing sight with its cleanliness, its orderliness, and modern farming appliances. A chart is shown alongside to demonstrate the points that it is intended to bring out. Another exhibit shows the equipment used in the many free dental clinics for children now established throughout New Zealand. There are skulls, jawbones, and plaster casts of teeth in various stages of development, providing a basis for an interesting discourse by the nurse in charge. By means of casts are shown the many deformities that may develop in the child’s trunk, legs, and feet, and how they may be oorrected. Diagrams show the cor root posture, and there are also models dressed in hygenio clothing. Pictures and stories put together by school children as a means of instilling health ideals in their minds are to be seen, and here also is a large painted scene described as “A Bird’s EJye View of Healthland.” It Is ingeniously conceived, setting out in the foreground a representation of “Bathtubville’’ to commence the day, while the road winds back to “Long Sleep Mountain,” having passed through playgrounds and various townships with names representing things good for children to eat. This display is by the fichool Hygiene Division. Then there is a large contour model of New Zealand with the various geological areas defined, and the connection shown between the nature M the soil and the prevalence of goitre in herteia Brent.

An attempt to make the display of otherwise dry statistics arresting and interesting is successfully carried out by means of two working figures which automatically raise and drop hammers to indicate the drop in the death-rates of diseases over certain periods. On the one hand we observe a nurse starling in 1900 on infant mortality haring a death-rate of 44 in every ICOO births, and gradually knocking this down until it is now 14 in 1000—the lowest in the world. However, this refers to children of one month and under one year only. A footnote admits that the position is not so good for children under one month, but it is obvious that the department is out to reduce the death-rate here also and is already taking steps that should soon show results. Then we observe the doctor hammering at typhoid fever. The rate is knocked down from 23 in 1000 (1390) to 1.5 in 1000 (1924) —a remarkable result. It is well-known that typhoid and enteric took heavy toll of the army in South Africa, but we learn that, notwithstanding the sise of the army in France as compared with that in South Africa, there were fewer cases (7423) in France than actual deaths (10,144) in South Africa. In South Africa 13.7 per cent, of thfc cases died, while in France 3.58 per cent, died, and these were practically all which had not been inocuhtad with vaccine. The department also displays a number of casts of limbs showing conditons before and after treatment of King George Hospital, Rotorua. There is sufficient here to give one an idea of the wonderful possibilities of orthopaedic surgery, and it is certain that many children, either bom with deformities of the limbs or having contracted deformities through various diseases, notably infantile paralysis, have had conferred upon them inestimable benefits by the treatment now available. Photographs showing different phases of the work at the institution indicate that the children appear very happy in their surroundings and are well cared for, educationally as well as physically. Thero is also a model complete in every detail showing a two-bed shelter as used at the department’s consumptive Sanatorium, Pukeora (near Waipukurau), and some excellent samples, showing the nature of the handicrafts taught to the patients, are displayed. A number of black and white drawings illustrate in an arresting yet simple manner the various methods of transmission of diseases. These drawings are to be supplemented by specimens showing the actual condition of various organs when the disease is present, and other data will be displayed to indicate the measures necessary to prevent the spread of these diseases when discovered. A food exhibit indicating by diagrams the various sources of the necessaries of life and the approximate quantities of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates necessary, is to be supplemented by a number of examples of oom nonly used foodstuffs and how they appear when “doctored” or replaced by artificial or substitute namesakes. On© of the novelties here is a strangelooking fountain in which the water falls on a sheet of plate glass having constantly ohanging coloured lights below. A circular tank below surrounds the jet. and here a email shoal of goldfish perambulates a ceaseless course round and round, and round again. The whole is bordered by artistically arranged trays of growing ferns and other plants. Just now the Health Department’s display is not quite complete, but it is being added to day by day. AMg space is being reserved to display the exhibits of the Ministry of Health now en route from Wembley. n