EXPERTS HAVE MADE PROGRESS IN CONTROL OF TUBERCULOSIS

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 October 1947, Page 4

EXPERTS HAVE MADE PROGRESS IN CONTROL OF TUBERCULOSIS

(P.A. ) Auckland, Oct. M, Experts are “knocking at the door” in their search for an effective sub* stance to control tuberculosis,” said Dr. C. A. Taylor, director of th» Tuberculosis Division of the Health Department, who returned to New Zealand from a visit oversas. They know more about the germ than before and if its habits and chemical composition are established he thinks they will be able to "knock It out" without hurting the patient. Dr. Taylor obtained information on the latest research into tuberculosis when he made a tour of England and Scandinavia during which he attended the Commonwealth and Empire Conference on tuberculosis in London, at the International Conference of the Royal College of Physicians, London. While he was in Scandinavia he inspected tuberculos central centres there, and the results obtained from the use of latest vacines used.

"There is intense activity in England, Europe and America in discovering suitable substitutes which will improve the treatment of the disease," he said. "There is also every reason to hope that in the near future a more satisfactory substance than strepttmocine will be found."

He explained that the drug which had been advocated by some authorities was not always satisfactory. It was effectibe only in certain rare types of disease. Chemists and physicians in England, in spite of the strain of the war years, were very active in their research into tuberculosis. According to Dr. Taylor, the amount of research which they had done was amazing.

He will prepare a detailed report on his tour to the department when he returns to Wellington.