RED CROSS WORK

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22674, 30 July 1945, Page 2

RED CROSS WORK

VOLUNTARY AIDS CONFER PLANS FOR FUTURE DUTIES “The Red Cross in New Zealand is a co-operative society, unlimited, and ybu are all shareholders—the people who really matter,” said Miss H. I. Crooke, director-general of the New Zealand Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachments, addressing a special gathering of Voluntary Aids of South Auckland districts in Hamilton on Saturday. There were representatives totalling over 100 from Hamilton, Raglan, Te Kuiti, Te Awamutu, Waihi, Te Aroha, Cambridge, Huntly *nd Ngaruawahia sub-centres. Miss Crooke was welcomed by Mr A. E. Gibbons, president of the Waikato Centre. Miss Crooke spoke of the work of the V.A’s. in various branches of activity, especially nursing, but also Of the transport and domestic divisions, outlining what had been done and what was and could be planned for the future. She told of the work occasioned by the war, with service overseas and in the Dominion, the need for increasing the personnel, stimulating public interest, and making V.A. work more attractive. Novel Scheme Suggested One feature presenting novel possibilities was a suggestion from Mr Gibbons that Miss Crooke commended. It was that a suitable person should be sent to America and England to study and report on ways of establishing and conducting a Red Cross library service to hospitals, in conjunction with th_ national library service and country library service. The estimated cost was £IOOO, and it was suggested that the necessary cost should be raised by the 6000 V.A’s. in the Dominion. The speaker suggested that the Waikato Centre might inaugurate the scheme. Miss Crooke quoted a statement by Mr C. G. White, chairman of the Dominion executive of the Red Cross Society, that Waikato leads all New Zealand in its accomplishments in all the sections of Red Cross activities. Tropical Diseases Dr. E. Sayers, of Auckland, gave an interesting talk on tropical diseases, especially malaria and dysentery, explaining the symptoms, period and effects of both. The speaker had served in the Medical Corps in the Pacific war area, and he told of the preventive and curative measures adopted, adding that were it not for these measures the American troops could not have so successfully combatted the Japanese in some of the Pacific Island areas. There was, he said, no malaria in New f , Fiji or New Zealand, but further north it was very general. The particular type of disease carrying mosquito was being controlled, as was evidenced by the treatment of all aeroplanes immediately on arrival at Whenuapai. The speaker explained the three best-known forms of malaria, and how the disease was diagnosed and treated. Nursing care was very important in effecting a cure. Cinchona bark, better known as quinine, was the basis of nearly all the relieving drugs, and today Japan controlled practically the whole world supply, obtained from Java. Atebrin was another efficient remedy, a synthetic derivative from coal tar developed in Germany and now largely produced in Britain and America.