H.—3l.

needs. The district Health nurses, nurses to Natives, and school nurses do good work in raising the standard of personal cleanliness in Maori children. The following account of an investigation into the treatment of scabies, impetigo, and pediculosis forwarded by Dr. Turbott is of interest: — Treatment of Scabies, Impetigo, and Pediculosis. —A District Nursing Study on Comparative Values. During 1931 an effort was made in the East Cape Health District to determine the best home treatment for scabies, impetigo, and pediculosis. Miss North, Nurse Inspector ; Miss Cox, school nurse ; Miss Uniacke, district nurse, Tikitiki; and Miss Hill, district nurse, Whakatane, studied carefully between them 333 cases, and from their carefully recorded observations the following practical study is evolved. Each nurse applied the various treatments studied, the average result being therefore that from four observers working under ordinary district-nursing conditions. Treatment of Scabies. —Routine departmental sulphur ointment (8.P.) treatment with its concomitant bathing and changes of clothes is compared with the Danish treatment of itch. This special ointment in contact with the skin produces hydrogen sulphide, " the high sulphide of potassium being the active principles upon which its activity depends." The procedure recommended is carried out as follows : " Take an ordinary cleansing hot bath. Dry thoroughly. Have the ointment applied to the whole body, and wait twenty minutes for soaking in. Then go to bed, or carry on ordinary duties. Twenty-four hours later have a second hot bath and put on fresh underclothing." Comparative results : —

The slightly dearer price of the hydrogen-sulphide ointment is offset by the great saving in the nurse's travelling and time as shown by the days taken until cure is established. The nurse has, of course, to make more visits than treatments given to establish the efficacy of same. All observers agree that the hydrogen sulphide is easier to apply, the suffering from itching ceases immediately after the slight initial smarting of the ointment subsides, the cure being miraculously quick and relapses absent. Twenty-two of the fifty cases obtained complete cure from one application. One nurse states, " They all had peace, and slept the first night after use." Treatment of Impetigo. —Departmental unguentum hydrarg. ammon. (white precipitate ointment) is compared with a paint said to have been used in Egypt in wartime. One of the East Cape district nurses has used same extensively for years, and hence its efficacy was put to test. The paint consists of starch 1 part, glycerine 2 parts, boiled water 6 parts, to which when cold, iodine 1 part is added. It is easily made and very cheap. While taking more applications than dyhrarg. ammon., the cure is arrived at slightly sooner and at very much less cost. Both drugs are applied after hot disinfectant bathing of the sores.

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Averse Average Cost (in ■xr i £ n i at f Number of Pence, In--pv , .Number 01 Cases and .Number ot , , , , . x Dru g used " Severity noted. Treatments P^V^I J - . , t° Establish per Cure requi.e . Cure. obtained. Per Cent. f Mild .. 14^| Departmental sulphur ointment .. 55 Severe .. 42 )- 4-27 5-27 1-57 severe .. 44J f Mild .. 8^ Hydrogen-sulphide ointment .. 50 <J Severe .. 32 [> 1-60 2-74 1-90 severe .. 60 j

Average Cost in Average Number Pence Drugs used Number of Cases and Number of of Days (indent Severity noted. Treatments taken "to Price) required. establish per Cure ! Cure. obtained. _J Per Cent. f Mild .. 44H Unguentum hydrarg. ammon. .. Severe .. 32 J> 2-28 6-32 2-16 severe .. 24 j fMild .. 55"] Starch-glycerine-iodine paint .. 29 -<j Severe .. 17 3-96 5-93 0-95 [_Very severe .. 28J