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Boards associated with the Department—The Board of Health, Medical Council, Medical Research Council, Nurses and Midwives Registration Board, Opticians Board, Masseurs Registration Board, and the Plumbers Board continued their work during the year. Medical Research Council—A list of the special Committees set up under the Council, and some information regarding the researches carried out by the Committees, is set out below . (1) Nutrition Committee: — ' _ „ , „ ,„ T , " Determination of Vitamin Bj Content of Various Foods (McLaughlin and Wilson). " Dietary Survey among Maoris " (McLaughlin and Wilson). _ " Dietary Survey among Basic Wage Earners " (McLaughlin). Published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, April, 1943. " The Ascorbic Acid Content of Some New Zealand Products " (Johns). "Vitamin C in Camp Diets" (Johns). " Report on Further Vitamin B t Assays " (Allen). (2) Committee for Study of the Physiology and Pathology of the Thyroid Gland :— " Thiourea Derivatives as Goitrogenic Agents " (Kennedy). " The Effect of Allyl Thiourea on Hypophysectomised Rats " (Griesbach and Kennedy). ' 1V . ~ " The Combined Effect of Goitrogenic and lodine Treatment on the Rat I lt.uitary (Griesbach). . . " The Effect of Thiourea on Galaxius Attenuatus (N..Z. Whitebait) " The Assay of Thyrotropic Activity by the Cell Height Response in Guinea Pigs " (Purves and Griesbach). " A Method for the Measurement of the Heart Rate of Rats (Purves and bamuei). " The Relation between Heart Rate and Metabolism in the Albino Rat " (Purves). " The Significance of the Basophil Changes in the Pituitary Produced by Thyroid Disturbances " (Griesbach, Purves, and Kennedy). " The Rate of Thyroxin Secretion by the Rat Thyroid " (Purves). " Thyroid Adenomata in Rats on Rape-seed Diet (Griesbach, 1 urves, and " A PreHmmary Report on Fatiguability of Rat's Muscle following Thyroidectomy and Adrenalectomy " (Malcolm anil Whitehead). (3) Hydatid Committee: Useful work has been done regarding the morphology and natural history of the hydatid parasite, but the efforts of Miss Batham, M.Sc., the research officer, have been concentrated chiefly on the prevention of hydatid disease in human bemgs and stock animals and the possibilities of eradication. Sir Louis Barnett has continued the hydati register as a piece of statistical research for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons. Ihe records accumulated now amount to nearly 1,650. A preliminary report was presented on an experiment in the Ranfurly district to obtain reliable data concerning the relationship of regular arecoline treatment of dogs to the reduction (or otherwise) in hydatid infection m sheep. (4) Committee of Research in Clinical Medicine : — a . . " S-Methylisothiourea Sulphate for maintaining Blood Pressure in bpmal Anaesthesia " (Smirk and McGeorge). " Observations on the Properties of S-methylisothiourea Sulphate, with Particular Reference to the Circulatory Effects (McGeorge, feherif, and Smirk). " Control by Radium for Gastric Acidity " (Jenkins and McGeorge). (5) Tuberculosis Committee : The year's work was continued in two directions, namely (i) Group testing for pulmonary tuberculosis : (ii) Bacteriological investigation of the infection. Dr Marie Buchler completed her report on "A Radiological Investigation into the Incidence of Pulmonary Tuberculosis among 2,204 Office and Factory Workers and Secondaryschool Children in Wellington." As a result of this investigation nearly one hundred cases of unsuspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were discovered. (6) Obstetrical Research Committee : The work of this Committee has been carried on m a modified form under difficulty owing to the loss of the research officer, Dr. F. 0. Bennett, who is on service with the Army. Some further work has been done on the incidence of toxajnna m pregnancy. Staff I resret to record the death of three members of the staff who lost their lives overseas while on active service with the armed forces-Messrs. J. Bennett, R. McMillan, and K R. Taylor. I regret, also, to record the death of Dr. Percy Chisholm, who was Medical Superintendent, Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs for the last twenty-three years. Dr. Chisholm was recognized as one of the foremost specialists in New' Zealand in his particular sphere of medicine, and by his able administration and sympathetic understanding built up a high reputation for Queen Mary Hospital. The following new appointments have been made to fill existing vacancies : Dr. C. W. Dixon to Whangarei; Dr. T. C. Louie to Gisborne. Dr. J. W. Dawson and Dr. W. C. Davidson are on their way from England to take up Dr. K.' j. H. Davies lias been transferred to Invercargill to take charge of the Southland Health District, which was formerly administered from Dunedin. In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks for the support rendered by my officers during the year. M. H. Watt, Director-General of Health. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (760 copies), £18.

By Authority: E. V. PAUL, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 943, Price od.\

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