H—3l

Deaths from tuberculosis, pulmonary forms : 1944. 1945. 1946. Europeans .. .. .. .. 485 496 459 Maoris .. .. .. .. ..285 292 292 770 788 751 Deaths from tuberculosis, non-pulmonary : Europeans .. .. .. .. 106 105 102 Maoris .. .. .. .. 87 81 103 193 186 205 Death-rates, all Forms

District Nursing Staff Altogether, 7,874 outpatients are now being supervised by 217 District Nurses employed either by the Department or by Hospital Boards. These nurses have also been responsible for finding 323 new cases of tuberculosis during the year. Tuberculosis Research Improved methods of control, diagnosis, and treatment as reported from overseas have been closely followed. During the course of a short visit overseas in June, the Director hopes to investigate the B.C.G. vaccine immunization now being used in Canada and Scandinavia. Reports of results achieved with this vaccine suggest that this form of immunization could now be introduced into New Zealand. Dr. W. Gilmour, research worker at Auckland for the Tuberculosis Committee of the Medical Research Council, has submitted a summary of his work with the bovine type of infection in human beings for the period 1942 to 1947. From specimens derived from 165 non-pulmonary tuberculosis lesions he has discovered 13-3 per cent, which were caused by the bovine type of infection. Specimens from 294 pulmonary lesions yielded only 1 that was caused by this type. This form of research is being pursued in other parts of New Zealand, and all results so far received support the impression that tuberculosis infection from cattle has been responsible for only a very small number of the cases now registered. The chief cause of tuberculosis in this country undoubtedly is the human type of infection. The urgent need to provide adequate and suitable hospital accommodation, together with suitable homes, for the tuberculous is necessary not only in the interests of individual patients themselves, but also in the interest of improving the general health of the country. Tuberculosis to-day is— » (1) The fifth highest cause of death in New Zealand. (2) The highest single cause of death in females in the age group 20-30 years, both for Maoris and Europeans. (3) The highest single cause of death amongst the Maori people. One-fifth to one-sixth of the total hospital population in New Zealand is suffering from tuberculous disease. Over one-third of the registered cases are known to be in an active infectious or potentially infectious state, and Institutional accommodation is available for only one half of these.

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Total Deatlis, 1946. Crude Death-rates per 10,000. V 1944. 1945. 1946. European^ 561 3-81 3-78 3-39 Maoris 39£ 37-40 37-02 39-04 Both races 956 5-96 5-77 5-43