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Dominion Advisory Board of the New Zealand Federation of Health Camps (Inc.) The main function of this Board is to maintain health camps for the treatment of children between five and twelve years of age who, for various reasons, are below standard in their general health. In doing so, the Board is a valued auxiliary to the work of the Department's School Medical Service. Children are admitted to the camps for a period of two months, during which time they are given a well-balanced diet and facilities are provided to ensure that they get proper rest and recreation. " Problem " children are not eligible for admission to these camps. The Federation also works in close co-operation with the Post and Telegraph Department in promoting the sale of Health stamps. It is mainly from this source that'the funds for running the King George V memorial health camps are received. Medical Research Council The Medical Research Council held two meetings during 1948. At its May meeting it considered reports submitted by its research committees on the work carried out during the previous year and formulated recommendations on expenditure on the medical research work under its control for the year ended -31 st March, 1949. At its September meeting the Council inspected medical research in progress at that time for which it was responsible. During 1948-49, research work in the following spheres of medicine was conducted by the Council: — Microbiology. Neuropathology and neurophysiology. Tuberculosis. Dentistry. Clinical medicine. " Obstetrics. Nutrition. Thyroid. A list of the articles published daring the year, giving the results of medical research carried out under the auspices of the Medical Research Council, is given below. In addition, a close liaison was maintained with the work of the Travis Trust Laboratory for Tuberculosis Research, and the New Zealand Branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. In November, 1948, a Medical Research Expedition visited Western Samoa to survey the medical research needs of that territory so that a research policy for the future could be formulated. A report setting out the findings of the expedition was submitted to the last meeting of the Medical Research Council and is at present under consideration. During the year under review the Council, with the approval of the Government, •established Medical Research Council Fellowships. The fellowships are intended to discover workers who will devote themselves to medical research work and at the same time to promote medical research. The first fellowship has been awarded to Mr. R. L. Blakley, M.Sc., of Dunedin, who is to undertake a study of ketosis, attacking the problem by investigating the mechanism of the anti-ketogenic effects of sorbitol and glycerol. Publications Tuberculosis Research. —Annual report received from Dr. T. W. J. Johnson. Travis Trust. —Annual report received from Professor N. L. Edson. Publications : (a) " A Case of Human Tuberculosis Due to Avian Tubercle Bacilli" (Margaret K. Finlayson). N.Z. Med. J. 47, 362 (1948). (b) " The Catalese Activity of Mycobacteria " (Margaret K. Finlayson and N. L. Edson). Trans. Roy. Soc. N.Z., 77, 284 (1949). (c) " The Occurrence of Cytochrome and Coproporphyrin in Mycobacteria " (C. M. Todd). To be submitted to Biochem. J.

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