CORSO DOCTOR’S REPORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 99, 15 July 1946, Page 2

CORSO DOCTOR’S REPORT

GRIM CONDITIONS ON CYCLADES 5000 DEATHS OF FAMINE The island of Syros in the Cyclades, where CORSO’s second Public Health Team is ‘based, suffered more than any other part of Greece from the effects of German occupation. A distressing picture of conditions on the island is given by Dr. Athol Patterson of Wanganui, leader of the team, in a report recently received by CORSO Headquarters in Wellington, During the occupation the island suffered severely from lack of food says Dr. Patterson, and of a total population of 21,000, more than 5000 died from famine. This is claimed to be the highest rate in the whole of Greece. There were two main reasons for the high figure. Before the war most of the food was imported, and during the war the number of ships coming to the island was reduced drastically. Moreover the International Red Cross was unable to work in the Cyclades, Italy maintaining that the area was not occupied Greek territory but reconquered Italian territory. Consequently no supplementary foods came to this prefecture as they did to other parts of Greece. During the occupation much damage was done by Allied bombing and bombardment. Further damage was wrought by the Germans after the capitulation and on the eve of their departure.

On the medical side there are many evidences of the years of malnutrition. Twenty-five per cent, of the children between the ages of 6 and 14 are below the normal height and weight. Growth of bones has in the majority been retarded by from 2 h to 3 years. Tuberculosis is prevalent and also scabies. There are also numerous chronic infections which have persisted partly because of malnutrition and partly because of lack of proper drugs. ' “Most of the work we have done has been in public health,” says Dr. Patterson, “we have given many thousands of innoculations for typhus, diphtheria, typhoid, tetanus, and vaccinations for smallpox. There are in Syros over 600 Albanian and Yugoslav refugees. A course of innoculations has been commenced and some of the refugees are being trained to assist in the completion of the work. Working with other UNRRA Health Teams we have vaccinated against the smallpox and innoculated against diphtheria all the school children on the island. By the end of the year we will also have given X-ray examinations to a thousand tuberculosis suspects. “The team will shortly be starting its permanent work, that of visiting the so-called ‘doctorless’ islands of the Cyclades. Some of these had doctors before the wax’, but lost them because of military requirements. Others have never had doctors. We will be travelling in a 47 ton caique which UNRRA has leased for us. It carries a crew of six in addition to our team, and has been renamed NEA ZELANDIA. Incidentally the medical supplies which we brought with us from New Zealand will prove very useful.”