AIRBORNE DISEASES

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1946, Page 2

AIRBORNE DISEASES

CONTROL UNDER UNO URGED Received Sunday, 7.5 p.m. LONDON, June 30. i Tlie Empire scientific conference at Cambridge carried a resolution that an international organisation should be establislied under tlie United Nations for the control of sueli diseases as are transmittable by air. The organisation sliould control all vaccination against such diseases, the disinfecting of aeroplanes, and sanitatioif* of aerodromes used for international traftie. Dr. G. W. Findlay said that air routes thiekly covered the great yeilow fcvcr zone in Africa, and control of aerodromes for inimunisation was often left to local authorities which liad neitlier the uiouey nor the men i'or eft'ective systems. Vaccination was not always a solution, he said. Nunierous organisations issued certilicates of iminunisation. There was stated to be a black market in Paris in which auyoue could buy almost any varietv of certilicate. Tlie chairman, Professor C. E. llercu's, said that not cven Prime iVlinisters going somewhere quickly sliould be excluded from the control regulatious. The conference ' disepssed two projeeted Aiitarctie expeditions — oue suggested by the South African Geological Society and the other Anglo-Norwegian. The South African Professor B. F. Selionland said that tlie South African Government was unlik'ely to support the foriucr projeet unless it was made a Coinmouwealth ov international scheme for scientilie studies for a lengthy jieriod. Thc society tlicrefore proposed that au expedition shared by couiitrics interested in the Antarctic should establish a number of bases from Decem. ber, 1917, to February, 1949, or a similar period a year later. Tlie delegates deeided that the subject needed more detailed donsidration. Tlie other expedition was proposed for Norwegian territory. New Scliwabenlund was deseribed as most striking territory, with great possibilitics of : produeing niore evidence of glacioiogy I and tlie history of Antarctic elaimaty ' than any othcr of comparable size. It i was stated to be doubtf.pl whcther anvbodv liad ever landed there.- It was believed tliat tlie Norwegians were interested in co-operation from tlie British Dominions. Thc conference passed a resolution reeoinmendiug the establisliment of j quarantine stations with adequate in- : spcction and intelligence services to : prevent the spread of plant, seed and : auimal diseases. Tlie conference agreed ; it was impossible to guard completely I against the accidcntal intfoduction of pests and diseases but exprcssed tlie j view that it would be wortli whilo t» talce steps before the pcst or diseuse becainc uneontrollable. »