THE EMPTY NORTH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1634, 28 December 1912, Page 6

THE EMPTY NORTH.

AUSTRALIA'S DIFFICULT PROBLEM, QUESTION OF TROPICAL DISEASES. DR. FRODSHAM'S VIEWS. Dr. Prodsham, who has resigned the Bishoprio of North Queensland, and who leaves Sydney by tho Orama for England, was asked for an expression of his views with regard to the settlement in the north of Australia, and the question of tropical diseases.

"There is nothing," he said, "that I regard with greater hopefulness than the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Townsvillo. Under tlie able administration of Dr. Breinl it has already been well organised, and has take,i its place among the most valuable institutions of the Commonwealth. I believe it will be jjarticularly useful in tlie effective colonisation of tropical Australia by a white race. The Australian tropics are exceptionally healthy, but they naturally present features dissimilar lo the conditions of life in the more temperate climates. The aim <M the institute is to apply aocurate ecientifio observations to those conditions of life. To know accurately is half the way towards living intelligently, and to live intelligently is essential—if White Australia is to- become more than a name in tropical Australia." Do you consider this tho chief advantage of having an, institute in the tropicsP "Decidedly; there is a very great deal to be said for having schools of tropical . medicine in a great seaport like Liverpool or London, but both these schools send out frequent and costly expeditions to South America; Africa, and elsewhere. This course is unavoidable . where the tropics under investigation are in another country to that 'oontaining and supporting the School of Tropical Mc-dicine. But in Australia we are in a more fortunate position, and the chief aim of the investigations is not only to extend the bacteriological qualities of any given disease, but how to apply that 'knowledge to the direct clinical treatment of patients actually in'the. tropics; in other words, the Australian institute i 9 not only directly important to universities containing schools of medicine, but it is equally important to the State. It affects colonisation just as directly as medical efficiency. If, 'for instance, Dr. Breinl could discover what are the causes, and what is the remedy, fo rthe increased functional activity of white women in the tropics, the greatest, if not the only, obstacle to tropical colonisation would be removed."

Do: you then consider the chief difficulty of tropical colonisation centres upon the health of women ? "Yes, I think I do. But I deplore the pessimism so often displayed .witn regard to the health of women in the tropics. For instance, the so-called tropical anaomia, so I have been informed, has been shown from observation of the blood cor- - puscles of / women in. Townsville to' be largely non-existent. The whitening of the pigments of the slvin.is not necessarily a sign of deterioration in the blood, and from' my own observation I can assert .that, with better housing and increased comfort of living, the health of the women has. improved in certain districts of the north."

Do you consider the whole question of colonisation experimental? "I do not see how any other conclusion can be avoided.; We have absolutely nothing to guide us. In other tropical possessions of the Empire there has been a black race of servants to do manual and domestic work. In tropical Australia a white race is endeavourinS to live under conditions similar to those of cokl climates. The servant difficulty, therefore, is very great'where thero are no subject black servants,' but the experiment is well worth trying. It will be an enormous recompense for the inconveniences of the present time if future generations of Australians are delivered from problems of mixed races similar to those found in the United States and. South Africa. We have nothing to guide us but our own experience, and I think the greatest credit is .du0....t0..the . Common-; wealth Government for so courageously attempting to solve the problem., lheir action, lik? the foreign politics of the Empire, is re'ally above party politics, and I suggest that any immediate failures in the experiment should not be used , for party purposes. The problem is too gTeat, the issues too important, for any paltriness of outlook; ' I think that the Commonwealth cannot fail to have failures in the Northern Territory, but I am equally sure that it is only by courageously preparing to meet failures that the great Australian problem of colonising; the empty north is to bo solved. I can speak most highly of the constant and growing sympathy shown by the Commonwealth Government to the Australian Institute of Tropical Medicine, and such action merits tho respect all Australians of every political party." , Tour own connection with tlie institute has been a close one? , "I regard my own connection with tne foundation of'the institute .as an honour to myself. Perhaps the cmef merit .that I can honestly claim is that I quickly realised the value of the scientific study of ■ tlie conditions of tropical life, at once set to work to make such study possible. Many others besides myself had seen the importance of a tropical school of medicine,, but they were dismayed by the apparent huge initial - expense. . I . maintain that existing institutions could be utilised, aud that-if the right man could be found as a director, and his upkeep fa©, assured for nvo years, tlie buildings would. follow as a matter of course. Tho right, man has. been found in Dr. Breinl, and. on Saturday .last I inspected the large, new buildings already in use in Townsville, and only awaiting their official opening. It would not be easy for me to enumerate all the hands from which the institute reoeives assistance. The greatest monetary assistance has come from the Commonwealth Government, but .credit is ■also due' to the Australian Universities, having medical schools, to tho Queensland Government, and to the Colonial Office, who generously supported' my effort in its initial stages. The most generous private donor was Mr. D'Arcy, who gavo £1000 to Lord Chelmsford for the fitting up of the laboratories. Tlw Townsville Hospital committee gave no money, but they placed a building at the disposal of the director of. the institute, and a large ward, where he could place his patients •under clinical observation. They did fhis without charge, of any kind." - Is the expenditure likely to incroseP "Certainly. There are now somewhere approaching ten on the institute staff. 1 but in five years tho number will probably be doubled, perhaps trebled. The moft immediate need is a library to fill the large room ftbeady prepared for that purpose. At present, only Dr. Brienl's private library is available. It is a good one, but it is naturally not nearly largo enough for th« growing needs of tho institute. Dr. Brienl tells me that .£ISOO is required for this to bo spent at once, and the remainder in purchasing new works during n period of five years. Is there," concluded Dr. Frodsham,"no patriotic Australian in Australia who will rise to the occasion and

make this, contribution towards solving Australia's great problem of colonising tha north?"