SAMOAN CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 58, 2 December 1926, Page 10

SAMOAN CHILDREN

PRECAUTIONS TO PRESERVE HEALTH Dr. T. R. Ritchie, Chief 'Medical Officer of Western Samoa, arrived in Wellington yesterday, cn route to Melbourne, to attend the medical conference there to consider measures for the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases between the different islands of the Pacific and the countries ■ bordering on that ocean. Dr. Ritchie has been in Samoa for six years, during four of which lie has been Chief Medical Officer. He stated that tlie percentage of the natural increase of the population for the past three years has been over 3 per cent, a year, so that the Samoans may now be described as a rapidly increasing race. “With our rapidly increasing young population,” said Dr. Ritchie, “extra care lias to be taken to prevent the introduction of the ordinary diseases of childhood, which amongst native races cause much more trouble than they do in more civilised communities living in milder climates. This will be- realised when it is remembered that. 16 per cent, of the population is under' four years of age. The reason for the special mention of the, period of four yeajs is that it is only since the beginning of 1023 that the present system of registration has been in existence—a system which makes more accurate returns possible.”