EXCELLENT HEALTH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20133, 30 December 1939, Page 10

EXCELLENT HEALTH

TROOPS FROM OVERSEAS EQUAL TO FIRST N.Z.E.F. OPINION OF DOCTOR (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. A good report of the general health and physical fitness jf the Special Force troops shortly leaving for overseas, was given by the DirectorGeneral of Medical Services, Colonel Bowerbank, in an interview. He said the influenza epidemic that had been so widespread was now a thing of the past taut he was investigating possible causes on the oasis of the information contained in the reports from medical off tors -ntached to the various units m camp

All men had been biood typed and inoculated again-t typhoid and would be vaccinated against smallpox shortly after leaving New Zealand.

Although when the Special Force recruits, first went into camp their general fitness and physique was. slightly under that of the 1914. expeditionarv force, the healthy openair life they lived and the training and the good tood had overcome all that. They were now in excellent fettle and’ quite equal to the men who went overseas in 1914-15.

The Special Force woule be accompanied by medical ol’icers with equipment capable of dealing with any medical or surgical emergency and there would ai;o be :;taif nurses. This was to some extent an innovation, because there were no nurses with tne fhst seven reinforcements in the last war.