TELEGRAMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1920, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

|p.Kit IMIKHB ASSOCIATION. —COPVBIOHT.| PREVALENCE OF GOITRE. WELLINGTON, June 29.

The Department of Public Health is somewhat exercised as to the prevalence of goitre (states Hon. C. J. Parr). It is a peculiar feature of this complaint that some districts are fairly free from it, while others show a marked prevalence. Recent Canterbury figures show a rather considerable increase in the number of cases there. It lias been noticeable that the disease was account, able for a large number of rejections for military service, and the number of males found to be suffering from gotre is rather significant. “ Representations have been made to me. said , the Minister, “ by the medical officers of the Department as to the advisability, in dealing with this matter, of securing, to begin with, statistical information as to the prevalence ol goitre in the whole community. I have therefore decided that goitre shall be notifiable on somewhat the same lines as infectious disease. When the. Health Department, by this means obtains statistical data it will ‘ he in a better position to take the next step—that is, selecting a locality where the disease is more prevalent than elscwheie, and thqre make careful investigations to ascertain tho cause of the disease in the area.”

CAMBRIDGE SANATORIUM. CAMBRIDGE, June 30. The Chamber cf Commerce wired Hon Parr that it endorses the action in closing the sanatorium as the .heavy expenditure is not warranted by results and i,s detrimental to the interests of Cambridge.