FAULTY HABITS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1930, Page 2

FAULTY HABITS

BAD EFFECT ON HEALTH

WELLINGTON, August 7.

The opinion that the correction of faulty habits would result in a lower death rate from heart disease, cancer, chest diseases, and apoplexy was expressed in the annual report of Dr. T. McKibbin, Director of Public Hygiene, presented to Parliament to-day. The correction of faulty habits where applicable and the improvement of the enrivonment of an unfortunate or careless minority of the New Zealand public would reduce these deaths, he says, and the numbers are such as to offer a margin of gain worth the effort. It is only by the active cooperation of the public, the local authorities, the medical and nursing professions, and the Department of Health in definite disease prevention in the home, school, and workplace environment of the people that a great reduction in our death rate will be made,

New Zealand has a low general death rate the lowest in the world, hut its reduction has been far less rapid than that of the birth rate. A definite alliance rather than a “cordiale entente” with the army of general medical practitioners is advisable, and it is equally important that they sliould'Tie definitely engaged in the prevention of disease. The ideal to strive for is that the lo n al authorities and their medical officers of health should be aiding the medical practioners in disease prevention by measures intended to improve the environment of the general public. ■