WAR ON DISEASE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1930, Page 5

WAR ON DISEASE

SUCCESS ATTENDS EFFORTS IN THE ISLANDS. AUCKLAND, October 28. Considerable success is attending medical efforts to combat the ravages of malaria, vaw, leprosy, and other diseases'‘prevalent in the Solomon Islands. Dr. E. G. Sayers, a New Zealander attached to the Methodist Mission operating in the western islands of the group, stated that as a result'oif the last three years’ activities at the native hospital at New Georgia and the Melanesia Mission Hospital at Malaita, an increase in population had been recorded for the first time.

“Malaria is spread by the anopheles mosquito, which is found in the Solomons and the New Hebrides, but is not known in Polynesia or the east era portion of the Pacific,” said Dr Sayers. “The result is that in such groups as Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga malaria is unknown. Stringent precautions are taken to prevent the introduction of the carrier pest, and every ship coming 'from the Solomons and New Hebrides has to be thoroughly fumigated. That the danger is not theoretical is proved by the fact that the disease was recently introduced by a mosquito into a West Indian island, which had previously been immune. “There is quite a high incidence of leprosy in the Solomon Islands,” lie added. “We have collected about 20 patients in our leper asylum, and the results achieved there have been very encouraging. Dr L. M. Mayburv, oT the Melanesian Station at Malaita, is doing really excellent work with leprosy in uis district.” tor. Sayers who is on furlough, is carrying out researches in medical entomology in the Islands for the British Museum and the London School of Tropical Medicine.