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Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1933, Page 4

A remarkable rise in tlie death-rate of slum dwellers who had been moved to a new block of model dwellings was explained by Dr G. C. M. McGonigle Medical Officer of Health for Stockton-on-Tees, at the conference at Cardiff of the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis. Dr McGonigle said that during a period in which the population left behind in the slums showed a slight fall in the average death-rate, the transferred population had been dying 50 per cent faster in the hygienic new estate. The increased death-rate was associated almost entirely with a percentage increase in the number of deaths from measles, cancer, heart conditions, bronchitis and pneumonia. “It has been shown almost beyond any shadow of doubt that this increased death-rate is definitely correlated with a diminished expenditure on food consequent on the increase in rents (about 4s 6d per week) payable % tbe families, without any accompanying increase in the family income,” said Dr McGonigle. To the dietitian it is of great interest to note that the economies have in general been made by the purchase of less, or poorer, food containing “first-class’ protein—that is, protein of animal origin in meat and milk products

If good environment conditions are obtained only at the expense of a. reduction <of food -purchasing power far lie low the safely line, such advantages as- accrue from good housing will bo more than outweighed hv nutritional depreciation, and, -as consequence, cannot but have an adverse; effect upon tuberculosis.”