HEALTH ON SHIPS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 September 1932, Page 2

HEALTH ON SHIPS

MEDiCAL INSPECTION AUSTRALIAN'S CRITICISM ANSWERED BY DEPT. PRECAUTIONS DEFENDED. Wellington, Monday. Comments by an Australian traveller who took exception to the procedure of medical inspection when the Monowai arrvied in Wellington last Sunday were replied to yesterday by the Health Department. The tourist alleged that passengers were paraded on deck in the cold, and he considered port inspection was unnecessary when the ship carried a doctor. It was pointed out by the Health Department that the medical inspection in New Zealand ports is much less harassing than the inspections enforced in many parts of the world. With the exception of trans-Tasman traffic, Anstralia insist on rigid prscautions, and America is notorious among tourists for its medical inspection at ports. Apart from checking up on infectious disease, port medical officers in New Zealand co-operate with the Customs and Immigration Departments in prevanting the admission to the country of crippled and otherwise infirm persons who might become a charge on the State. It is not generally known that there is seldom an inspection of a passenger vessel which does not result in the case of some individual being referred to the Customs and Immigration officers for attention. It is the duty of the port health officer to ensure that no person who suffers permanent disability is allowed to land unless a bond is obtained from the shipping company or some other source to indemnify the State against expanse. Dr. T. MeKibbin, Director of the Division of Public Hygiene, stated yesterday that the medical inspection of the Monowai last Sunday had been carried out under cover as usual, the mustering of the passengers being qnder control of the ship's officers. The perfunctoriness or thoroughness of the examination on any ship depended on the infectious disease conditions known to be prevailing in the countries of origin and at the ports touched on the voyage. This information was gleaned from international cablegram advices or from the ship's papers. Mr. MsKibbin said the port health officer had an important function in dealing with passengers of all ages from all parts of the world. These people had been segregated on board ship for days and often for some weeks, and they might have acquired infection at any port or through association on the ship. The ship's doctor was in the employ of the shipping company, and no passenger was obliged to consult him. A port authority could not safely avoid supervision. A medical expert who has had expierience of port inspection stated yesterday that in short voyages there was no guarantee that the ship's doctor had even seen all the passengers. Between Sydney and New Zealand some passengers did not leave their cabins at all, and it was not rare for a port health officer to be requested to inspect passengers in their cabins when they were suffering from indispositions which had never been reported to the ships' doctor. When inspections appeared to be cursory it signifted that from general information the port health officer was not expecting any serious ill-health. He was none the less vigilant, but when there were no grounds for apprehension, passengers were submitted to the minimum of inconvenience.