HEALTH OFFICER'S VISIT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 89, 18 April 1902, Page 2

HEALTH OFFICER'S VISIT.

Dr. Valihtine, Government Health Officer, was in New Plymouth on Thursday and leaves by the mail train this morning for the Feilding district. In the course of a conversation with a representative of the Daily News, Dr. Valintine seated that the various Jooal bodios throughout the colony were on the whole giving the department a loyal and intelligent supp rt. Owing to the extensive area and amount of travelling the health officers had to gat over, it was impassible to give them that close attention and assistanco which was desirable. At the samo time, in most cases, every effort had been made by the local authorities to carry out the wishes of tho health officer in evary possible way. Braiding the plagun precautions, Dr. Valentine considered the system adopted of j keeping all passengers arriving from! outside under strict servvillanse w*s much more satisfactory than the old I method of quarantining vessels. Dr. Valintine, however, does not feel uneasy regarding the plague, as he does not think climatic qonditions are favourable to tin plague getting a firm hold in New Zealand. With a view, however, to being well prepired to cope with the disease on the hte?t scientific methods, should it reach the colony, Dr. Mason ha* reiontly visited Sydney and made himself arqudtitei with the conditinne and treatment of the fcourge thsr-", and it is probable that Dr. Valentine may also be sent on a similar scientific j jurney, He does feel uneasy, however, about smallpox, which he feus if introduced would sweep off hundreds on account of the j carelessness regarding vaocination, j Dr. Valintine thinks every effort \ should be made to secure the vaccina- ! tion of every child and the rn-vaccina-I tion of all adults. He think* the I figures lately published regarding London are conclusive on tho question of tho advantages of vaccination. Dr. Valintine considers more health officers should be appointed, so that the districts can be made smaller. The Doctor himselF has just reurrei from Auckland and Kotorua, and practically has to cover the whole of the North Island. i