H.—3l.

Table II.—Age Incidence.

PART 111,-MAORI AND PAKEHA : COMPARATIVE HEALTH OE SCHOOL-CHILDREN. (Continued from 1028-20 Report.) By Dr. Tubbott, Medical Officer of Health, Gisborne. During 1928 comparative groups, Maori and white, representing the whole health district of East Cape revealed hereditary stamina still evident in the Maori, and placing him in a favourable position compared with the pakeha. During 1929 similar groups of fresh children were studied, 1,324 Maori and 2,496 white, the results being given below as rate per 1,000 children seen, with 1928 figures in brackets alongside. The present year's work supports the conclusion reached in 1928: that the Maori parents need awakening to the prevalence and seriousness of conditions readily preventable. Anaemia was again more common in white children. Maori, 0-75 (140) ; white, 10-01 (1147). Heart-conditions were less in evidence in both groups, there being a marked drop in white figures, putting same in favourable position. Maori—Organic disease, 5-28 (4-91) ; functional disease, 11-32 (9-14) : total, 16-60 (14-05). White —Organic disease, 4-80 (6-37); functional disease, 7-61 (22-31) : total, 12-41 (28-68). Respiratory disease was again more prevalent in the Maori group, although the total found was less. Maori—Unhealthy chests, 21-90 (30-92); undoubtedly tuberculous, 3-02 (5-62). White—Unhealthy chests, 11-21 (12-74) ; undoubtedly tuberculous, 0-80 (0-00). Physique remains much better in the Maori group. (a) Nutrition : First class —Maori, 518-88 (46943); white, 342-14 (379-85). Subnormal—Maori, 17-37 (15-46); white, 18-02 (25-49). (b) Total deformities of trunk and chest: Maori, 54-37 (39-35); white, 108-17 (58-63). (c) Poor posture : Maori, 16-62 (37-24) ; white, 47-27 (61-82). Skin-conditions. —The Maori manner of life keeps the infectious skin-conditions always with them, easily realized when it is grasped that one Maori child in approximately every seven has scabies, and one in approximately fourteen has septic sores or impetigo. Much solid preventive efforts seem to have been without effect, for, far from there being a decrease in these conditions, a slight Maori rise is manifest. The white rate has fallen. To the non-infectious skin troubles the Maori seems relatively immune. (a) Scabies : Maori, 145-01 (129-30); white, 6-41 (18-48). (b) Septic sores and impetigo : Maori, 69-48 (60-42) ; white, 20-43 (29-95). (c) Other skin-troubles are more prevalent in the white group. Whites suffer twice as much acne, twenty-nine times more seborrhcea, eight times more ringworm, and nearly four times as much of the group urticaria, eczema, ichthyosis. The total figures for this collection of troubles show the Maori relatively free from affection. Maori, 7-53 (21-76) ; white, 54-46 (31-20). Averaging the two years gives the following rates : Maori, 14-64 ; white, 42-83. Vaccination. —Maori 1-51 (0-70); white, 20-83 (24-85). Dental Hygiene. —Undoubted superiority is still seen in the Maori teeth, especially marked in rural areas, where shops are not so readily accessible. Pyorrhoea, however, is almost twice as common in the Maori, and probably following the adoption of pakeha diet. (a) Defects in jaw or palate: Maori, 3-77 (2-10) ; white, 4-80 (8-91). (bj Perfect sets of teeth: Maori — Primary, 71-75 (73-78); secondary, 164-65 (172-87): total, 236-40 (246-65). White—Primary, 30-84 (31-23); secondary, 14-42 (19-75): total, 45-26 (50-98).

12— H. 31.

89

White. Maori. ; — , White. Maori. L J II I Under 1 year .. 5 6 13 years .. .. 2 1 1 year .. .. 5 9 14 ' „ .. .. .. 4 2 years .. .. 12 15 15 „ .. .. 1 5 3 „ • • .. 8 10 16 „ .. .. 1 3 4 I .. .. 7 15- 17 „ 5 „ ■■ •• 1 17 18 „ .. .. 1 6 6 • .. 3 14 19 „ .. .. 1 2 7 ,, • ■ . ■ 5 13 20-29 years .. .. 14 11 8 „ •• .. 1 7 30-39 „ .. 8 15 9 ,, ■. .. .. 4 40 years .. .. 7 38 10 1 2 " 11 „ • ■ • • 3 1 87 203 12 „ .. .. | 1 5 Two not classified.