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Medicine Amongst the Maoris, in Ancient and Modern Times

Present Environment

page 89

Present Environment.

The factor that change of environment has played in the causation of disease has been mentioned. The primary biological conditions of food and. housing have been materially changed. The present village sites in many cases are unsuitable and sufficient attention to subsoil draining has not been paid. Buchanan's researches have shown that phthisis has a definite relation to damp and retentive soils. The moisture and contamination of the soil also bears upon the causation of diarrhoea, rheumatism, enteric and other diseases which now attack the Maori to a great extent.

The original unfloored dwelling houses when situated upon a high, dry, well-drained site, was immeasurably superior to the same type of dwelling on the site mentioned above. The method of sleeping on the floor has its evil effect. The crowding together of several families into a common sleeping house with little or no ventilation, leads to the ready dissemination of disease. Dr. Mackenzie* has noted the effect upon children of overcrowding and the improvement in physique as the number of rooms in the houses increase. Until recently all the Maori dwelling houses were of the one-roomed variety. Since the establishment of the Health Department great attention has been directed to improvement of building site and house construction. The ancient materials consisting of various grasses and flags have been abandoned in favour of sawn timber. Here again there was a source of danger in that many of the houses were built without being properly finished and lined. They were cold and draughty and often inferior to many of the old rush houses. These imperfections are being gradually corrected.

Through lack of sanitation the surface wells were often contaminated and enteric was endemic in many villages.

The change of food, seems in one direction at all events, to have affected the race. In examining the skulls from burial caves and battlefields, one is struck with the marvellous soundness of the teeth. Though many are worn down almost to the alveolus through page 90chewing hard substances, there is little sign of actual decay. Amongst the present generation however decayed teeth are common and the Maoris themselves realise that their teeth are not so good as those of their ancestors. But they have not yet reached the degree of decay prevalent amongst the Europeans. Amongst the children attending the Native Schools and varying in age from 5 to 15 years, I found in the Taupo district that 40 per cent had absolutely sound teeth.

* The Medical Inspection of School Children. by Leslie Mackenzie.