H.—3l

The cost of general medical services shows a slight increase on that for the previous year. The shortage of civilian doctors and the long hours they are working in many cases makes it unlikely that the cost of general medical services will increase further under present conditions. Pharmaceutical Supplies Benefits: The cost of this benefit continues to increase and represents an expenditure of 9s. per head of the population, exclusive of the medicines supplied to in-patients of public hospitals. Part of the increased cost is due to extensions of the Drug Tariff following extensions of the British Pharmacopoeia and Pharmaceutical Codex. The increasing costs of drugs also has an important influence on the cost of the benefits. Apart from, these two factors, the number of prescriptions written is constantly increasing, and it is hard to resist the impression that many unnecessary bottles of medicine are prescribed. A new Drug Tariff was issued in November and came into force on Ist January, 1944. While a few proprietary substances of proved merit were included in the new Drug Tariff, its main purpose was to define more clearly the substances which do not involve a claim on the Fund. It is considered that pharmacists now have a more ready appreciation regarding what does and what does not involve a claim on the Fund. Hospital Benefits: The amount of the hospital benefit was increased from 6s. to 9s. a day as from Ist April, 1943. This increase accounts for the increase of over £600,000 in the total amount paid. Advisory Committees: Considerable assistance has been given by the various advisory committees which help in the administration of the benefits. The Central Pharmaceutical Committee, which comprises private medical practitioners and contracting pharmacists, was instrumental in the revision of the Drug Tariff, while the Drug Committee considered applications for the inchision in the Drug Tariff of a large number of proprietary remedies. The Radiological Advisory Committee held a number of meetings for considering application from radiologists for recognition and made appropriate recommendations to the Hon. the Minister. _ /' A Disciplinary Committee was also set up under the provisions of section 83 of the Social Security Act, 1938, to consider the case of a private-hospital licensee who had charged her patients fees in excess of those which she had undertaken to charge. In this case a recommendation was made to the Hon. the Minister that a fine of £10 be imposed. Neurological Surgery: Dr. Murray Falconer took up his duties in July, 1943, as lecturer in neuro-surgery at the Otago University. By arrangement with the University his salary is being paid from the Social Security Fund and his services are to be available to any patient from any part of New Zealand. Dr. Falconer has in his charge a number of beds in the Dunedin Hospital. He pays visits to Christchurch and Wellington at approximately monthly intervals in order to examine selected patients, who are transferred to Dunedin hospital for surgical treatment. Later it is hoped to include Auckland in his itinerary. General Milk-in-schoolf! Scheme,—The total number of pupils in the milk-in-sehools scheme in 1943 was 235,361 (an increase of 523 over the previous year), representing some 84 per cent, of the school population. The totals for pasteurized bottled milk, milk for cocoamaking purposes, or malted milk are made up as follows:— Pupils. Pasteurized bottled milk . . . . .. . . 222,098 Malted milk .. . . .. . . .. 8,234 Milk for cocoa .. . . .. . . . • 5,029 235,361 Apples-in-schools Scheme.—Apples free of cost were supplied during the apple season to pupils attending all types of schools. The scheme continued for eight weeks, during which time approximately 92,000 cases of apples were supplied. Health Camps.—Recommendations received from the medical officers and social workers indicate an increasing need for permanent and secondary health camps to enable understandard children to have a course of treatment in one of these institutions. It is anticipated the present shortage of health-camp accommodation in the North Island will be overcome by the early return to their normal functions of three camps in the Wellington Province at present being used for war purposes, and the establishment of a permanent institution in the Auckland District. In the South Island summer camps have functioned to capacity, while the permanent camp at Roxburgh has continued to care for children not only from Otago and Southland, but from other districts, including Chatham Islands. Notwithstanding other appeals, the sale of health stamps received generous support throughout the Dominion. Sums raised from the sale of these stamps and donations to the movement amounted to £26,511, which is just over three times last year's record total. A special donation from the J. R. McKenzie Trust and the subsidy from art-union funds will also be distributed to executives for the maintenance of children. Health Education,.—The budget for health education provided for an expenditure of some £15,000. Of this sum £8,000 was set aside for a special campaign by newspapers,

8