Leprosy Scourge In B.S.I.

THE scourge of leprosy among Mela nesian natives—narticularly in the British Solomon Islands —and the urgent need for increased facilities for fighting the disease were emphasised by the Bishop of Melanesia (Rt. Rev. W. H. Baddeley) in an address at Auckland, N.Z.. in Sep tember.

At present an expert is making a sur vey of lepers in the Solomons, but other than that the Administration has done little to cope with the situation. The Mission runs a leprosarium without sub sidy, but is handicapped through lack of funds. Asking for support, the Bishop said, “In the Mission field the hospital is as essential as the church, and our expenditure on hospitals and dispensaries is as essential as it is heavy.” He added that “well-fed bodies are better able to resist leprosy and so the Mission is en couraging agriculture and efficient ro tation of crops so that a better variety of food of improved nutritive value can be obtained by the natives.”

Her “Same-day Laundry Service”