Why No Malaria?

NZ Scientist On An Interesting Quest

Anew Zealand scientist wi is endeavouring to solve problem that has engaged the atte tion of medical research workers the Pacific for many years, is visiti; South Pacific Commission hea quarters this month in the course his investigations. He is Flight Liei M. Laird, M.Sc., Ph.D., of the Roy NZ Air Force Medical Service His mission is being sponsored 1 the NZ Government and Otago Ui versity.

Dr. Laird’s task is to try to di cover why Anopheles, the malari carrying mosquito, heavily infes some territories of the south-we Pacific while adjacent areas are coi pletely free from it. For examp] New Guinea, the Solomons and tl New Hebrides are among the me malarious areas in the world, whi Fiji, the Loyalty Islands, and Ne Caledonia are completely free i malaria.

The problem is regarded as i outstanding one in modern tropic diseases research, and it is consider* by workers in the field that i solution could point the way fundamental advances in malariolog Dr. Laird, whose wife is workii with him as his technical assistai has established a field base, wi laboratory, at Suva. He is makii field trips to islands in the malario and non-malarious areas, both carry out comparative ecologic studies of mosquito larvae breedin places and to collect specimens f subsequent laboratory examinatic At present Dr. Laird is engaged making field investigations in Ne Caledonia.

In his work, he is collaborate closely with the South Pacific Cob mission.

Mr. R. C. Higginson, judge the Fiji Supreme Court, arriw in Sydney at the end of Novemb on leave. He is staying at Wall ringa Mansions, Neutral Bay, un: he returns to Suva next April. M Higginson was in Tonga for sop years before taking his present j* in Fiji.