Report of the Commission of Public Health to the Minister of Public Health / Department of Public Health, Victoria.

  • Victoria. Commission of Public Health.
Date:
[1973]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Commission of Public Health to the Minister of Public Health / Department of Public Health, Victoria. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/40
    • / v FIFTY-FIRST REPORT OF THE COMMISSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH 1972 To the Honorable Alan Henry Scanlan, M.L.A. Sir, We have the honour to submit, in accordance with Section 23 (3) of the Health Act 1958, our report for the year ended 30th June, 1973. In the report of the Commission for 1971-72 reference was made to the increasing concern for higher standards of environmental control and to one particular environmental problem which had required increasing attention—that of mercury contamination of fish. The collaborative study which had begun that year of a detailed investigation of mercury levels in the shark catch has continued and has been extended to other fish species. Also, under the sponsorship of the National Health and Medical Research Council and in collaboration with the Department of Health, a research programme was commenced by the University of Melbourne Department of Medicine at St. Vincents Hospital led by Professor D. G. Penington into the possible effects of the consumption of mercury in fish on the health of selected groups of the Victorian population. Because of the severe central-nervous system damage sensitivity of the foetus and chromosome breakage in lymphocytes attributable to organo-mercury compounds this research is obviously of considerable importance to the health of the public. Other heavy metals, particularly cadmium, have also been under study because their presence in food chain may represent a hazard to the community. The contamination of the environment by heavy metals is a prime example of the inter¬ dependence of natural systems and living things including man and of the Commission’s continuing involvement in environmental issues. During the year environmental pollution control was assumed by the Environment Protection Authority in the terms of the Environment Protection Act. As part of this rearrangement the administration of the Clean Air Act was transferred from the Commission to the Environment Protection Authority in December, 1972. However, delegation from the Environment Protection Authority over Solid Waste Management (except in the Latrobe Valley) was accepted by the Commission and a special staff recruited to deal with the administrative procedures made necessary. Under the Environment Protection Act the Commission of Public Health has an overriding power of veto in respect of any application or any licence issued where the Commission considers that the public health is likely to be endangered and this is involving medical and engineering officers in reviewing all licence applications made to all agencies of the Environment Protection Authority. In order to co-ordinate this work a Senior Medical Officer was promoted to the position of Senior District Health Officer (Environmental Health) and further specialist and administrative staff will be required possibly leading to the formation of an Environmental Health Unit. Because of the increasing emphasis being placed on water conservation the Government approved a visit overseas of a team of three senior officers from the Department of Health, the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission and the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works to study the re-use of water in a number of countries. The Assistant Chief Health Officer (Public Health) represented the Department in this investigation. FLUORIDATION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES. The standard of dental health in Victoria is the worst in Australia and is a State calamity. For no good reason, one million children with no control over the situation remain extremely susceptible to dental decay. This serious state of affairs is highlighted by the following results of a survey in a provincial city :—• In the average 14-year-old child, approximately 13 teeth were affected. Of these, 2 had been extracted, 4 filled and 7 were decayed. Of the 13 teeth affected, 4 only had received adequate restorative treatment. Public water supplies in Victoria are naturally deficient in fluoride which is unfortunate for this substance can have a dramatic effect upon the incidence of community dental decay. This has been proved conclusively both in Australia and overseas. Initially, children receive the benefit, but it is now known that these benefits are carried through adult life, with better general health.