wr wkd. 4O1L933 . . ce Sem me ee ee pk PO nl peyote ay ee, ee lh 2 waet . se, oe ‘ 2 o . . wee ee ET ee 7 Aig, 1 Rita mT aS a cial af hla hyena se ee ET ere ee “BEST COPY AVAILABLE ' Health Survey of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands ALICE Mi. HETZEL, B.S. Tn a eteeN TRE SCoMER of 1948 the U.S.8S. Whidbey began the voyage from island to island that, before its completion, was to take it through the. Caroline Islands, the Marshall Islands, and the Northern Marioe “ne ana Islands. Under the auspices of the United States Navy, a survey staff aboard the WaAdbey was undertaking a survey of health and sanitary conditions. The ultimate goal of the survey was a physical examination of every inhabitant. These islands, with the exception of Guam in the Marianas, then designated as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (fig. 1), were the former Japanese mandated islands. Invaded and occupied by American military forces during World War II, responsibility for civil administrationof the islands was placed with the Navy, pending the enactment of legislation by Congress designating the permanent governing authority. Under direction of the Secretary of the Naty, the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet served as High Commissioner of the trust territory. The trusteeship agreement of the [nited Nations directed the United States to care for and improve the health of the inhabitants. It was recognized immediately that a broad general health-service policy must be established to meet the need for improvement of the health and hygiene in the islands. Asa result of the war the natives were in a state of emotional shock. They had been displaced from their homes, their food had been confiscated, trade and industry had been abandoned, and schools were nonexistent. Medical needs had long been neglected. The islanders, a primitive people who had been exposed to the diseases of civilization against which they had no racial immunity, were unable to support doctors, denrists, and nurses in private practice or to maintain hospitals, dispensaries, or departments of public heaith.' From Medical Statistics Dirision, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C. . OCTOBER 1959 5013251 1199