The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

New |Era for .a Depressed Area It may have taken me some time to learn to spell 'Maota-quac', let alone pronounce it properly, hut it didn't take me more tha ma few moments to realize what this gigantic hydro development woul mean to New Brunswick. This so-called depressed area has been of great concern to the government for a long time !but when you can get two -meeds to add up to an advantage you have the nucleus for a constructive undertaking. Of course, there are still those who bemoan flooding of the Sainlt John Valley. If was one of the most picturesque in the Maritimes. And there were a few who stubbornly refused to sell their property or to be NORTHUMBERLAND DURHAM I HEALTH REPORT REPORT for DECEMBER, 1967 Communicable Disease Of 64 cases reported during the month, 36 were chicken-pox, 23 mumps, and the balance were red measles, infectious hepatitis, salmonellosis and scarlet fever. This brings the total of communicable disease reported during the year, to 1625; measles and mumps were the most prevalent. One rabid animal, a bovine in Seymour Township, was reported by Laboratory' findings. Rabies vaccine for preventive treatment of two persons was dispensed to their ©physicians. Tuberculosis At four clinics held, in Bow-manwlle, Port Hoppe, Cobourg and OaimpbelLford, 91 persons received a chest x-ray. O)**-new active case was reported during the month, and one case moved into the area. There were 32 negative and two positive Heaf tests, and two positive Mantoux tests. This completed the tuberculin testing in grades 2, 9 and 12 in Northumberland county. Bur-, ham schools will be visited for testing in the spring of 1968. Immunization There were 14 clinics held, when 13 Children received primary smallpox vaccination, 17. completed the initial series of Well, as they say, that's all water under the bridge. Under a magnificent new bridge at PokiOk Falls, down river from the power development, tne .Mad aquae Dam. The undertaking was studied in detail for several years by the New Brunswick Electric Power Commission. This body of men realized ithat three things attralct industry; electric power, transportation facilities and reasonable taxes. Studies undertaken by the commission and the Atlantic Development Board finally 'dictated the decision to build the dam and consequently flood the valley. The St. John River, in the early days of Confederation w^B the main means of traffic up an ddown the valley. Soon the railway supplanted the river boats. But the little communities stayed as they were, strung out along either side of the river. There was no power to speak of in the valley and children attended one-room schools. Incomes generally were low and it wasn't surprising that those who Could, left the valley for greener fields. Scenery makes Tpoor fodder for human consumption. Pish and meagre crops from small farms was ] just about all the sustenance for body and soul there was in that beautiful valley. Power to Burn When a project of such magnitude as Maotaquac is first contemplated, the necessity for the displacement of whole families is a sobering thought. Farms and smal properties had to be appraised and the high-. way relocated. Even the fish tod to be moved. Thousands were taken from below the dadm to a new well and hatchery site in an effort to ensure the annual propagation of sal- The major problem of rehabilitation in any area is to tr£in people to do skilled work. The New Brunswick government was sincere in its ambition to improve working and living conditions for the valley people. A pullp mill was the first industry to become interested in the dam area. Because of sufficient available power there is presently under construction an $80 million mill near the new town of Mack-awic. I visited Malekawic during August, and saw a supermarket Milling its shelves with goods seldom sen i ntjhe Valley before 1967. A school was under construction, paved streets were laid out in a pattern to facilitiate 'town housekeeping' and fresh curtains were blowing at the windows of several new homes; the first of hundreds expected to be built in time. I realized as I watched the Pokiok Pals tumbling dowrn a rocky gorge into the St. John River, while thinking of the December deadline for flooding, that ther must have been- many heartaches at the contemplation of mulch of that fertile valley under water. Many of the farms were crown grants and had been in the family for generations. Homes that could withstand being moved were still occupied by families who were born and brought up in them. The rest were burned where they stood. While I picked flowers on that bright sumemr afternoon from the perennial beds of an abandoned farm and watched smoke curling from the ruins of its burned barn, I tried to assess this new development, not only from a dollar and cents value to the area, or the empployment and educational benefits, but from the angle of happiness and a higher standard of living the populace is bound to enjoy. This I measured against the staunch maritime pride natives of that ppart of Canada have always felt i ntheir heritage. They have a difficult adjustment to make, but I feel sure that, when they see the paper from the new mil. rolling by rail 'down the valey toward markets far afield, they will experience a sense of pride and well-being in the coming of industry to their area. Quint vaccine, iO received reinforcing Quad and 5 had reinforcing Triad. A tota lof 8i infants and pree-school children attended these conferences. Public Health Nursing Seven hunderd and fifty home visits were made by the nurses; 125 visits to give nursing care. Milbrook and Cobourg areas have the most nursing care cases in the Unit. Eleven viits were made to demonstrate care of new babies. The Fall series of prenatal classes were finished, 57 women received instruction at these. Time spnt at schools was a little less because of the examination time and holidays. During the month 1087 vision tests were done, bringing the total of vision tests for the year to 11,644. The nurses are continuing to have one afternoon a month staff meeting with the mental health clinic team from Peterborough Civic Hospital. This discussion is led by Dr. W. Forster, Director, Department of Psychiatry, Peterborough Civic Hospital, Peterborough. Audiometry - December 1967 During 1967, 6251 audiometer tests were completed, 327 of which were done in December. 116 new hearing defects were discovered during the year through this programme. At the end of December, 1967, 312 elementary students are on register with a hearing loss. Each of these, unless otherwise indicated will be tested again in 3968 and parents and family physician notified of the result. Environmental Sanitation It is not a favourable time to install private sewage disposal systems when there is frost in the ground: frozen ground makes good workmanship difficult. Because of this, the Public Health Inspection staff discourage such installations after December 1st. However, there are instances where these installations are necessary to provide facilities for oactf-pancy prior to spring. It is recommended that people who propose building in rural areas insure that their private sewage disposal installations are in and approved While ground conditions are favourable. Sixty-five installations were inspected during the month of December, and 793 during the year. With the increasing population, the development in packaging of foods, and the industrialization of our prvince. air and water pllutin and ther resultant prblems increase. It is known that what is 'burned creates smoke and gas, and therefore the atmosphere may be polluted. Because of the increasing problem of domestic and factory waste disposal, the Waste Management and the Air Pollution Control Sections of the Provincial Department of Health have been brought into existeace.. The Ontario Water Resources Commission was formed ten years or more ago, for the purpose of abating and preventing water pollution. Health Units and Health Departments throughout the Province work with these groups to help improve the environment of their area. Geeneral Remarks Miss Plaximan, supervisor, and Mrs. Oumberford. R.N., attended a one-day workshop on Nursing Home regulatons held in Newmarket at the offices of the York County Health Unit. A meeting of supervisors in the Eastern region was also attended! by Miss Flaxmian in Kingston. i Mr. John Keays, educational consultant with the Department of Health, visited the Health Unit in connection with staff education meetings. The staff of the Health Unit and membres of the Board of Health held a very enjoyable annual staff party at the Cobourg Golf and Country Club before Christmas holiday season. HOCKEY SCHEDULE January, 1968 January 18 -- Marbon vs. Colborne Grafton vs. Police January 23 -- Grafton vs. Marbon Police vs. Colborne January 25 -- Colborne vs. Graifton Marbon vs. Police January 30 -- Graifton vs. Police Colborne vs. Marbon Poor wheel alignment can cause tires to drag sideways 20 to 40 feet in every mile travelled, wasting gasoline and tires. CUSTOM PRINTING LETTERHEADS ENVELOPES STATEMENTS BUSINESS CARDS CHEQUES TICKETS etc. Fast, Efficient Service at Competitive Prices Colborne Chronicle KING STREET, COLBORNE PHONE 355-2107