Peter Snow (doctor)

Dr Peter Snow (died March 1 2006) was a general practitioner who served the New Zealand rural community of Tapanui for over 30 years. He was president of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs from 1998-99, and received their highest honour, Distinguished Fellowship, in 2001. He was a member of the Otago Hospital Board and its successor, the District Health Board.

Education

As a boy Peter Snow attended Auckland Grammar School, graduating with the class of 1948.

While training in medicine he intended to become a surgeon, but was unable to do so because he wore glasses to correct his eyesight, so he took up general practice in Tapanui.

Practice

In 1984 he was presented with a number of patients with a prolonged exertional 'flu-like illness, but presenting no diagnosable condition. While some people thought they were neurotic or were no different from commonly found "tired all the time" (TATT) cases, Dr Snow was convinced that they were indeed sick and proceeded to investigate. Many were sheep farmers who previously had a perfect record of health. Observing a similarity between the symptoms of stock suffering from selenium deficiency and these patients, he was the first doctor in New Zealand to identify the disease which turned out to be an outbreak of myalgic encephalomyelitis, now classed as chronic fatigue syndrome. Due to, often disparaging, publicity surrounding these discoveries and a study into them by Peter Snow, Marion Poore, and Charlotte Paul, the illness came to be known in New Zealand as "Tapanui flu" after the town of the same name in West Otago.

Dr Snow also became concerned at the number of farmers injured in farm accidents, particularly those involving motorcycles, and made recommendations for improving farm safety.

Retirement

After more than thirty years in Tapanui, Peter Snow and his wife retired to Lake Hayes. Peter Snow died on March 1, 2006.

References

• Reminiscences of the chronic fatigue syndrome - Peter Snow (PDF) From the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners newsletter December 2002.
• "New Zealand loses a fine GP", obituary from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.
• RNZCGP Annual Report, with elegy on page 37 (PDF)