HOT WATER BAGS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 174, 25 July 1942, Page 4

HOT WATER BAGS

STOCKS STILL FROZEN SITUATION IX WHANG ARE I (0.C.) WHANGAREI, this day. A situation of grave concern to the public is revealed as a result of inquiries in Whangarei with respect to hot water bags. Although large stocks are held by commercial firms, chemists, the only retailers authorised to supply the public, and then only on a doctor's orders, are with one exception entirely without supplies. Stocks are held by firms who retailed hot water bags prior to the order freezing all supplies, and they are awaiting instructions from the Government regarding stocks being released to chemists. On the other hand, chemists are frequently requested for bags on doctor's orders but have been unable to fulfil orders. The sole exception is one chemist who received a very small supply recently. On giving an order for a bag to a patient, a doctor must specify that it is necessary to the prescribed treatment, but even in these cases patients have had to do without. To meet one urgent case a chemist, unable to furnish a bag, loaned his personal bag. Until instructions are received from the Government, Whangarei firms holding stocks cannot release them. Chemists have to deny orders in the meantime, and even urgent cases have to await the pleasure of the officials concerned.