THE MINISTER'S SPEECH

Press, Volume L, Issue 14985, 4 June 1914, Page 7

THE MINISTER'S SPEECH

ENTHUSIASTIC ALLIES

In declaring'the building open, the Hon. 11. Heaton Rhodes (Minister of Public Health and Hospitals) said:—"lt is but right that thi* institution, erected through tho generosity of the peoplo of North Canterbury, should be associated with the name of tlia son of our late King. Most of yon aro aware of the great interest King Edward took in the campaign against consumption, which culminated in the erection of a magnificent sanatorium on til. South Downs of England—an institution which will be known for all tune as the King's Sanatorium. To King Edward can' also be attributed a maxim on tuberculosis which we may tako to heart for, in discussing this disease and the means of preventing it, he said 'if preventable, why not prevented?' We have had ample evidence that the good work of our late beloved Sovereign in the direction of alleviating the sufferings of the afflicted is being furthered in every way possible by his august son. It is fitting, therefore, that this institution, initiated at the time of his coronation, and now completed, should bear for all timo the name of his Majesty King George V. It may be opportune on an occasion liko -this, to review the measures that have been taken to prevent consumption in this country, and to consider how tho means of prevention can be organised. Those who have studied the subject at all must realise that during the past ton years a great deal." has been done in that direction, and I believe I am right in saying that no other country has so large a proportion of beds available for tho special treatment of the disease. Besides" the four principal sanatoria'of tho Dominion, containing some 220 beds, thero aro some 150 beds available in annexes attached to our general hospitals; but in a campaign of this nature, the actual beds available are of little value unless those in authority havo the assistance and co-operation of an educated public, and tho organisation on uniform lines against the ravages of our common enemy. A WORD OF CAUTION.

"The public of tho Dominion have been educated as to the preventive measures necessary, but in connexion with this, I may be forgiven for adding a word of caution, there being still too much tendency on tho part of a certain section of the public to regard the consumptive as a person to be avoided and generally to bo treated as a -pariah of society. Nothing could be more unreasonable, nothing more cruel. The infectivity of consumption, so I understand, has been very much exaggerated, and I regret that such a mU-

understanding on the part of the public lias not only led to great injustice to the persons concerned, but has also militated largely against many of tho administrative measures that aro considered necessary. For example: An outcry is often raised when any provision is made for consumptives in our general hospitals,, or, indeed, by certain persons when a proposal is made to establish a sanatorium in any particular locality. Such objectioa= are not justified, either by rc.;.\son or fact. T>r. Bosanquet, a recognised authority on this disease in the United Kingdom, has recently commented on this fact, and" deplored the distorted view that a certain section of the public possesses with regard to the iufectivity of the disease. "1 would implore the public of Now I Zealand to look on the question of consumption in a thoroughly public-spirited ! manner, and be content to abide by the decision of the authorities as to the best | means of accommodating the unfortuI nates who aro stricken. I feel sure that tho average man and woman does not wish by any means to render harder and moro difficult tho lot of those unfortunates, aud I may say here that tho proposal of those timorous persons to the effect that all consumptives should bo segregated and kept ent-irely apart from tho rest of tbe population, is neither necessary nor justifiable by tho dictates of our modern knowledge of the disease. THE MEASURES REVIEWED. "Wo havo now to review tho measures that aro necessary to conduct the campaign against consumption-) and in this connexion it must be remembered that thero aro, at least, three classes of consumptives with whom we havo to deal, viz.: (1) Those who may with safety bo treated in their own homes; (2) those who may bo treated in annexe.-; attached to ono of our general hospitals; and (3) those who may be treated in sanatoria. Now, from information I havo to hand, it would appear that a great many consumptives may with advantage be treated in their own homes, provided that thero is proper accommodation and that suitable medical and nursing aid is available. For such sufferers tho Department proposes to provide special tents, which will be lent to such persons free of cost, but these tents will be allowed to persons in thoso districts only whero the Hospital Boards havo provided a -nodical and nursing service to look after the patients. Tin's provision _ could easily bo undertaken in this district-, where an excellent medical and nursing service is available, under the able administration of Dr. Blackmore. Those cases which, in the opinion of the authorities, cannot be treated at home, must be sent to annexes attached _ to our general hospitals until such time as they can he admitted, if _ desirable, to ono" of the four sanatoria of tho "Dominion. I have already stated that there are somo 220 beds available in these sanatoria —a larger proportion of beds for this purpose than is provided in any other country in the world. SANATORIUM ACCOMMODATION. "It has been proposed to increase the accommodation in theso sanatoria, but

with tho exception of two sanatoria, to wit, To Waikato aud the North Canterbury, it is not proposed to make any great extension in tho number of bods. Everything points to the fact that it is better to have a lew well-equipped sanatoria with a largo number of beds, say, from 1.0 to 200, than to have several institutions of from 30 to 40 beds dotted over the Dominion. No sanatorium can be regarded as efficient which has not a resident medical officer.. As regards consumptive sanatoria, therefore, the policy of tho Public Health 'Department will he to limit, rather than to extend the number of theso institutions by increasing the accommodation in these institutions, which are best fulfilling tho purpose for which they were initiated.

"It is to be hoped that tho Hospital Boards of the Dominion will combine for tho purpose of maintaining these institutions, which aro giving tho best facilities for tho treatment of the disease, and not erect additional institutions which would be comparatively costly and not likely to bo in tho best interests of tho Dominion. FARM COLONIES. "I may also say that it is proposed to attach to our large sanatoria, farm colonies for the accommodation of persons who, though cured of the dLsea.., are not sufficiently well to return to thoir ordinary occupations. In tho.c farm colonies, patients will bo taught outdoor pursuit*, such as poultry and bee farming, horticulture, and other industries that may be carried on in the open air. Though there is much argument for theso farm colonies being separate from the sanatoria, the opinion of experts is to tho effect that it would bo wiser to have them in close touch with the sanatoria so that the patients can be under a certain amount of medical supervision. In ono or two cases this will necessitate tho acquirement of additional land in tho neighbourhood of our existing sanatoria.

"I should have mentioned that during tho past year the Government has engaged the services of Dr. Bernstein, who has had special experience in the treatment of the disease, and who has been attached to one of the best recognised institutions for the treatment of consumption in the United Kingdom. Moreover, Dr. Bernstein has been intimately associated with tho work of a medical officer who has made for himself a. great name in connexion with the administrative control of consumption. I refer to Dr. Patterson, lately medical superintendent of the Frimley Sanatorium, but who is now director of tho tuberculosis campaign in Wales. One of the great features of Dr. Patterson's wprk has been, and is, tho employment of sanatorium patients. A great many of theso patients can with advantage to themselves carryout light work under careful medical supervision, and the records of the in- ! stitution under Dr. Patterson'.? control amply justify similar measures being adopted in tho sanatoria of this Dominion.

"NO FALSE SENTIMENT." , ■ "In this connexion I trust that no false, sentiment on tho part of tho public will handicap the work of theso medical officers to whom is entrusted the treatment of our consumptives, (.reat work in this direction is now being clone by tho esteemed medical superintendent of tho North Canterbury Sanatorium, Dr. Blackmore, and £ ?£ 7 Dc - B <--rn-*e_n at To Waikato, but tho success of tho campaign against the disease does not lie, as t have already indicated, in tho provision of beds at sanatoria—the secret of success lies in encouraging the patients to seek treatment in the eadv stages of the disease. For this purpose tuberculosis dispensaries have been initiated in three of our larger centres, and they are about to be initiated in other places m the Dominion, and if it be possible to obtain, as I have mentioned, tho early ca>:es of the disease for treatment, one of the greatest of blows will be struck in the common good.

In addition to the measures outlined, you are no doubt aware that pamphlets and periodicals on the disease have been distributed throughout the Dominion, and a tuberculosis exhibition is about to be initiated in i.imedin. In thi. connexion I would take the opportunty of tlianking publicly the Otngo branch of the British Medical Association for the pamplets it has issued on the history and nature of the disease. On other occasions I have referred to tho educative part PA aycd I,'? tho Proprietors of tlio Otapjo Ui.ne.-s' and by the Pre=s of the Dominion genomih* in publishing articles on tuberculosis.

'My Department feels that it has many willing and enthusiastic allies in tiio campaign on which it has embarked, and hopes that during the ensuin" year jt will be possib.s to arouse still further the interest of the public by means of lectures given in various ceitres. Speaking generally. tho Hospital Boards of tho Dominion are cooperating with the Public Health Department, and the question of givinf more assistance than that now given by tho ordinary statutory subsidie. witn regard to the many measures that may bo thought necessary will have the serious consideration of the Government. I mention here, that the officers of the Agricultural Department a--o taking steps to eradicate the disease amongst stock, and generally to lessen the danger of transmission of tuWculosis by milk and meat. -

_'I think it can be safely said that this little country is doing more than a-jv other country in tho world in the direction of eradicating tuberculosis. The public is well educated on the subject. The Hospital Boards aro prepared to do what is reasonable, and the Government is alive to the tremendous economical waste occasioned by this foil disease.

PRAISE FOR CHRISTCHURCH. "In conclusion, I can say with tho greatest confidence, that of all the Hospital Boards in the Dominion, the North Canterbury Board has taken the van in the campaign against tuberculosis. No other Board in the Dominion is so complete with regard to its equipment and details for carrying out a successful campaign, and by tho provision, thiough tho generosity of the people of Canterbury, of this splendid institution, another powerful gun is about to be traiued on a persistent and relentless enemy.

"1 congratulate the people of Canterbury, and the peoplo of the Dominion, on "this magnificent addition to their public institutions; but I will not let this opportunity pass without reminding them that an institution referred to by Dr. Blackmore in his rdmarks at tht> laying of tho foundation stone of this building is now in a' fair way of becoming an established fact. I rcfe-: of course, to the proposed Open Ah- Homo for Children. I congratulate Miss Rochfort, his Worship tho Mayor, and those other ladies and gentlemen who, with them, havo initiated the scheme, and I hopo soon to see their efforts crowned with success.

"I have pleasuro in now formally declaring this hospital open." . The visitors wero subsequently shown over tlio building, and entertained to afternoon tea.