THE WHITE: DEATH..

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 323, 9 October 1908, Page 4

THE WHITE: DEATH..

TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES. v DR. MASON'S REPORT. ;' A- -■'• * , The introductory k pag?s "ofthe annual ra-. : • port of -the' Public Health Department are devoted .to an exhaustive; "review-by' Dr. Mason, .Chief Health Officer, > of. tho year's campaign against consumption. -From a fatal indifference io the'infective dangers of th» disease, 'it would appear that wo have now gone to'the other. stricken brethren are treated as social outcasts'.' Says Ur. Alaisou'"Collectively wo have grcat- . sympathy for the poor soul stribken .with, this disease; individually we - -" occasion him much unnecessary hardship. Day after'day. I have men and women who "'havo 'passed through one or other of our sanatoria, and are now. fairly ! .well, eager arid' artxious tp undertake some work, and yet hardly 'any one will give them a chance. It is a blot upon our alleged altruism. I wish to proclaim it 'as forcibly as I can tli'at the man who has spent a few months in :a well- - ordered sanatorium is a safer neighbour, even though he be'still ill, than-.the sufferer-who has had no institutional instruction, ,thp.ngh maybo lie sAemSj.well,, ..-.fiesjructioiir.pf. the Bputum,;Care of the person, and all that, proper living really spells has been so:diif-' lied into tliem at the sanatorium that it is next to impossible for, them to : behavo in such a way as to'endanger the health of others. "In all countries very . great difficulty. lias. been found in obtaining suitable employment both for male and female ex-patients.* '- The laws with regard, to.the registration of; nurses would prevent the employment of any but trainod women in New Zealand, *'still ; ther'o ' are many spheres of usefulness for the untrained female patient who has had a length- . ened sojourn ;in'.; a, sanatorium'.'"Without" usurping the title of nurse she is able to do great good. She has learned wherein lies tho main source of danger, and, while-playing the humble role of maid in a family whore & consumptive lives, >she would be. able-.-to;. render great service.. As a matter of-fiict one of our ex-patients"^ : now oceupied i% . this work. ' • "As I' havo pointed out repeatedly, unless We are to lose tho money spent in bringing , patients", back to /condition of - health, the municipalities,, hospital- boards; 'for the tral government must find' them some- kind of employment at once suitable; to-their condition 1 ' of health, and of a nature which will be profitable not >only 'to, the 'cured',*, but to .the -provider of the work. - This, .1 think, will' be accomplished - ;through 'the camp, the ;%aro,rc,'. or 'Forerunner.' ; " Labo.iir-camps have been started v --iii j 'America;; England,; and,- -the Continent >.of- ; ' Europe, xand varying .' success has attended " them. Hero in Zealand, however, we Jiave many factors which-aro wanting' in other countries:--. The .State,; owns land suitable fori'tree-planting,'and it'has a Depart- ! ment • willing. to employ men at this • wo"r¥.' For men I ,".than"tree-planting 'there 5 - could /be Bo more 'suitable occupation for the 'cured' consumptive.-..'Karere' ?is.-situated.-about a mile from -the prison .camp at Waipa. The 6oil is-.of free-,.:opeii pumico. , Thero is a good, and; • f .Colon6l-' i Hume, ;we to - connect, ffith the, prison'campf'telephone." . ' . The.:.question .of. ai.largervehcampmenf was klso considered,; . continues; Dr. Mason, arid Dr. Mak'gill?'was:- detailed; to •' inspect .'certain -special'..reference]; to- Taupo... An , exhaustite' -report from that' officer ■ is i.in--.:. corporated.in the Departmental report.'""'" > In his report Dr. Makgill, suggests,a sito' .feither'at Lake Rotokakahi;. eight miles"'from Rotorua,. or one about-tthrep.miles from Taupo village.. The. tree-planting area at •Rotokaikfthi,'6ooo-, acres', would, supply labour ' for twenty'-men-ffor.'five or-six years:- -Tlio availablo^afeaiat.-iTaupo,-is-25,000 acres,..in. one biock;;;'aiicb'6o,'OOO. -acres-. in -another/ v • - "Th'^'Vs'chief .;/;'consideratipn,''.- .- says -.Dr.; Makgitl s , . "i - ? I'th^-ifliffereiice' • in ' cost ..between "i the .Tatip'o!' ' thbl Rdtokakahi; -

'balance being considerably in fav*'6uV.-*ofJfo" jatt-er, /chiefly owing to tlio i'act-.tiatvn 'medical' l man would bavo to be at Rotokakahi ouo of tlfe.'locai -"practitioners at Rotorua could.iiQfftlbVibt' boTfeirgagad. When tlio system 'it will —and a men ,is 'a... .required 'than tlio affords. ' Taupo l'lftce for such a largo colony "as: for .Hundreds of men for~many' bo-found. With;, so large :a camp also;; tho management would bo a matter-requiring n special appointment, and tho cost of a-medical manager would bo quite justified. But""for tlio present Rotokakahi offers amplo scopo for work."