OTAKI SANATORIUM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1859, 19 September 1913, Page 3

OTAKI SANATORIUM.

INSTITUTION UNDER CRITICISM.

SUPERINTENDENT'S DEFENCE. DISCUSSED BY HOSPITAL BOARD. Another long discussion took place at yesterday's meeting of the AVellington Hospital Board on tho subject of the Otaki Consumptive Sanatorium. A letter had been received from the superintendent of the sanatorium (Dr. AV. H. J. Hutliwaite), embodying a correction of two <k the statements made at the last meeting ,of tho Hospital Board regarding the expenditure of tho Otaki Sanatorium. It was then stated that the patients who had passed through the sanatorium were practically all of opinion that it was doing no good.

"I Jiave attached a list," said the writer'- "with full particulars of fortyseven patients who- have been treated at the sanatorium, and are now well, working and earning their own living. In order to make the test ah accurate and severe one, no patient is included who lias been for a shorter period than two years, whilst many have left three, four, and five years ago. A number of the men are doing hard, laborious work, and some of the women have married and have families. These aro patients who have either been seen personally or have communicated with the sanatorium officials quite recently. In going through the records of discharged patients, I find that thero are ifif'ty-nino who have been lost sight of, though twenty-six of these were known to bo living up to one year ago, at least twenty-five out of the fifty-nine were what is known as 'good cases,' and: should now be well and working.

"A. further statement was made that after patients were discharged from tho sanatorium no effort was mado to trace them. This is quite erroneous, as every effort is made and every encouragement given for patients to remiiin in touch with either the medical officer, matron, or sisters in charge, and, 011 b.eitig discharged, each and every patient is given a number of blank health report forms, with instructions to fill them in, and return them monthly. Nearly all comply with our instructions for about the first six months, but there are many who, after the lapse of a year, especially those who are remaining in good health, fail to keep in regular communication with us. Short of actual compulsion, I do not see what further efforts 011 our part can be put forth to induco patients to make a regular report of their health conditions.'

, Mr. B. 11. Gardener claimed that lie had been perfectly justified in saying that the board had had no proof that ex-patients were doing well. For.years he had sought for such information in vain. Some of the statements in tho letter wore not satisfactory. He gave ah instance of one young woman who had been discharged from the institution, and who had sinco been married. She had two children, but at the present time she was practically dying. Tho health form given to patients on discharge was l'ar from satisfactory. Ho thought .that no information of any value would ever be obtained until a system of compulsory medical examination was adopted. It was 110 argument that patients were recovering that they ceased to send in thoir health forms. Tho reason might be tllat tlioy wero dead.

Dr. Wallace Mackenzie said that Dr. Hiith'waite's letter contained much information of great valiio. Ho supported tho proposal that medical inspection should be compulsory, but even if it' were ho did not think that discharged patients would present themselves. The law at prosent was that people who had been vaccinated should return for inspection a week later, but they did not do so. No Government seemed to have the backbone necessary, to, enforce tho law. They' wero too much afraid of losing votes.

Mr. D. M'Laren said that he did not think it necessary for the board to have particulars of all cases before it. All tho board needed to know was that tho sanatorium was doing good work. ,

Dr. Hardwick Smith said that tho sanatorium had undoubtedly done good, but they could do much bettor. Tho present system was a "patchwork" one. They should aim to co-operate with tho practitioners, and treat patients in their own homes. Tho sanatoria should be used chiefly for educational purposes, to teach patients how to live, bo as to combat the disease, and for the treatment of thoso who cannot be treated' in their homes. The officers at Otabi had dono their best; but better work could be dono if they had a tuberculosis officer, to see that patients were properly treated in their homes. The names of patients should not come before tho board. Many people were afraid that if it wore known that they were suffering from a chest complaint they would lose their positions.