THE SICK MEN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2519, 14 July 1915, Page 9

THE SICK MEN

NOTIFICATION OF PARENTS,. Several questions were asked in the House yesterday about the notification of parents and other next-of-kin. of the illness of their relatives in camp or hospital. '7 • . - The Hon. R. H. Rhodes said he had advised the House already of tho steps he had taken. It was, howevor, a very difficult business to. organise, and he had detached for the work a senior, officer of the Post Office, who, being a business man, could organise' this work. This officer had asked for further assistance, and ho .would get it. Ho (Mr. Rhodes), quite understood'that many parents hadnot received advice, and if the assistance lie was sending was not sufficient moro assistance woiild be given.. .. The Hon. J. Allen said that tho arr rangoittent made about all the camps was that as soon as a. man went into hospital advice was to be sent to Headquarters at Trentham, who would at once notify the nextjof-kin of the fact. They would. also advise, relatives of the condition of the patients if there was any change in their Condition whioh appeared to be serious. .. Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister of Public Health whether he could state for the information ; of the publio whether, there was any. hile or regulation regarding next-of-kin seeing soldiers w"ho wcj-o sick in hospitals. He was informed that. the. rule .was-that next-of-kin, .-were_oalled in only patient was in extremis. ■ . ' Mr. Rhodes Baid there had been no objection to parents' visiting ■ patients until the alarm was raised' that the sickiioss might be serious. On account of this danger it had been Ehought advisable in the last few days to isolate the patients. This was the reasbn why people had) not been allowed to enter hospitals freely, but if any indication was observed that patients were not progressing favourably, and' that the change miglit :bo serious; the parents would be communicated with, and would be admitted to see their sons. He' did not think that'a case should be allowed to develop until the patient was in extremis before parents were notified. This was what he was trying to guard, against.. >