DIPHTHERIA CASES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3099, 1 June 1917, Page 4

DIPHTHERIA CASES

NUMBER STILL INCREASING. ' Tho diphtheria . cases that are being treated in the 'Wellington Hospital at the present time total 28, including | several convalescents. This is the largest ! number of cases of this disease which have, been treated at the one time in tho Hospital thia year, and- indicates that the trouble is still one to bo carefully guarded against. These do not represent the total number of cases by any means, as those who are able to arrange for complete isolation in their own homes are not compelled to transfer I hem to'the Hospital. The Hospital Board is still treating with the Mental Hospitals Department for a block of land for the erection of a special ward for diplitheria. Even if the negotiations are satisfactorily settled and the building is gone on with, it is not likely to be completed before the end of the year at the earliest, go it cannot bo regarded as any reliefas regards accommodation in the' easo of the present outbreak. Such are the conditions that should the disease become epidemic, the Hospital authorities would be in a very tight corner to cope with it. ' Admitting this one member of tho board, in referring to the matter yesterday, said it seemed wicked to lx> pottering over the price of tho land with a Government Department when the land in question is not. conveniently situated to be. of much benefit to the Mental Hospitals Diseases Department and is very urgently needed by the Hospital Board. The best plan would be,, he considered, to hand .over the block needed/adjoining the Infectious Diseases Hospital grounds) and settle the price afterwards. "Here you have the Government wanting to charge us about ..£750 per acre for a bit. of hilly ground'no good to ,theni, and then they blame the Hospital Board for increasing the expenditure,' said'onr informant. "For such a purpose the Government ought to be glad to have such a bit of ground to give us to help tis out of our difficulty."