CONSUMPTIVE SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3116, 21 June 1917, Page 4

CONSUMPTIVE SOLDIERS

SPECIAL SANATORIA NEEDED.

Tho difficulties encountered by tho Public Health Department in dealing with the rather largo number of soldiers returning to New Zealand suffering from tuberculosis were referred to by the Minister (Hon. G. W. Bussell) in a statement inado to a Dominion reporter yesterday.

"Tho Department," ho said, "is being considerably strained in connection with tho treatment of consumptive soldiers. Altogether thero are 28 members of tho Force and !I3 discharged soldiers under treatment in special institutions, and this does not tako into account the numbers who are spread over the various hospitals of the Dominion. For some timo past tho policy has been to urge the Hospital Boards to erect shelters attached to their fiwn hospitals, whero men who are consumptives may have an opportunity to receive treatment among their own friends. This scheme is steadily extending, but it is clear from the number of men affected with pulmonary diseases coming under the control of tho Departmont that considerable expenditure will have to be incurred for tho purpose of providing sanatoria for soldiers who return to this country suffering from these diseases, and provision will bo made during tho coming session in this direction."