HOSPITAL BOARDS CONFER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 162, 28 March 1918, Page 7

HOSPITAL BOARDS CONFER

TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES. By Teleffi-aph—i'resa Association. Christchuroh, March 27. A conference of hospital boards north of tho Waitaki River was held today 6 to consider the proposal of the North Canterbury Board to establish a central institution to deal with all cases of curable 'onsumption in the districts concerned, the incurable patients to be acommodated in annexes attached to the ordinary hospitals. No agreement was reached. Referring at the conference to the prevalence of the disease ainonget returned 'soldiers, tile Hon. G. W. tlusEe'll said that up till a few weeks ago the Public Health Department undertook tile treatment and control of these men. The Minister of Defence had, however, asked to be allowed to have control of the. soldiers, _ except consumptives and neurasthenics, but he (Mr. Russell) would not agree to tliOso conditions. Ho was prepared to take tha whole responsibility or aione, and it had been decided that the Defence Department should take over the control of all returned sick soldiers of nil classes and conditions. He had requested the Minister of Defence _ to evacuate the civil sanatoria now being used by soldiers as soon as Other accommodation could be prepared, and it would now be ior the Minister of Defence to nlake his own arrangements with the hospital boards with reference to the treatment of soldiers. The Public Health Department had no further responsibility, imd would pav lio subsidy Oh extensions found necessary to accommodate soldiers. The entire financial responsibility was on the Defence Department, and he hoped the Minister of Defence would make the necessary arrangements as quickly as possible. -