THE SUN CURE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 127, 27 February 1928, Page 16

THE SUN CURE

NAPIER DOCTOR’S REPORT PROPOSED TREATMENT Dr. J. 4. Berry, medical superintendent of the Hawke's Bay Hospital, Napier, has made the following report on the “Sun Cure" to the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board:— “During the past year or two, the 'sun cure' has been widely discussed, and it is now being realised that an important weapon against disease has been found. “My own interest in the subject dates back to 1916, when 1 applied it in the treatment of war wounds. Later, while in practice in London, I used sun treatment on the hospital balconies for cases of surgical tuberculosis in my children's wards. I often thought at the time that, excellent as the results were in the climate of London, how infinitely better they would have been in the climate of sunny Napier—a climate rivalling even that of the Mediterranean sea stations. On arriving here I found that comparatively little attention had been paid to the subject, and that naturally local authorities had done nothing to boom one of the great natural assets of our district. “At Iho commencement of this account of the subject, I would stress the fact that heliotherapy doos not cure every disease, does not always succeed, and requires patience. Also, it has to be given in a scientific manner to sufferers from disease. It will not only cure, but may also kill. The same is true of a great number of remedies; arsenic in small doses may be very beneficial—in large doses it is fatal." The report continues to trace the history of the cult from the ancient Egyptians.

“In England tho principal exponent of the sun cure is Sir Henry Gaurain, who has done a great deal to put the subject on a thoroughly scientific basis, and whose results even in the English climate are in no way inferior, and in many cases even better than the great Swiss physician, Dr. Hollier, of Leysin, who revived the treatment.

“During my recent tour I paid a visit to tho Treloar Homes, which are situated just a little distance from the village of Alton on the London-Portsmouth Hoad. Here there are about 800 children suffering from what has been mistakenly called ‘surgical tuberculosis.’ ‘Surgical tuberculosis’' is a misnomer. Surgical treatment is not indicated, and is not used in the best hands, except to a very minor extent. Hero, as in other institutions, one is struck with tho wonderful results that are attained, and by tho happiness, of tho patients. An extension of this home is situated on Hagling Island at Sandy Point, near Portsmouth. Here the children are in a hospital situated on the seashore, and as part of the treatment have a sea bathe, which has been shown to be a very powerful stimulus to methabolism. A movement has been on foot to send from large English towns their tuberculosis sufferers to the Alps, but with the results that are attainable in the hands of Gaurain find others, it is being realised that this is a needless expense. In fact, many patients do better in England than in the rarilied atmosphere of tho high Alps. “I also visited the clinic of Dr. Hollier at Leysin, in Switzerland

Here, surrounded by mountain tops covered by snow all the year round, lies the village of Leysin. There is an electric cog railway from Aiglc to Leysin, and its trains contain a special car for tho use of bedridden patients. In 1886 the population of Leysin was only 396— to-day it is estimated as being between 4000 and 5000, which shows clearly the popularity of rhe sun cure. As to final results, Hollier states that out of 2167 cases of tuberculosis bones and joints treated from 1913 to 1921, 1746 eases were healed clinically and radiographically, 242 were improved, 147 stationary, and 32 oecame worse.

“The practice of heliotherapy is noing but a return to the natural laws of existence from which an excessive civilisation tends more and more to draw us way. The immutable laws of nature have, in fact, taught us that Io live and develop normally, air and sun are as indispensable to the human being as to the plant. This is especially true of the child, that human plant of whom Michelet has said that ‘it is the one of all others which has most need of sunshine.’ 'Tn order to carry out sun treatment effectively at t]ie Napier Hospital I would recommend that: (1) A solarium be built. (2) That a sun porch be erected. (3) If not too late 1 would recommend that the roof of the operating block be flat, so as to be u'sed as a solarium.

“Many children who are predisposed to tuberculosis I have recommended to undergo sun treatment on the Napier beach. A suggestion to the Borough Council that a ‘V’ costume instead of tho full-length costume should be allowed. This would result, in 'lncreased health and happiness, and should not he a breach of any by-law.”