Consumption.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 March 1913, Page 3

Consumption.

THE VMUi OF THE VJCTIMto , . At the Hospital Board meeting in Wellington yesterday. .Mr B. R. Gardener, of Levin, ispoke to the following effect:— -Mr .13. l\. Gardener said that the (|iii\stiui! (if dealing with consumptives was .a vory important one. The. first tiling tlio board had to considiT was the providing of a place at the ho.s])ital to accommodate consumptive people. A large anion lit of money would be required, la'nd he wanted to know how much further the board was jxoing to a«k the ratepayers to put their hands in their pockets so as to carry out this work in a more .systematic manner than at prewiit. Something ]iad got to lie done. Tho medical reix>rt was almost a repetition of the report of the committee, and the committee understood it was absolutely impossible to carry out those resolutions in a proper way without tho assistance of tile Government. They should find out from the Government what monetary assistance they would .uivo to the board to carry out the recommendations. The hoard ■at i>resent could not place nn .amount, on the estimates for this disease, and a good many boards were in the same position. It was also necessary that there should be compulsory notification by medical men of patients suffering from the disease. "'" They were told time after time tluit the disease wa.s increasing. hut he thought that patients were being made to hide the disease. It was necessary before the hoard came to any conclusion to find out what assistance they would get horn the Government, and he moved to the effect that as these recommendations made by the conference would involve additional the Government be approiiichd to see what monetary assistance they would give, and also what clauses they would make compulsory. The Public Health Act was being ignored probably more by the medical profession than any otlied body in New Zealand. He thought that there should 7*» compulsory notification of the existence of the disease. The Premier promiscl something .should be done by the Government for coping with the disease, and the board should .ascertain what the fiovernmeiit intended to do.

The .substance of <Mr Gardiner's remarks was embodied in the recommendations brought down by the Otaki sub-committee of the TToard, as follows:- ''That in reference to the circular letter from the fn«poctorGenenal of Hospitals, re administrative control of tuberculosis.. tfie resolutions of the conference specially drawn attention to be brought before the Hon. tho Premier, and the Minister for Public Health, by the deputation of tho hoard when bringing before their notice the necessity for providing suitable outdoor work for patients who have received treatment for tuberculosis. ,.