CONSUMPTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1922, Page 4

CONSUMPTION.

LIGHTING THE SCOURGE

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN PROPOSED

WELLINGTON, July 14

At the Conference of Hospital Board delegates u remit, was considered from Otago on the subject of tile amalgamation of ifospital Boards generally throughout New Zealand for the treatment of consumptives, with a vi-w to pool in" tile capital cost and'maintenance thereof in proportion to the’rateable capital value of the districts. The matter was introduced by Air A. F. Quelch, Otago, who, in support of the scheme, said while some districts u(“re ma.king provision others were 1 making little or no provision, with a result that while a number of cases I were arrested every year, a number of 1 fresh eases were coming on. Something must be done by which they could bring them all in from every district, so that they could receive treatment. It was a function of hospital hoards that they should amalgamate for the purpose of arresting rwnl preventing the disease.

| Mr G. Knight (Otago) said the Dej pnrtmeut had stated that it was impossible with the present financial condition of the country to nationalise the work, hut it would he a fairly equitable .scheme, for the ratepayers aiid local bodies. Tbe Government would provide its quota, through the Hospital Boards, so that it was the nearest possible thing to nationalising the system of dealing with consumption.

Dr. Valinline, Director-General of Health, said the scheme appealed very much to the Department, as it was the only means of having a satisfactory national campaign against, consumption. The North Canterbury Board had a most excellent sanatorium for the treatment of the disease, and the reputation that the sanatorium had got under the direction of Dr Black-

more attracted patients from all parts of New Zealand, a fact upon which the Board was to be congratulated. Otago had also established a most excellent scheme, hut in tlie North Island there were no Hospital Boards which had undertaken the responsibility. He did not blame them, because tbe Wellington Hospital Board some years ago established a Sanatorium at Otaki, which did groat good. During the wrtr it was deemed expedient that the Department should take it over. Tt uas under the control of the Department to this day. A Sanatorium bad been established at Pukeorn on modern lines, at uhicli soldier cases were treated, and although the large Hospital Boards of the South Island had faced their responsibilities the Sanatoriiims of the North Island were not under the control of the Hospital Boards. The Department had two institutions in the North Island, and. with the idea of giving effect lo this scheme, they were preparer! to hand over these two institutions to the Hospital Boards of the North Island and give it effect straight, away. It was only by such a scheme as this that they could deal effectively with consumptives, and they must have institutions available for every consumptive patient in the two is!.unis, and, by a pooling scheme they could scud a patient who was not doing too well in one place to one of the others.

The scheme would give them two institutions in each island and these would ho sufficient for the needs of the Do-

minion for many years to collie. It might involve the scrapping of the institution at 'Palmerston South, but the wonderful reputation of the climate of Otago would appeal to the South Island so much that it would lead to the closing of Palmerston South. Tie was sure that Otago would join in the larger scheme. In justice to Auckland, as Auckland lmd no sanatorium lie must say that some years ago tile Department obtained a country house at Cambridge, which had served for 20 years. It was only closed the other

day, Ptikeora enabling tUtun to do so, It was not the fault of the Auckland Board. He had never had the courage to recommend the Auckland Board to establish a sanatorium in Auckland for he was not disposed to regard the climate of Auckland as suitable for siicb a purpose. Ho hoped the Boards would take up the scheme and let the Depart, ment see a system for the treatment and control of the tuberculosis that would be second to none in any country. (AprlniivnV

Air F. Castle (chairman) said that if the Boards could run. genei® hospitals they were equally capable of running sanatoria.

Replying to questions, Dr Valintine said the Department would him,! over the two North Island hospitals to the North Island Boards, hut would rather pool them in the national pool. It would require no legislation for the Act enabled Hospital Boards to combine for the purpose of maintaining institutions. There would he no difficulty about this owing to the excellent understanding between Boards and the Department. Other speakers supported the scheme expressing the view that if they asked the Government to nationalise this work and to take over venereal disease, they might want to take over the whole lot, to which most of them would he opposed. They would not favour doing away with hospital hoards. After further discussion it was resolved that the Department of Health be asked to confer with the movers of the remit and formulate a scheme with details, the same to he circulated to all Hospital Boards asking them to give due consideration to it. Air Wallace said that w’Kle lie could not pledge Auckland to a scheme for the two islands, be believed they would | support a scheme for each island on the lines suggested. .