THE WHITE PLAGUE.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1925, Page 3

THE WHITE PLAGUE.

> — <a o «•—< HOV/ TO STAMP IT OUT

A DOCTOR’S OPINION. CHRISTCHURCH, November 7. " If measures could lie taken to prevent the children of the present generation from, contracting it, there will ie very little tuberculosis in the next ;cncration. declared Dr G. Blaekiiorc, superintendent of the Cashmere onsuinpt ivc Sanatorium. when he undo a plea for fresh air and sundiine.

“As president fit the Open Air .ehools’ Association I am naturally

cry pleased to see this open-air school .pencil,” said Dr lilackmore. Some lifticulty had been experienced in obaining the school, hut the residents’ access showed that if they persisted

hey would have another school, .Mr Marriner had staled that the s'liool as the first of its lyoe on the liiils. mt they had ills t licattn by a head he school which was to hi, (•rei-led in onnectioi! with the Fresh Air Homo for children at the Sanatorium. The lans were Icing prepared by tho architects. Two of the functions of .lie Fresh Air Home, to prevent chilIren contracting their iiarenls’ <onuimptive disease, were to keep the children in the open air l.v day and •light, and to give them adequate s.imdiinc. Twice a dav the w hole of the body was exposed to l lie .sunshine, finalise it had been proved that the browning of the skin nl white people -on(erred a event prevention again:.! II he I'!'ah )• I-. II '■ lhi i'll >ll ill 1 l|f .me formed only a small pel ceiiluge if the children of t iihereulosis parents. Many other such children receive ■dueatiou at the ordinary State schools. “What are these State schools doing to prevent these children from developing their parents’ disease?” asked Dr Blackmore. “You have not to go outside these grounds to find an a.swer to the question. You have only to go into this schoolroom (the permanent building), where the children get so little fresh air and sunshine for five hours a day, on fivi days of the week.” Most of tho schools fostered the development of the disease. There was no good blaming tho education authorities for iho schools which they had built. Tf the parents had persisted then, open-air schools would have been built. If fresh air was necessary at school, it was more necessary at home, blit some parents did not realise this. To many streets in the city they would find the windows unopened. “The whole- instinct of the child is for the out-of-doors.” continued Dr Blackmore. If the instinct was repressed in childhood the child would follow its parents. The lessons taught in childhood were the tilings that stuck. “You may rest assured that if you start the child in the fresh air wav he will not forgot it. ff measures could lie taken to prevent the children of the present generation from contracting tuberculosis there will lie verv little of the disease in the next generation.”