TUBERCULOSIS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3612, 12 March 1927, Page 2

TUBERCULOSIS

A GREAT MENACE. SCHEME TO FIGHT IT LEGISLATIVE ACTION. According to a report submitted to the Palmerston North Hospital Board on Thursday by its delegates to the Hospitals Board’s Conferenec in Christchurch last week (Me ;ssrs K. Horhblow and J. 11. Vincent), a big movement is on loot in New Zealand to grapple with tuberculosis, a cause of death exceeded only by heart disease, senile decay, and cancer. “I was surprised to learn that the discussion, was held in committee,” stated Mr. Hornblow, when presenting the report. “It should have been made public in view of the fact- that in- fighting tuberculosis we are battling against ignorance and inliil’enencc. It is surprising to know what a tremendous hold tuberculosis has among the people and how ignorant they are of the fact. A great many people arc affected by this terrible plague and we are not grappling this question as we should. Here i.s work tor the Hospital Board's of the Dominion. This is a national question, and we as aboard in the past have strongly opposed taking over the sanitoria. But I believe that if we are going to tackle this question properly we have got to take over the administration of those institutions.”

CO-OPERATION NEEDED. Mr. lTornblow .stated that in the North Island there were the Qtnki and Pukeorn hospitals, lint at those places they were not doing; a fraction of the great work that was being done at Cashmere. Tin* reason for that was that patients in the North Island preferred to be treated by Dr. Pdaekmore, who was perhaps the greatest authority on the disease in the Southern Hemisphere. The co-operation of tin l medical fraternity was needed, stud all hospital boards should provide annexes for those who were past treatment for such patients, if sent, back to their own homes, were a menace to the community. Air. Hornblow announced that the opinion of all the boards on the subject would be considered by the executive of the association and a scheme submitted to a conference

to Ik- held in Palmerston North. The sell erne would later he brought before Parliament as the subject of legislation.

Tho delegates also reported that tliere was no doubt that the large boards which had not yet established tuberculosis dispensaries, would lie expected to do so as part- of any comprehensive scheme. It was consequently necessary for each board to consider how fully it was prepared to support a combined policy in that respect. It was made aboundantly clear to the delegates that the results obtained by the North Canterbury Hospital Board were little short of surprising, and that the activities in that district were greatly benefiting the whole of the Dominion. It seemed to be the unanimous opinion of the conference that other boards must come into line as far as possible in this matter.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

It. was now necessary for each board to stale its policy on this matter, and whether it agreed to the general principles indicated by Dr. JB'lackmore, which were as follows : (1) The establishment of a tuberculosis dispensary. (2) The question ol’ joining a contributory sanatorium Scheme, on similar lines to the Waipiata scheme. (3) The question of boards combining to take over the existing institutions. (4) The question of assisting in the management of the existing institutions, and whether each board would support the policy whereby the individual institutions were managed by the board in whose district they are situated, other boards contributing towards the cost on a basis of the number of patients t rented. The delegates urged on the board giving this matter very full consideration, even though further expenditure was involved. It was only when the facts and figures were fully understood that the great amount of tuberculosis in New Zealand could he comprehended, and, further, that the great benefits that accrued from proper organisation and treatment eould he realised. Mr. llornhlow considered that the Otaki and Dukeora' sanatoria would have to he remodelled and the country would have to get more men of the calibre and enthusiasm of Dr. Biackmore.