TUBERCULOSIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10606, 3 June 1920, Page 7

TUBERCULOSIS

A DREAD DISEASE DISCUSSION AT HOSPITAL BOARDS’ CONFERENCE. The question of maintaining institu--1 Hons for the treatment, cure, and prevention of tuberculosis came before the Hospital Boards’ Conference yesterday, .when the following remit, brought forward by Otago, was discussed:—“That the Department of Public Health bo askod to clearly indicate its policy end ideas as" to whether it should bs the duty of the department or hospital boards to erect and maintain institutions tor the curative treatment of early cases of consumption, and that the Government bo urged to provide pensions or financial assistance for the dependants of consumptive patients who are compelled to seek institutional or other treatment for their complaints.’’ A delegate from Otago said it was not the treatment of tuberculosis cases which Was the trouble that hospital boards bed to conteifd with, but it was in preventing the spread of the disease, in '"’bum direction tile boards had no power. The cost to the Otago Board this year for the treatment and maintenance of tuberculosis cases was -estimated to be .£IO,OOO. The board, however, ■ was not .complaining about the expense, but if, telt that under the present system it was hot getting value for its expenditure. The hospital boards had done good work, and so had the department, but only to a limited extent. Something should be done tn the direction of coping with the terrible disease in a more effective manner, and stops should bo taken against its spreading. Last year 112 tubercular patients wove discharged from the Otago Hospital. Of that number _ five wore cured, the disease arrested in 40 cases. 46 had improved. 15 were unimproved, and six died. The new number of Patients totalled 263, while there were 532 old patients. It had to bs remembered, added the delegate, that the experience of the Otago Board was in no way exceptional, and compared more, than favourably with that of the otner targe centres iii the Dominion. He apked that the remit be given unanimous support. Dr Valentine said that there was plenty of accommodation available for tuberculosis cases in various parts of the Dominion where special hospitals had been provided, and if the military authorities were applied to they would receive, tuberculosis patients at the military institutions. ~ , Dr Makeill ‘said that more could be done for tuberculosis cases if they were received earlier than they were. Th“re were difficulties in dealing with the cases, and on account of those difficulties the boards were anxious to place the responsibility .on the, department- The department was prepared to deal wi-tb them and “to take over the whole show,” but then it would be a case of nationalisation. As matters stood it was the duty of hospital boards to deal with rll class o * of disease. What was wanted was suitable colonies where suitable employment could be given to tuberculosis subjects, and if this was done the trouble resnecting them would cease altogether. The resolution was defeated.