The Sun TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1928. A CRUSADE AGAINST T.B.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 320, 3 April 1928, Page 10

The Sun TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 1928. A CRUSADE AGAINST T.B.

Since the world war New Zealand has lost over seven thousand of its population through death from tubercular disease. Three-fifths of that lamentable total succumbed to the scourge best known as T.B. The majority of these victims were young and middle-aged persons who were born in New Zealand and reared in an environment that is the envy of many countries in the Old World. In 1925, for example, *73 per cent, of the 684 deaths from tuberculosis were'those of patients under forty-five years of age—men and women w-hose deaths occurred at a time when they were most needed by their families. The tragedy of their fate lies in the fact that most of them could have been saved from an untimely death if their insidious disease had been discovered early and given the right treatment at the right time. It is a declared, as well as a demonstrable, truth that tuberculosis cau be cured more easily than any other dangerous, chronic disease. But the cure has to be put into effect quickly, and the treatment maintained thoroughly and, in some eases, with extraordinary patience and courage. Hence the appreciable wisdom of the Minister of Public Health in deciding to appoint a medical commission to investigate the scope of the white plague in New Zealand. It is reported" from Wellington that the Hon. -J. A. Young has invited the Dominion branch of the British Medical Association to nominate three of its members to form a special committee, -which will be given all the powers of a Royal Commission, to go into the question of the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in every practicable way. This is one of the best movements initiated by an administrative representative of the Reform Government for a long time. It is to be hoped that the B.M.A. will respond eagerly to the Minister’s request, and co-operate effectively with the Government in combating a menace. There has been a tendency in recent times for hospital administrators and others to look more closely and complacently at the bright side of the T.B. position in this country. They point with justifiable pride to the fact that, within the past decade, New Zealand has been consistently establishing world records for a decreasing mortality from tuberculosis. This is perfectly true, and it certainly is cause for appreciation and real gratitude that medical and sanatorial authorities have succeeded in reducing the death-rate from T.B. to the lowest percentage in the world to-day—only a fraction over five persons in each ten thousand of the population. But it is precisely the truth of such a notable success that demands a keener crusade than ever against the sneaking-, intangible, deadly disease. There, is no scope, there is no excuse for complacency. A year ago this month Dr. C. J. Blackmore, superintendent of the Cashmere Hills Sanatoria in Christchurch, and admittedly the leading expert on the treatment of T.B. in this country, declared that it could be assumed with a fair degree of accuracy that there were then about seven thousand recognisable cases of the disease in the Dominion. Less than half of that afflicted army was and still is receiving adequate treatment. Last month a nation-wide campaign against T.B. was opened in the United States by 1,500 tuberculosis and health associations. Their slogan was “Find out —don’t wait.” This is more worthy of emulation than American slang and Rotarian mottoes. There are seven sanatoria in New Zealand for seven thousand T.B. victims! Here, in Auckland, the provision for T.B. treatment is pathetically inadequate.