WORK FOR CONSUMPTIVES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 70, 19 April 1909, Page 4

WORK FOR CONSUMPTIVES.

HOW PATIENTS CAN" UK MADE SELF-SUPPORTING.

A group of sunburnt, red-cheeked men •ivorkinsr at a'potato pit on a sunny hillside near Booker, in Buckinghamshire, 'forms a living, example of the way any rural community can successfully deal with the great problem of tuberculosis, says a London paper. A representative of the Mail recently visited tin' farming Association's consumptive colony, near High Wycombe, and saw the practical side of the now generally accepted treatment of outdoor work for consumptives. .Mrs. Scott, honorary -ccri-tary of the association, explained' that a- yet the colony is ill its infancy.

"Our colony." she said, "is an experiment, and, if successful, as it seems almost certain to be, we shall have pointed out an economic way in which ever.v riiral district can not only be relieved .of the expense of supporting its consumptives, but can at the same time give them the best treatment as yet iKnown.

[• "The idea originated with Mr. A. Ty/ack. a local chair manufacturer, who was appalled by the number of consumptives everywhere met wiili among factory employees. 1,,.,, than a year ago '.-the' Association leased tweiiiv-eight ■acres of farm land from Lord c'arriug■:tou. Within this time we have succeeded in making a workiuu' farm of it. which, however, will only 'support about six to a dozen-men. We hope eventually to use all this ground for intensive Ereiich gardening, which will not only (supply work for the patients, but will jjrulso supply more means for paviiiL' jlthem the wage, they have been ami|tuned to cam in le.-.s healthy pursuits.

I "So far. the results from tin. staiulSipoint of treatment have been most satisfactory, ihe patient, without exeepliitiun showing continuous improvement. jj-Xs to the liiiaiicial side, developing a p'arni is uphill work, bill within ten joimnths we expect to be paying out

' line ~f the patient*, who wa, ulliti™ B sacks, with potatoes from the potno J! 'pit. spoke enthusiastically of the ten linionlhs' trcatinvnl he had undergone at tithe farm. Broken down in physique by i -factory life, he had become consumpJrtivc, but work in the open had pracli-j-cully restored him to normal health. "I j'can't live in Loudon." he said. "11111 I jdon't mind, as I am in tine health here. )live more comfortably, and cava better wages, perhaps, than I would be getting in town."