THE WHITE SCOURGE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 100, 3 June 1914, Page 5

THE WHITE SCOURGE.

FIGHTING CONSUMPTION.

KING GEORGE V. CORONATION

HOSPITAL.

OPENED BY HON. R. H. RHODES.

IMPORTANT NEW PROPOSALS.

The King George "V. Coronation Memorial Hospital for Consumptives, in connection with the Sanatorium, at Cashmere Hills, was opened this afternoon by the Minister of Public Health and Hospitals (Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes), in the presence of a large number of members of the North Canterbury Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the various public bodies of Christchurch and suburbs, and the general public. THE MINISTER'S ADDRESS. In the course of the address in which he declared the institution open, the Minister detailed several important Government proposals for the treatment of the disease. He said —

"It is but right that this institution, erected through the generosity of the people of North Canterbury, should be associated with the name of the son of the late King Edward. Most of you are aware of the; great interest King Edward tools in the campaign against ! consumption, which culminated in erection of a magnificent sanatorium in the South Downs of-England—an instiI tution which will be known for all time as the King's Sanatorium. To King Edward can also be attributed a maxim in tuberculosis which we may take to heart, for in discussing this disease and the means of preventing it, he said, ''lf preventible, why not prevent it?' We have had ample evidence that the good work of our late beloved sovereign in the direction of preventing the sufferings of the afflicted, is being furthered in every way possible by his august; son. It is fitting, therefore, .that this institution, initiated at the time of .his cor&nation, and now; completed, shouldj tear for all time the name of his Majesty King George V, . "It may be opportune on a moment like this to review the measures that have been taken to prevent consumption in this country, and to consider how the means of prevention may be organised. Those who have studied the subject at all must realise that during the past ten years a great deal has been done in that direction, and I believe I am right in saying that no other coun-. try has so large a proportion of beds available for the special treatment of the disease. Besides the four principal sanatoria of the Dominion, containing some 2200 beds, there are some ioo beds available in annexes attached to our general hospitals. But in a campaign of this nature the actual beds available j are of little value, unless those in authority have the assistance and the cooperation of an educated public, and organisation on uniform lines," against the ravages of our common enemy. A WORD OF CAUTION.

"The public of the ,Dominion have been educated as to the 'preventive measures necessary, but in connection with this, I may be forgiven for adding a word of caution, there being still too much tendency on the part of a certain section of the public to regard the consumptive as a person to be avoided, and generally to be treated as a pariah of society. Nothing, I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, could be more unreasonable, nothing more cruel. The infectivitv of consumption, so I understand, has been very much exaggerated, and I regret that such a misunderstanding on the part of the public has not only led to great injustice to the persons concerned, but has also militated largely against many of the administrative measures that are considered necessary. For example, an outcry is often raised when any provision is made for consumptives in our general hospitals, or, indeed, by certain persons when a proposal is made to establish a sanatorium in any particular locality. Such objections are not justified either by reason or fact.

"Dr Bosanquet, a recognised authority on this disease in the United Kingdom, has recently commented on this fact and deplored the distorted view that a certain section of the public possesses with regard to the infectivity of the disease. NEED FOR PUBLIC SPIRIT.

"I would implore the publie of New Zealand to look on the question of consumption in a thoroughly public-spirited manner and be content to abide by the decision of the authorities as to the best means of accommodating the unfortunates who are stricken. I feel sure that the average mjn and woman does not wish by any means to render harder and more difficult the lot of those unfortunates, and I may say here that the proposal of those timorous persons, to the effect that all consumptives should be segregated and kept entirely apart from the rest of the population, is neither necessary nor justifiable by the dictates of our modern knowledge of the disease. NECESSARY MEASURES.

"We have now to review the measures that are necessary to conduct the campaign against consumption, and in this connection it must be remembered that there are at least three classes of consumptives with whom we have to deal: (1) Those who may with safety be treated in their own homes; (2) those who may be treated in annexes attached to one of our general hospitals; and (3) those who may be treated in sanatoria. Now, from information I have to hand, it would appear that a great many consumptives may with advantage be treated in their own homes, provided that there, is proper accommodation, and that suitable .medical and nursing aid is available. For such sufferers the Department proposes to provide special tents, which will be lent to such persons free of cost, but these tents will be allowed to persons in those districts only where the Hospital Boards have provided a medical and nursing Service to look after, the . patients. This provision could easily be undertaken in this district, where an' excellent medical and nursing service is available, under the able administration of Dr Blackmore. Those cases which in the opinion of the

authorities caimot be treated at home must be sent to annexes attached to our general hospitals, until such time as they can be admitted, if desirable, to one of the four sanatoria of the Dominion.

"I have already stated that there are some 220 beds available in these sanatoria —a larger proportion of beds for this purpose than is-provided iif any other country in the world; ~ INCREASED ACCOMMODATION. "It has been proposed to increase the accommodation, in those sanatoria, but with the exception of two sanatoria Te Waikato and the North Canterbury—it is not proposed to make any great extension in the nuftiber of beds. Everything points to the fact that it is better to have a few well-equipped sanatoria, with a large number of beds, say from 150 to 200, than to have several institutions of from 30 to 40 beds dotted over the Dominion. No sanatorium can be regarded as efficient which has not a resident medical officer. As regards consumption sanatoria, therefore, the policy of the Public Health Department will be to limit rather than to extend the number of these institutions by increasing the accommodation in those institutions which are best fulfilling the purpose for which they were initiated. COMBINATION DESIRABLE.

"It is. to. be hoped that the Hospital Boards of the Dominion will combine for the purpose of maintaining those institutions which are giving the best facilities for the treatment of the disease, and not erect additional institutions which would be comparatively costly, and not likely to be, in the best interests of the Dominion. FARM COLONIES.

"I may. also say that it is proposed to attach to our larger sanatoria, farm colonies, for the accommodation of persons who, though cured of the disease, are not sufficiently well to return to their ordinary occupations. In these farm' colonies, patients will be taught outdoor pursuits, such as poultry and bee farming, horticulture, and other industries that may be carried on in the open air. Though there is much argument for these farm colonies being separate from the sanatoria, the opinion of experts is to the effect that it would be wiser to have them in close touch with the sanatoria, so that the patients can be under a certain amount of medical supervision. In one or two cases this will necessitate the acquirement of additional land in the neighbourhood of our existing sanatoria. EMPLOYMENT OF PATIENTS.

"I should have mentioned that during the past year the Government has engaged the services of Dr Bernstein, had special experience in the treatment of the disease, and who has ; beeh- attached to one of the best reeogniiMd»institutions for the treatment of consumption; in: the. United Kingdom. Moreover, Dr Bernstein has been intimately associated with the work of a medical officer who has made for "himself a great name in connection with the administrative control of consumption. I refer to Dr Patterson, lately medical superintendent of the Frimley Sanatorium, but now director of the tuberculosis campaign in Wales. One of the great features of Dr Patterson's ywork has been, and is, the employment of sanatorium patients. A great many of these patients can with advantage to themselves carry out light work under careful medical supervision, and the records of the institution under Dr Patterson's control amply justify similar measures being adopted in the sanatoria of this Dominion. In this connection I trust that no false sentiment on the part of the public will handicap the work of those medical officers to whom is entrusted the treatment of our consumptives. Great work in this direction is now being done by the esteemed medical superintendent of the North Canterbury Sanatorium, Dr Blackmore, and also ty Dr Bernstein, at Te Waikato.

EARLY TREATMENT NECESSARY.

"But the success of the campaign against the disease does not lie, as I have .already indicated, in the provision of beds at sanatoria. The secret of success lies rather, in encouraging the patients to seek treatment in the early stages of the disease. For this purpose tuberculosis dispensaries have been initiated in three of our larger £flntres, and they are about to be initiated in other places in the Dominion; and if it be possible to obtain, as" I have mentioned, the early eases of the disease for treatment, one of the greatest of blows will be struck in the common good. VALUE OF EDUCATION.

"In addition to the measures outlined you are no doubt aware that pamphlets and periodicals on the disease have been distributed throughout the Dominion, and a Tuberculosis Exhibition is about to be initiated in Dunetlin. In this connection I would take the opportunity of thanking publicly the Otago branch of the British Medical Association for the pamphlets it has issued on the history and nature of the disease. "On other occasions I have referred to the educative part played by the proprietors of the "Otago Witness," and by the Press of the Dominion generally, in publishing articles on tuberculosis.

CARRYING ON THE FIGHT. e i My Department feels that it has many willing and enthusiastic allies in the campaign on which it has embarked, and hopes that during the ensuing year it will be possible to arouse still further the interest of the public by means of lectures given in various centres. Speaking generally, the hospital boards of the Dominion are co-operating with the Public Health Department, and the question of giving more assistance than that now given by the ordinary statutory subsidies with regard to many, measures that may be thought necessary will have the serious consideration of the Government. I'might here mention that the officers of the Agricultural Department are taking steps to eradicate the disease amongst stock, and generally to lessen the danger of transmission of tuberculosis by milk and meat. "I think it can be safely said that this little country is doing more than any other country in the world in the direction of eradicating tuberculosis. The public is-well educated on the subject; the hospital boards are prepared to do what is reasonable; and the Government is alive to the tremendous economical waste occasioned by this fell disease. CANTERBURY IN THE VAN. "In conclusion, I can say with the greatest confidence that of all the hospital boards in the Dominion the North Canterbury Board has taken the van in the campaign against tuberculosis. No other board in the Dominion is so complete with regard to its equipment and details for carrying out a successful campaign, and by the provision, through the generosity of the people of Canterbury, of this splendid institution, another powerful gun is about to be trained on a persistent and relentless enemy. "I congratulate the people of Canterbury and the people of the Dominion

-on- this magnificent addition to their public institutions; but I will not let this opportunity pass without reminding them that an institution referred to by Dr. Blackmore in his remarks at the laying of the foundation stone of this building, is now in a fair way of becoming an established fact. I refer, of course, to the proposed Open-air Home for Children. I congratulate Miss Rochfort, his Worship the Mayor, and those other ladies and gentlemen who, with them, have initiated the, scheme, and I hope soon to see their efforts crowned with success.''