Ashburton Guardian. Manga est Vesitas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1918. CONSUMPTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 9212, 5 February 1918, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian. Manga est Vesitas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1918. CONSUMPTION.

' The opinions expressed atv yesterday's meeting- of the Ashburtpri Hospital ißoardy that the Government should) undertake the responsibility of maintaining' and caring for those unfortunate people who fall victims to consumption, will be endorsed by many who have paid any attention to the problem. It is indeed a national question and should be dealt with from that standpoint, and would have been long ago if the Government had not evaded its responsibilities. In any discussion on the subject, ready agreement will be found on the main fact, namely, that whatever the cost, and whoever has to pay, the sufferers from tuberculosis must be given every possible and immediate attention, partly out of sympathy and a common duty to them, and partly for preventive purposes, to stay infection among others. Pew diseases have caused more home-tragedies, but fortunately few serious diseases can be treated, more successfully, if. the. proper treatment is given in time. The "white scourge" is gradually being conquered, thanks mainly to the self-sacrificing efforts of members of the medical and nursing profession, and to the research work of recent years. Mr H. Friedlander and Mr C. Reid, yesterday,; adopted tKe right. attitude/and at the forthcoming conference in connection with the enlarging of the Cashmere. Hills Sanatorium/ they will. probably find the majority of the representatives of other'local bodies present of similar, opinions. Too many"!' institutions would be a costly error with no corresponding advantage to the consumptive patients. The Minister of Public Health, Hon. G. W. Russell, has recognised that the Canterbury climate is especially favourable to those suffering from lung diseases, and Canterbury, no doubt, realising -that some districts of the (Dominion have not its climatic advantages, will be willing to shelter the afflicted, but it is too much to expect that Canterbury should bear more than its fair share of the expenses. -No harm would be done to the national cxi chequer, or to common justice, if the Government bore all the cost directly. It is one of the sadder results of the war, that so many !of our brave soldiers hay will, —become stricken with the dread disease, and may perhaps form almost a majority of the future cases requiring treatment. The care to be taken of these men, in whose debt the whole nation must always be r should not be endangered by the state of local finances, • nor should members . of Hospital Boards have thrust on them the unenviable task of deciding whether to " cut the coat according to the cloth," and provide inadequate accommodation to those in urgent need, or whether to obey humanity's dictates and load their own ratepayers with expenditure for a noble but yet frequently; outside purpose. Certainly, the Government should take on the burden. Treatment should be free and the accommodation sufficiently ample to allow of the patient's staying under treatment as long as was desirable. Money should, of course be spent wisely, but not niggardly. It would prove a splendid and national investment, and few would begrudge the expenditure, knowing I'that the cost was fairly spread all over the Dominion, and. would probably decrease: with each passing year. Yet it is not mainly a question of.L. s.d., but of what, is best for the consumptive, and under the. present sysr tern, it is doubtful if such people are always sure of a fair deal. Before leaving the subject of hospital treatment, it must be a pleasure to Ashburton people to note the atmosphere of kindness and consideration prevailing at the District Hospital. The chairman's report was composed mostly of I unimportant details, but yet it apparently proved that the attitude adopted by the authorities to those in their charge or control, is on commendable lines.