TREATMENT OF T.B.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 261, 18 August 1930, Page 6

TREATMENT OF T.B.

AMALGAMATED BOARDS. SUCCESS OF NEW SYSTEM. (Special to the "Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH, August 10. It is understood that the Management Committee, which was set up in November last in connection with the amalgamation of the Hospital Boards for the treatment of tuberculosis, and which met in camera on Monday last, discussed the working and success of the scheme since its inception. Dr. I. C. Mcintyre, the Medical Director of the Cashmere Sanatorium, when interviewed, briefly outlined the history of the work done under the amalgamatioin. "Before November last.," he said, "the Marlborough and West Coast Hospital Boards maintained several shelters at Cashmere. When these were full, patients in those provinces mentioned were cared for at the hospitals there. Nelson sent its tubercular patients to the Otaki and Pukeora sanatoria in the North Island." This system had many disadvantages. When a person, say, in Blenheim, believing that he had contracted tuberculosis, consulted a doctor in that town, the doctor might entertain doubts of his patient's infection (for tuberculosis has few definite symptoms, and it requires a specialist to detect it in its incipient stages) but it was necessary, under the old system, for the patient to come to Christchurch, a costly journey, to be examined by Dr. Macintyre. Even if he was* found to be suffering from the disease, the Marlborough shelter at Cashmere might be full, and he might have to travel home again to be treated in Blenheim. Under the new scheme, tubercular patients from the West Coast, Nelson and Marlborough have the same right of admission to the sanatorium at Cashmere as patients living in the North Canterbury district. The old idea whereby shelters were allocated to eacli province has been abolished, and dispensaries and nurses are now to lie found in Greymouth, Hokitika, Reefton, Nelson and Blenheim, Prospective patients may now interview their own doctors, and, if it is discovered that the disease is present they go on to the nearest dispensary where full details of ther complaint are taken by the nurse in charge and forwarded to Christchurch. Dr. Memtyre, who now tours these districts, every three months, is thus in possession' of full details and can examine each person in his own town. He returned this week from one of these tours. ' ~11 Each of the three hospital boards has guaranteed the upkeep of its particular patients while they are at Cashmere. Should a person be unable to pay for himself while he is in the sanatorium his keep is a charge on the ratepayers of his home town.