TREATMENT FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 84, 10 April 1902, Page 4

TREATMENT FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

The resolution of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to erect a ward for the treatment, of infectious diseases. of the ordinary type in an isolated position on its own grounds is a sensible decision. Hitherto the

accommodation for eases coming

under this category- has been, scan-:

dalously inadequate, and the number of patients.being greatly in excess 'Of, the beds available, the Hospital Board; with the consent of the Public Health Officer took possession of the plague hospital. Dr. Makgill, at the meeting of the Board on Tuesday, urged that accommodation should be provided for any plague patient, either by the erection of a ■tent or a buliding, but Dr. Collins was strongly adverse to this course, and we do not. hesitate, to say that the public yri 11 cordially support his opposition. Nevertheless, a& matters now stand, if a case of plague

were to occur to-morrow, the patient would probably be placed in the small isolated ward in the Hospital grounds which has hitherto been used for infectious diseases. It is sincerely to be hoped that neither, plague nor small-pox will make its appearance until the local authorities have manifested sufficient energy to grapple with the necessities of the situation in\ a eomrnonsense way, because, whatever medical men may say about the non-infections character of plague, there" is not the slightest : doubt that if a patient were placed in such close proximity to the Hospital and the Domain., great public uneasiness would be felt; and the actual danger arising from the treatment of small-pox in the building referred to will, we believe, not be denied by any medical man who has had experience with th.s virulent and loathsome disease. It is amazing that the system of -how not, to do it" 'has been so .persistently followed in dealing with 1 this " simple matter. We venture to say that the lists of any prominent land agent, will contain half-a-dozen suitable properties Within ato-ioBM radius of Auckland that could be puiehased for a small price. The chances of plague- or smallpox occurring- are not -very great, if vigorous measure? are adopted to destroy vats, and suppress" nuisances. And a cottage of six rooms, in an isolated situation, away from the city, would meet present' requirements. In Sydney it is not considered necessary to isolate plague contacts, but if a more rigid system were deemed expedient here they could easily/hi' sent fpjrt.a- week's boating- and fishing at Motuihi, where there is already ample accommodation.' The re-erection of the contacts hospital upon the old site is a useless waste of public money, as well as an outrage upon the rights of the people. We have no doubt ithat an assurance that the present jiplagjue hospital will be removed when the new infectious diseases ward is erected would satisfy the strong public feeling which prevails on the subject, and render unnecessary thu steps now in contemplation to take the matter into the Supreme Court. The local 'bodies concerned should take immediate steps to acquire some suitable place, at a distance from the city, for the 'treatment of plague, smallpox and leprosy. Probably the Charitable Aid Board, if requested to act on the joint behalf of the several local authorities concerned, would deal with 'the 'matter to the public satisfaction.