CONSUMPTIVE SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 169, 17 July 1919, Page 7

CONSUMPTIVE SOLDIERS.

. HOSPITAL BOARD'S DECISION. HEALTH OFFICER'S COMMENTS. EVIDENT MISUNDERSTANDING. ] The following statement was given to a "Star" reporter to-day by Dr. R H. Makgill, District Health Officer, on the subject of the Hospital Board's decision,! arrived at last night, that it could not accommodate consumptive soldiers in any of its institutions:— I The Hospital Board's attitude in regard to the care of military consumptives, said Dr. Makgill, suggests that the proposition of the Defence Department is not properly understood. Special sanatoria for military consumptives are being constructed, but a certain number of these cases, because their position is too chronic, are not suitable for openair treatment. No good purpose is served by occup3'ing beds in sanatoria with such cases, to the exclusion, perhaps, of others likely to benefit by sanatorium treatment. The policy of the Health Department in regard to such cases in civil life is to dispose of them under the best conditions possible near their own homes, so that their friends can visit them readily. This policy has | also been adopted by the Defence .Department, and to this end all Hospital Boards have been approached with the idea of co-operation in dealing Ml such chronic cases. There are not a great number of these, and it is obvious that it. would be poor economy to 'estahiis'i in each district a small independent institution for the care of these patients. "From the strictly legal point of view military consumptives are a charge on the Hospital Boards so long as they are residents in the hospital district. The fact that they have been soldiers in no wav absolves the local Board from responsibility. The Defence Department, however, did not propose to labour this point, and so offered to supply shelters, and also to pay the Boards for their upkeep, just as was done with other military patients. It was to avoid an expensive and unnecessary administrative building and staff that the co-operation of these Boards was sought. Mr Coyle's proposal would not be of any assistance in this direction. The Board was merely 'asked to make the same arrangements for these soldier patients as it had made for civilian cases of a like nature, with this difference —that the Defence Department was to provide shelters and pay all costs." "It is to be regretted," said Dr. Makgill, in conclusion, "that a lack of understanding resulted in the Board adopting what might be taken for a somewhat parochial attitude. Doubtless when the position is made clear to them other counsels will prevail."