THE CASE OF SUPPOSED LEPROSY.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10865, 15 January 1901, Page 2

THE CASE OF SUPPOSED LEPROSY.

ACCOMMODATION FOR THE PATIENT. TO BE PROVIDED BY Ti__T CITY COUNCIL. At last night's meeting of the Cliristchurch City Council a letter was read from Dr. J. Malcolm Mason, chief health officer, stating that alter careful examination of Mrs Priestly, a woman living within the city boundaries, in consultation with several medical men who have been more or less in attendance on the case, ha considered that she ought to ba removed from the house in which she now is, and placed in some building where she can be properly looked after and attended to by a trained nurse. While not affirming the opinion which had been expressed that the case was one of leprosy, he agreed with the majority that the case was quite unsuitable for treatment in a general hospital, and therefore that some special provision ought to be made at once. Tho letter continued:—"l hereby give you notice in accordance with section 37 of the 'Public Health Act of 1900,' that a special room must, as soon as possible, be erected or set, apart in a suitable position wherein Mrs Priestly may be habited nnd cared for; further, that a nurse must be set aside to look after her, as she is quite unable even to feed herself."

Tha Mayor said this involved a very important point. There was no question in the Act that the Hospital Board could discriminate as to what cases of disease they should or should not take in. The District Board could call upon them for what sum they liked. He did net blame the Hospital medical authorities for declining to take in the present case under the circumstances. There was apparently some blunder in the Act which made it possible for tha health officer to call upon the Council in. "the way it had -Tone, whereas it ought 'Certainly to have been a matter for the Hospital Board. There was no doubt the Board had power to erect buildings and to mortgaga its income. Cr. Smith stated that the voluntary district nurse would withdraw after to-day from the case, on the ground that it must be dangerous for other patients who were sensitive or nervous to be attended by the district nurse if she continued to look after the case in question. Cr. Gray contended that worse cases had been admitted and treated at the Hospital.

Cr. Loughnan explained the position of the Hospital Board, and its lack of income to erect buildings with.

Lengthy discussion followed, most cf the Councillors expressing a view on the question.

Cr. Gray moved, "That the Council accept the responsibility of providing temporarily for the case under discussion, but does so" under a most emphatic protest, believing that the Hospital Board is the proper body to take charge of this and similar cases. Cr. Clark seconded, expressing himself strongly, and the motion being carried. It was then further resolved, on Cr. Gray's motion, seconded by Cr. Cooper, that* the Sanitary Committee and the Mayor make the necessary arrangements and immediately inter-view the Hospital authorities with a* view of their taking charge of the case.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS,

'Sir, —Will you allow mc to explain to Mr Dobson that in reference to the supposed case of leprosy, I waited on Dr. Crooke some timo ago with the view of .jetting the unfortunate case admitted into the hospital, in which mission I was unsuccessful, as the regulations of the institution precluded the admission of such cas£3, but Dr. Crooke undertook to lay my application before the House Committee, which I understand he did, as I was notified later on that the case could not be admitted. If the House Committee of the Hospital did not report to the Board my application and their refusal to admit, surely Mr Dobson does not hold mc responsible" for that Committee's action. —Yours, etc..

FRED. BOARD, Chairman Charitable Aid Board,