FIGHTING CONSUMPTION.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14338, 25 April 1912, Page 2

FIGHTING CONSUMPTION.

AN INTERESTING REPORT.

An interesting report on the work done at the Consumption Sanatorium for the year ended March 31st was submitted to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday by the Medical Superintendent (Dr. G. J. Blackmere). On April Ist. 1911/ there were in residence IS men and 13 women, and during tho year there had been admitted 2D" men and 22 women. Those who bad been discharged or had died during the year totalled 28 men and 23 women, leaving 19 men and 12 women in residence on March 31st, 1912.

Of the 51 patients who were discharged or had died dining the year, three wero not tuberculous. The remaining -19 wore classified as follows on ndmiss'on. as regards the state ot their disease: —With early disease, 1&, 37.5 per cent. ; with a moderate amount, of disease, 11, 22.9 per cent.; with advanced disease, ID. 39.6 per cent.

Of the IS cases with early disease, 1-1 were discharged with the disease arrested. The other 4 had every prospect of having tho disease permanently arrested, but elected to go out before their treatment was completed. They were all continuing to do well outside.

O; the 11 case.;; with moderate disease. 0 had the disease arrested, and 2 were improved.

Of the ID cases w'.th advanced disease. 0 had the disease arrested. 3 were improved., 6 were not improved, and 4 died. Two of the unimproved cases had since died outside, and -1 were still living.

arrested" meant that there wero no signs or symptoms of active disease in the 110 had not used the word "cured" because he thought cure could only bo spoken of when the patients had stood tho wear and tear of ordinary life for two years after leaving the sanatorium without suffering a relapse. He had every hope, however, that time would prove most of the arrested cases to be permanent cures.

The figures emphasised ho v.* important it was that cases should come under the treatment early if cure was to bo effected. All the failures were amo:m the advanced eases.

Some .misapprehension nrtpcared to exist as to the class of patients taken into the sanatorium. Contrary to what had been stated, tho admissions wero not limited to curable or specially farourable - cases. No ease had been refused admission where there seemed to bf any prospect of producing moro than an evanescent, improvement within a reasonable time, and by reasonable rirr.o ho meant four or five months. With the accommodation at his disposal it did not seem to be the right thine; to tako in patients who had very little chance of bcins benefited ; and thereby shut out early cases where there was not merely a cood prospect of improvement. hv.% where there was every chance of bringing about permanent, cure. Dining the., year thoro were 72 ap-r-Hoations for admission. Of these applcants, : two were found not to have eonsunip+ion. and threo were declined by the Boa»vl because they wero not resident-, of North Canterbury. Of the remaining 07. 17 had already, entered the institution, two were coming in shortly, and three were offered beds,' but decided not to come in. This showed that 77.6 per cent. of the elijdWo per-.ons who applied for admi--sioii wero accepted. Only II applicants were rejected because their disease 'was- *o advanced as to lead him to believe that sanatorium treatment would net be likely to be beneficial to them. Some of these had been in tho hosnital for p. lon's time. W*>cn the Hor.f< for Advanced cases was built, it wotdd not be necessary to shut out any person suffering" .from consumption who applied for 'admission. > : . fTho report was adonted. and it. was resolved to transfer charee of thb Sanatorium from the H<\sr>i f nl Committee to tho Public Health' Committee.