SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR T.B.

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23479, 6 November 1941, Page 8

SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR T.B.

Sir,—How few are the protests irough your paper about the Hospital card’s decision not to build the proised surgical unit for the sanatorium, ad it been a law affecting Sunday ■unis or golf, you would not have been ale to cope with the letters. Howver, the public’s apathy to this sublet is purely one of ignorance, as tin•ss someone near to us has been in le sanatorium very little is heard y the public of the great work being one at Cashmere, ami the future posbUities of coping with this ever-pre-alent disease. 1 am sure if Dr. Macityre could give a few lectures in a ity theatre, or over the air, the people ould realise a little of what this surical treatment means. A little more apport might be accorded the doctor i his disheartening efforts to attain imething that is entirely for the enefit of the public. Trusting that ie project is not entirely hopeless.— 'ours, etc., N.N.F. November 5, 1941. Sir,—After reading “Pneumothorax’s” oignant appeal on behalf of the sufjrers from T. 8., one is almost coninced that the Cashmere sanatorium ; the Cinderella of the North Can;rbury Hospital Board, and that the pending of £BOOO for a surgical block or the use of the very few patients /ho really need this specialised treatnent is a matter of life or death. The anatorium is situated in ideal suroundings and staffed by an efficient tail controlled by the board; this, long with rest, fresh air, sunshine, nd wholesome food is all that is ceded for the complete recovery from his ailment.

Apparently “Pneumothorax” is sufcring from an inferiority complex and /ants to be spoon-fed. His trouble is iild compared with the sufferings of he warriors who are fighting for freeom for the democracies, so every ■ound saved is a pound towards the /inning of the war. I am sure the oard weighed die pros and cons beore deciding on its policy; also, I mderstand that it was the Health Detriment which vetoed the proposal to •uild a surgical block at Cashmere, findly correct me if I am wrong. We have up-to-date facilities at the ’ublic Hospital for operations, and here are surgeons capable of doing heir part, in attendance. The care nd attention of the nursing staff are bove reproach, so I see no reason /hy the few patients who need this pecialised treatment cannot be sent o the Public Hospital. Finally, I fail to see why the writer ssociates pneumothorax with surgical perations, pneumothorax being a implc injection of air around the lung, /hich can be performed by any docor and which can be given to all perons suffering from this malady, to ielp in a complete cure.—Yours, etc., WAR EFFORT. November 5, 1941.