Christchurch Campaign

Press, Volume C, Issue 29610, 5 September 1961, Page 15

Christchurch Campaign

About half of the persons who could have been expected to attend the Health Department’s mobile X-ray units during the Christchurch city campaign had so far done so, the deputy medical officer of health (Dr. F. A. de Hamel) said yesterday. The campaign, which started on July 3. has about six weeks to run.

“I find it extraordinary that so many people seem to have no social conscience about a disease which affects the health and happiness of a lot of people, and which still causes death,” Dr. de Hamel said. "I’m afraid it looks to me like the old storv of ‘Un with the ladder, Jack. I'm all right’— except, of course, that they may not, in fact, be all right. “This disease is preventable by a means which has been made available by the Government out of nublic money,” he added. "Seeing that every adult is paying for the service, and seeing that each individual can only benefit from being examined, it is unbelieveable that there should be such apathy among such a large part of the community.

“It is a pleasure to realise that there is a considerable body of persons able to visualise the distress resulting should they neglect to attend, but the proportion should be much higher in a country where community effort is so well-developed. Even the best of community services cannot succeed without the co-operation of a very large proportion of the population, and we do not appear to be getting this large proportion.” From the beginning of the city campaign up to last Thursday. 21510 persons had been X-rayed. Dr de Hamel estimated that, allowing for children, the sick, the homebound and those who had been X-raved in the recent nast, in all about 35.000 to 40.000 persons should be seenfor a reasonably complete coverage 12 T.B. Cases

Of those photographed. 152 had been called back for larger X-ray pictures and some of the small photographs were still being examined Twelve oersons had been found with suspected tuberculosis so far. and one with hydatids. There were also several cases of suspected lung cancer and a number of conditions which were being looked into further by outside doctors. During the fortnight ended on Saturday, one of the mobile units was at the New Zealand Industries Fair, and gave 3172 X-rays This was considerably more than at last year’s fair. The static unit in Manchester street, closed for the past fortnight while the new camera was installed, should be open again in the near future, with the new camera operating.