TUBERCULOSIS BEDS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29950, 11 October 1962, Page 12

TUBERCULOSIS BEDS

Steady Fall At Cashmere The “steady decline” in the number of tuberculosis beds at the Cashmere Sanatorium continued during the year ended March 31, and at that date only 33 beds were occupied—the number available in the Upper Sanatorium, the medical superintendent of the sanatorium (Dr. T. O. Enticott) say* in his annual report to the North Canterbury Hospital Board. On April 1, 1961, there were 62 occupied beds. The preponderance of elderly male patients continued during the year. 45 per cent, of male patients on March 31 being men of 50 or over. The main cause for the smaller bed occupancy was the decrease in the average length of stay. There were 132 discharges during the year.

It is "reasonable to expect” that in 1963 the top floor of the Coronation Hospital, formerly used for tuberculosis cases, will be available for other patients, Dr. Enticott says.

Eleven tuberculosis patients of the hospital died during the year. Dr. Enticott reports. Four died of the late effects of old inactive pulmonary tuberculosis, two of conditions unrelated to their tuberculosis, while five had active pulmonary tuberculosis which did not respond to chemotherapy. In all. 12 patients during the year had chronic disease which did not respond to treatment. Totals treated during the year were: Men, 127: women. 51; children, four. These included three non-pulmonary cases—two men and one woman.

At the Chest Clinic in Armagh street, there were 6571 attendances by 1892 individuals during the year. The medical ward on the ground floor of the Coronation Hospital, which deals with geriatric ad similar cases, had 34 patients at March 31, the same number as 12 months previously. Three patients were discharged and 36 died during the year. (The second medical ward at the hospital did not open until after the end of the hospital year.)