Meads Concerned About Treatment To Arm

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 18

Meads Concerned About Treatment To Arm

(From T. P. MCLEAN)

BLOEMFONTEIN.

Alarm and despondency has developed among the All Blacks over the variety of medical opinions on the treatment of C. E. Meads’s broken arm. Meads was horrified to find on Sunday that every time he moved the fingers of his left hand, the broken bones in the forearm grated.

When the All Blacks managers (Messrs R. L. Burk and I. M. H. Vodanovich) learned of this they immediately set about returning Meads to Johannesburg for specialist treatment for the entire week.

“We cannot possibly afford to lose a week in the treatment of Meads," Mr Burk said. A telephone call that day to a Johannesburg specialist led to the statement by this man that the difficulty complained of was normal to that sort of case. In Potchefstroom, however, another specialist was horrified to learn what was happening.

He advised that Meads’s arm must be set rigidly and that this should be done as soon as possible. Now Meads has arrived in Bloemfontein where, yesterday. another consultation was to be held with a professor of national reputation. Meads, himself, is a little churned up about the situation. His one comfort was that the pain he had yesterday was less than before, ap-

parently because swelling round the wound was subsiding. After the conflict of opinion over the treatment of B. J. Lochore’s broken hand, Meads is in some anxiety about his recovery. CONTACT LENSES One or two other points of medical interest in the tour have developed. B. D. M. Furlong yesterday was to be provided free of charge with a pair of contact lenses by a Johannesburg firm. The lenses are said to be so made that there is no possibility of their being ejected from the eyes by heavy tackles or untoward incidents. Furlong has told Mr Vodanovich that he is “as blind as a bat” in the harsh, glaring light of South African fields. This probably accounts for his failing to develop form measuring to his best Hawke’s Bay standards. Lochore felt no little pain

; from his broken nose while ■ playing against Western Transvaal on Monday. He i did not suffer any knock but . was somewhat handicapped. ; It is a question whether the ; tour committee will rest him for the game against Orange Free State on Saturday or ■ against Rhodesia on Tuesday. . The latter seems the more 1 likely. HAND IMPROVING i Lochore’s hand Is now comi ing along fine. It is probable he will dispense with the > bandage and protective . shield soon. I R. A. Urlich survived the i first test of his damaged ear . without trouble. The fibreglass protective device was' . wrapped round his head with s a thick bandage and he felt* ’ no discomfort at any stage. He won three tight-heads r against Western Transvaal, 1 which suggests that Urlich, t who is playing very well, is soon going to be in even 1 better form.