ARTIFICIAL LIMBS

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 4, 29 September 1944, Page 4

ARTIFICIAL LIMBS

Control Of Manufacture

Suggestions for the most satisfactory organization for the control of the manufacture of artificial limbs were put forward by delegates at the annual conference of the New Zealand War Amputees’ Association in Wellington yesterday. Discussing rehabilitation generally, and the delay in getting decisions, Mr. T. C. Browne (Auckland) said that the trouble with the Rehabilitation Act was. its implementation. The trouble in putting forward requests had always been to know who to fire at. The conference favoured more power being given to the board of management set up to act as agents for the Rehabilitation Department, through the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishmeut League, and considered that the board shofild have two representatives of amputees instead of one as at present. After a discussion on the suggestion by - the Minister of Rehabilitation that the fitting of artificial limbs should be done in the orthopaedic departments of the hospitals in the four main centres, the conference favoured orthopaedic surgeons attending the fitting centres rather than fittings being done at the hospitals. The importance of hostels for limbless soldiers when they were being fitted for their limbs was stressed by Mr. G. R. MeKellar (Nelson), and it was decided to urge the Government to establish hostels where necessary for those attending tile fitting and vocational centres. The conference favoured a limb-fitter being sent to England for further training immediately, in addition to the training of two amputees in this work. Discussion With Minister. These points were discussed with the Minister of Rehabilitation. Mr. Skinner, when, accompanied by the Director of Rehabilitation, Mr. Baker, he attended the conference yesterday morning. The proposed organization was for all time and not only for war amputees, said the Minister, and his view was that there would have to be wider representation on. the present board of management. He had an open mind on the question of the limb-fitting being done at hospitals, and possibly the question could be discussed when Colonel Kennedy Elliott returned from Roehampton. The sending of a fitter overseas seemed a good idea, but the man chosen should be a young man, so that the maximum use could be made of his. experience. ' “The Government is quite prepared to go to any lengths to see that amputees get the best service possible.” added the Minister. “Expense just doesn’t enter into it.” Right from the start, the provision of hostels had been envisaged and the Government was alive to the need for such hostels.