FOR WAR BLIND

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 November 1939, Page 8

FOR WAR BLIND

HOSPITAL IN SUSSEX.

LONDON, October 20.

The new . convalescent home of St. Dunstan’s, on the Sussex Downs at Rettingdean, has been converted into a war hospital for the treatment of men and women of the navy, army, and .air force, and members of the regular fire brigades and police forces who may be blinded during their active service. Serious eye cases and other incidental wounds will be dealt with at the war hospital as an integral part of the organisation of St. Dunstan’s. These arrangements were decided on prior to the war at a series of conferences between St. Dunstan’s and representatives of the fighting services, the Ministry of Pensions, and the Ministry of Health. The war hospital is capable of taking 200 patients. It contains a small, but perfectly-equipped, operating theatre block, with the most up-to-date ophthalmic theatre and general theatre. This theatre block together with the incidental expenses , of the conversion, at a total cost of £7OOO, was the generous gift of Lord Nuffield. Surgeons and sisters from Moorfields Eye Hospital are in residence. A statement issued on behalf of the Executive Council of St. Dunstan’s by Lady (Arthur) Pearson (presidept), Captain Sir lan Fraser (chairman), and Mr. Edwin Fisher (honorary treasurer) points out that plans are in hand to extend the hospital as need arises and to enlarge the present school so that all the young blinded men may learn to read- with their fingers, to typewrite, to look after* themselves and walk alone to learn as little children do the first lesson of life. „ “The blinded men of the Great War, adds the statement, “will hold out a helping hand to the young fellows who will join their ranks, and, where possible, will take an active part as lecturers and teachers. There will b© workshops and lecture rooms where trades, handicrafts, and professions will be taught. Some occupations for the blind are out of date, and new ones, will have to be found. The new St. Dunstan’s may be different in many details from its familiar prototype or a-quarter of a century ago, but the spirit will be the same, and ‘Victory over Blindness’ will be watchword.” The Government will provide pensions for those blinded in the war, and St. Dunstan’s will help them to recreate their lives. Of the 27<>0 who were then treated at St. Dunstans after the last war, nearly 2000 still survive, and their average age is, still under 50. They learned to lead, so far as possible, normal and useful they followed and still follow with St. Dunstan’s help many professions and occupations. . . The head office of St. Dunstan s will remain at Regent Park for administrative purposes, but the blinded men. have been transferred to Brighton..