BEST TREATMENT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22510, 13 December 1947, Page 6

BEST TREATMENT

DOCTORS TO DECIDE HELP BY SPECIALISTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. The Minister of' Health, Miss M. Howard, stated that it had been represented to her that some published remarks in which she spoke of her belief in the Kenny treatment of paralysis might be taken as a lack of confidence on her part in members of the medical profession. This impression, if it existed, said Miss Howard, she was at pains to correct. The Health Department and its officers relied on the help and advice of the medical profession in the control and management of this epidemic if, unhappily, it should become one—as it did in other epidemics in the past. Great interest had been evinced by the public in the Kenny treatment of infantile paralysis and this interest had been sharpened by the approaching visit of Sister Kenny. Lectures and Films During her visit to New Zealand, the Minister understood, arrangements had been made for Sister Kenny to deliver lectures and show films illustrating her method of treatment to meetings of doctors. There were obvious reasons why technical films should not be shown publicly, but the people of New Zealand could ■ rest assured that doctors who have charge of patients suffering from the disease would have available all the information and reports of Sister Kenny and of those who had used her method to enable them to assess its value. In a memorandum issued by the department to members of the medical profession any reference by way of recommendation for a particular form of treatment was omitted. The view of the department always had been that the details of treatment of particular cases could only be decided by the doctor in charge of the case in consultation with specialist doctors. The department, said Miss Howard, had undertaken to make available the services of a panel of specialists who could be called in consultation by doctors when doubtful cases occurred in their practice. This arrangement would greatly, help earlier diagnosis and admittance to hospital. 'The cost of such consultations as arranged by this method would be -borne by the department. I Early Diagnosis, Prompt Treatment In this way it was hoped to have an accurate diagnosis made at an early stage and have treatment instituted promptly. The medical profession as a whole was well acquainted with the principles underlying the Kenny treatment of infantile paralysis and Miss Howard said she felt sure that those who were responsible' for the care of these patients would use the methods recommended by Sister Kenny, either in whole or in part, according to their judgment. 'ln the circular memorandum issued to practitioners—which incidentally was intended for practising doctors only and not for publication in the lay press—this aspect of the matter was dealt with as follows: “In view of the considered opinion of those experts who have examined claims made by Sister Kenny the Department of Health and the medical profession in New Zealand feel that they can do no more than insist that the proper treatment of each individual case be based on sound clinical judgment and tljat the medical man in charge of the case should have the responsibility of deciding what form the treatment should take." Miss Howard said that in all the principal ( hospitals there were highlytrained specialist staffs ready to deal with these cases, and that for doctors in private 'practice' who felt the need of consultation with specialists provision for this also was made by. the department. She felt quite sure that the cooperation which the department received from the profession in crises' like the present would continue to be forthcoming. The people of New Zealand, concluded the Minister, would safely entrust the care of these cases to the medical profession by whom she was assured no means and no methods would be despised which offered the prospect either of avoiding or alleviating paralysis.