T.B. CURES

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1936, Page 3

T.B. CURES

VICTIMISATION CASE. EMPLOYMENT REFUSED. (Per Press Association). TIMARU, October 20. "I feel that it is a narrow attitude to take up, and one which is completely false,” remarked the chairman, Mr E. MacDonald, at to-day’s meeting of the South Canterbury Hospital Board, when referring to a ease in which a young Timaru woman, ■who had been a patient at Waipiata Sanatorium had been victimised by being denied employment.

Since the sanatorium had been opened, ho said, 82 per cent, of the patients had been discharged, with the disease arrested or quiescent. Anyone who know anything about the disease was aware that these patients were practically restored to health. Unfortunately. however, the public was not sufficiently educated to the position, and instances had come under notice where persons had raised objections to working beside such former patients.

Mr R. W. Simpson said that the young woman had been told that if she were engaged there would be an agitation among the staff about her. Dr. J. Campbell McKenzie, medical superintendent, said that the main trouble was thy the public did not understand the difference between an open and a closed ease of tuberculosis. Open cases produced germs by coughing, talking or sneezing, whereby infection might be caused but closed eases were not a menace to the health of others. Of the patients discharged from Waipiata, only a minute proportion would have any germs or bacteria liable to cause infection, ami these cases were well watched and shepherded by the Health Department. In his opinion, there would be no fear for employers or employees, from patients discharged from Waipiata. The chairman said that since Waipiata had been opened, of those discharged only 2.4 died from tuberculosis. and less than 5 per cent, showed a recurrence of the disease. When the patients were discharged they were not turned adrift, for both Dr Kidd, superintendent of Waipiata San atorium, and the Health Department maintained close contact with them. For employees to object to working beside such people was a selfish attitude based on ignorance.