SPAHLINGER TREATMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 September 1925, Page 4

SPAHLINGER TREATMENT.

♦ ' - DR. YALINTiNE’S INVESTIGATIONS. PRAISE FOR NEW ZEALAND HOSPITALS. Cnv TU,LOAArjI PiUibd -ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Sep. 23. That the Spahlinger treatment for tuberculosis is a failure and should not be used in New Zealand hospitals is the emphatic opinion of Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, Director-General of Health, who returned to Auckland by the Athenic to-day after a six months’ tour abroad. Dr. Valintine went to the Continent to attend the League of Nations, it being understood' by the Government of this country that he would investigate the hospitals of other countries and pay special attention to the Spahlinger treatment. He was accompanied by Dr. P. Chisholm, of Hanmer.

_ “We met M. Spahlinger,” said Dr. Valintine, “and my report on his treatment is already in the hands- of the Minister. In our opinion M. Spahlinger is an exceedingly interesting man, but he has not achieved in the treatment of tuberculosis the position we had hoped he had. We think that the treatment is a failure and is of absolutely no use in this country.”

Glowing praise was paid to-New Zealand hospitals also by Dr. Valintine, who is now in a position to compare them with those of . the Continent. Taking them all round he stated that he is more than pleased with the hospital system in the Dominion and their management under boards.

A week after his arrival in England Dr. Valintine went to Geneva and saw the medical director of the League o£ Nations (Dr. Raychmann). It was evident that the League was mostly concerned in the study of epidemiology and statistics. Dr. Valintine, though interested in those subjects, was more concerned with matters touching the hospitals of the- Dominion, and he made it his business to visit various institutions on the Continent.

“I can say with every emphasis that, with the exception of certain Swiss hospitals, our New Zealand institutions are infinitely superior to any we saw on the Continent,” Dr. Valintine said. “If you wish to see hospitals in any way compared to our own institutions you have .to go to Britain! In. companv.with Dr, Chisholm I visited’ several in the United Kingdom, and there indeed we saw hospitals worthy of the name. There were a few exceptions, hut taking them all round I am quite confident that to derive advantage from hospital experience one can only go to the Motherland.”