TUBERCULOSIS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 283, 15 November 1923, Page 6

TUBERCULOSIS.

LOW DEATH BATE 1N NEW NEW ZEALAND. ATTRIBUTABLE TO GOOD LIVING CONDITIONS, DR. BLACKMORE INTERVIEWED. [Per Press Association.] Christchurch, Nov. 15. Interviewed regarding tnc tuberculosis discussion at the Australian Medical Congress, Dr. D, J- Blackmore, in charge,of the Canterbury Hospital Board's sanatoria for consumptives, said he attributed the low death rale in New Zealand to good general living conditions, fresh air and sunlight, and good housing. It had been noticed at Home for a. very long time that improvement in housing and the general conditions of living had steadily reduced the amount of tuberculosis, and housing was considered the chief factor in bringing about a reduction in older countries. What he regarded as the most important of all was a system of uniformly dealing with the disease throughout the Dominion. There were whole sections of the Dominion not getting anything done for them as they did not belong to any hospital district that could afford sanatorium work. It would be better to have combined control. Dr. Blackmore said he was very pleased he was dealing with children at Cashmere. By trying to prevent the disease, if it could be prevented, among children they would be going a long way in getting rid of the disease altogether. Referring to the Australian figures regarding tuberculosis in dairy herds, Dr. Blackmore said that figures from the abattoirs showed that many cattle and p’gs were condemned for tuberculosis, and pigs got tuberculosis from milk' they were fed upon. When herd tests were carried out in connection with the supply of milk for the institutions controlled by the Canterbury Board about 25 per cent had to be rejected, and yet they were in excellent condition. If Jhe matter was gone into it would be found that New Zealand wqs just as bad as Australia. THE DREYER TREATMENT. Dr. Blackmore said he had started the Dreyer treatment about the beginning of last month. It was too early yet to give an opinion about it but he had an opportunity of giving it a very full test as the vaccine had come out promptly and quite a lot of patients were undergoing the treatment. The Dreyer treatment was yery different from the Spahlinger treatment, not so much in material as in th? way it was being dealt with by the discoverer. Professor Dreyer had asked people to test the treatment and had given full details and sent vaccine out. From Dr. Spahlinger they could get nothing, and be would not allow anyone who knew the subject to test his vaccine. He simply refused to allow anyone to put it to a test. VALUE OF SANATORIUM TREATMENT. Referring to the work of the sanatorium, Dr. Blackmore said that every early case of consumption went out with the disease arrested. It was nearly fourteen years since the institution was opened, and they had taken in cases of every description. Many had died within a few days of admission, yet it was known that over 70 per cent of all those who had ever entered th© sanatorium were still alive, and the figures were improving every year.