LIGHT TREATMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 215, 25 August 1927, Page 7

LIGHT TREATMENT

THE LONDON CLINIC NEW ZEALANDERS IN CHARGE. What is considered to be the most up-to-date and commodious establishment for treatment by artificial sunlight in the world is known as the London Clinic, situated in a quiet, unpretentious street between Victoria Station ,and the River Thames (states a London correspondent). The building was once a warehouse and lit present is far larger than the work demands. Doubtless it will not be long before all the space available will be in full use. The London Clinic has not been very long in existence, but during the short time since it was established there have been events which have retarded its progress. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Louis Camp bell-Johnston (chairman of the British -- Humane Association) it was established. A great deal of his money was spent in fitting up the building and equipping it with ap paratus far in excess of what was immediately needed. After running for some time the clinic fell on evil days through internal strife. The staff resigned in a body, and the medical superintendent and the ma. tron—a New Zealander, by the way —also had to resign. About two months ago a new staff was selected, and the medical superintendent now being Dr. H. Deck, who spent some 15 years in New Zealand and who started light treatment at the New Zealand Hospital at Hornchurch in 1916 In 1921 he set up a private light-treatment clinic in London, and since then he has been engaged in chat special workThe new matron is also a New Zealander—Miss Frances Shirtcliff—who has been specialising in light treatment in England during the past two years. Eoch of the larger wards is arranged somewhat on the lines of public baths. Patients pass through a room where their brief coverings are kept in lockers. Along the full length of the ward is a row of dressing rooms. In the upper ward arc mercury vapour lamps and radiant heat lamps. Each stretcher is provided with a wide roil of paper, and a new strip of this is placed on the oilcloth covering for each patient. TUNGSTEN “BATHS.” In a seond ward are a number of tungsten “baths.” The patient stands inside a circle of curtains, and around him are a half-dozen tungsten lamps. Beside the stretchers and “baths” there are circular seats where 10 or a dozen children may sit while the rays play on their skin. Other wards are devoted to massage and electrical treatment. The courtyard of the place has been entirely covered with vita-glass, through which the violet rays of the sun may penetrate. Here 100 children could gather and amuse themselves while exposing their bodies to tbe beneficent rays.

No compulsory charge is made for treatment. The idea of the clinic is to cater for the poorest people, but those who can afford it pay a littleRickets is the disease which most readily responds to light, but tubercular peritonitis and tubercular glands, general debility, some nervous disorders, rheumatism, and rheumatoid arthritis are also treated with good results. “Light treatment,” said Dr. Deck, speaking of his work, "is only in its infancy. All the textbooks which have been written on the subject have not been written as the result of any profound knowledge of the subject, but rather for the kudos and the profit obtained from them or for the personal advertisement of the advertising apparatus. So little is known about the results of light treatment that I think it should never be administered except by those who have made a deep study of the subject. The purchasing of lamps by private people is very dangerous.”

Dr. Deck added that the clinic was applying for a charter to make the institution the training centre of England.