HEALTH RESORTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VX, Issue 7102, 26 January 1901, Page 2

HEALTH RESORTS.

HOMES FOR CONSUMPTIVES.

VIEWS OP THE CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER.

One thing that will come about soon," said Dr Mason, the" Chief Medical Umcer, to a representative of the Lyttelton Tunes, »ig a p rop er organisation with regard to all these health resorts! People on the Continent now go to Wiesbaden, Baden-Baden, and other places, not so much on account of the virtue of the bath-watera as of the mode of life they are compelled to adopt ™Xr * tabt abs u am from certain Staffs and to take others. They are told what *f y »«»^t and what they must not eat. They are Bent to bed at a certain SS^S ♦!?" *° ld t0 fißef iße at * cerfcain Sfc and * h ? v ■>», in snort, treated like obddren, their whole mode of lifah fl i nff .

regulated and controlled. I believe that nine-tenths of the cures that are effected at the ' Bads.' are due to regular life and careful supervision by the medical officers. As a matter of fact, these things have to be done in a methodical manner, as many people, by indiscriminate bath* ing, do themselves more harm than good." Dr. Mason went down to Professor Bickerton's residence, near Brighton, and inspected the paper houses. It had been suggested to him that when a start was made with the erection of sanatoria, Professor Bickerton's idea with regai d to sanitary houses might be utilised, as the paper would be found to be cheaper than wood. Dr. Mason was much interested in what he saw, but he thinks that the difference in the cost would hardly justify the erection of the less stable structure, though the idea might be utilised in connection with separate rooms for invalids.

" These movable rooms," continued Dr Mason, " are coming much into fashion at Home and on the Continent, where the open-air treatment for consumptives and others is in vogue. The rooms are erected on a kind of swivel, and mdy be opened at one side. They are turned round to face the sun all day, and the patient gets all the benefits of the sun's rays without being subjected to danger from draughts. This is one of the ideas we intend to adopt when we erect sanatoria in different parts of the colony. We have not yet decided on any sites, but no doubt the details will be considered in due tune. We shall erect no great buildings, like general hospitals, but shall, of course, study the locality and the view. In fact, I intend to suggest that each sanatorium should consist of separate rooms, connected by telephone with a larger building, all being under the direct control of the officer in charge of the institution.

" We intend shortly to issue leaflets dealing generally with the prevention and cure of tuberculosis, pointing out what a person should, or should not, do. These will be issued as soon as they have received the approval of the Minister of Health."

" I also hope to be able to institute health lectures by prominent medical men in the chief centres. This has been done very successfully in London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and other places, and there is no reason why it should not be successful here. It is proposed that such questions as personal and household hygiene, physical exercises, drainage, and suitable sites for houses should be dealt with in a popular and interesting manner, the lectures being illustrated by lantern slides. An endeavour will be made to establish a health committee in each large centre. I know that it will be some time before all these schemes are carried out, but they embody my ideas at present. In the meantime there must be some arrangement for cases that cannot be treated properly in a general hospital, and special hospitals will have to be ereoted for chronic cases."