CARE OF THE WOUNDED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16265, 26 June 1916, Page 7

CARE OF THE WOUNDED.

TREATMENT IN' DOMINION.

DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME.

SPECIAL INSTITUTIONS.

An account of the measures which are followed in the, treatment of sick and wounded soldiers returned to the Dominion was given by Lieutenant-Colonel T. Hope Lewis, inspector of military hospitals, prior to his return to Wellington on Friday. He described the manner in which advantage has been taken of existing hospitals and other institutions, and also gave information regarding the provision that has been specially mad© for the treatment of Soldiers. wis explained that immedi- £&.&* tha arrival of a transport, the invalided u men , are examined by two comnri * t' t 1110 P rov isionaJ board/ comprising Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. _ u . y and Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, and a second board, comprising the principal median I ffl Cer r another territorial medical officer of the district. The men are dealt ™th in three classifications: men fat tor further military duty, men who ei J her hospital or convalescent home treatment, and men who have received all possible benefit from medical treatment and are to be discharged and >f" s ™, ed ' The first class of men are reported to the adjutant-general of the forces. Those soldiers who require active treatment are despatched by th© provisional board to the various hospitals of tfce Dominion, each man being sent, as far as possible, to the hospital nearest his own home. Certain types of both surgical and medical cases, in which treatment inolvmg the use of special surgical appliances, X-ray apparatus and bacteriological examinations, are sent to the larger hospitals in the four centres. Soldiers who do not require further active treatment are sent to the convalescent homes, which ve keen established at the instance of the Minister for Public Health, the Hon. U. W. Russell. These are the King George V. Hospital at Rotorua, the Epsom Convalescent Home in Auckland, the ilanmer Sanatorium, the Timaru Convalescent Home, Lowry Bay, Wellington, Soldiers' Home, Waikouaiti. Most of the men coming within th© third classification—who have received all the medical and surgical treatment possible—are those who have received hospital treatment in England. They are immeaiately discharged with pensions, the amount of which is recommended in each case by the two medical boards commensurate with the degree of the soldiers' disability, though the amount is finally determined by the Pensions Board. Pensions are granted in the ratios of one-half, twothirds, three-quarters, or the full amount for the periods of three, six, nine, or 12 months. At the end of the period specified for the pension, the matter is revised, and all pensions are reviewed at the end of every 12 months. Treatment of Special Cases. Referring again to the soldiers ordered hospital treatment, Colonel Lewis said that when these - men, in the opinion of the resident medical officer or of himself as inspector, completed a further stage towards recovery they axe sent to the convalescent homes best suited to assist in their recuperation. The matter of dealing with cases of consumption returning from abroad has received the attention of the Health Department, and soldiers suffering from this disease are distributed among the various chest sanatoria, the selection of the hospital being made in each case with a view to the nature of the case and the locality of the man's home, so that he may be as near to his friends as possible. There are four of these sanatoria in the Dominion, and all of them are doing excellent work. Rheumatic cases are sent to Rotorua or Hanmer, while most of the cases in which deformities caused by disease have not been remedied by surgical treatment, are sent to Rotorua, where the Government has, appliances of the latest pattern for the treatment of such ailments. Under the care of Major A. S. Herbert such cases have been remarkably benefited, and civil medical men have remarked to Colonel Lewis upon the excellent work that is being done there. Home for Mental Cases. Cases in which shell or bomb shock, head injuries, sunstroke, and the hardships of active service have caused mental disability, have given the Department considerable anxiety, but a scheme has been evolved, with the sanction of the Minister, Colonel Lewis stated, by which no mental case returning from the front will be committed to a mental hospital until he has had at least three months' treatment in a special home whjch has been established at Puketeraki, near Dunedin. This home is in no way connected with any mental hospital. It is beautifully situated on the sea coast, where the conditions are most conducive to recovery. The building has been lent by a private individual, and special tents, each for two patients, have been erected in the grounds. There are excellent bathing, fishing, and other recreative occupations available for the patients, while a medical officer is in close attendance. Colonel Lewis added that comparatively few cases of the kind have returned from the front, and among them the proportion of recoveries has j already been most satisfactory. Artificial Limbs. Referring to the men who have lost limbs, Colonel Lewis said that the Department had experienced considerable difficulty in securing a satisfactory supply of artificial limbs, but he believed that difficulty had now been overcome. Most of the men returning from England have been supplied with very satisfactory appliances at the Roehampton Hospital. It must, however, be borne in mind by those patriotic people who have gathered funds for the equipment of soldiers, that artificial limbs will not last an indefinite period. It has been estimated that such an appliance used by a working man will require replacing in about two years. Most men also require duplicate limbs in case of injury to the one in use. The matter is now receiving the urgent attention of Colonel Valintine and his Departmental officers. A satisfactory lower limb has/been made in the Dominion, and in the course of a few months many more will be, supplied. Colonel Lewis added that he was strongly of the opinion that serviceable artificial limbs should be manufactured in the Dominion, and he was personally striving towards that object. Care of Incurable Cases. Some of th© cases returned from the front would be incurable, and the Department has entered into negotiations which it is believed will enable it to make arrangements for the comfortable accommodation of j?uch cases, a provision that is ■unfortunately necessary. Colonel Lewis said that the number of cases of venereal disease had been very greatly exaggerated. Th© percentage of cases among the returned soldiers had been remarkably low, and it might be reassuring to the public to know that, as a result of modern science, no diseases of this character are now regarded as incurable. " We have had to learn by experience the best methods of dealing with sick and wounded returned soldiers," said Colonel Lewis in conclusion. "In my opinion, we have now all the machinery in working order for the disposal of small or large numbers, and th© interest that Mr. Russell* ihas displayed in this matter has borne good fruit. Now that we have been dealing with returning soldiers for 12 months, it is only right that the public should know that we have met many difficulties, and equally important that the public should know that those difficulties Tiave now become merely a matter of routine."