TUBERCULAR SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17250, 28 August 1919, Page 6

TUBERCULAR SOLDIERS.

— "* ? ' I DEPARTMENT CRITICISED. «'^ A CASE FEOM OANTEEBUBIE A [BY. TSLEGKAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHBISTCHUECE. Wednesday. At a meeting of the North Canterbury. $$ Hospital Board to-day the Public Health Cl Committee reported fat reference to the case of a soldier suffering from tubercu- ofl losis. The assistant-director of military ?S services for the Canterbury district had ;M| been referred to, and he suggested that -J;!f treatment at the Defence Department's '•$ expense could not be authorised. The P:"\j opinion of the medical superintendent "di . the hospital (Dr. Fox) and of Dr. Slack- '■; more; was that tile man's condition was ;s» brought about by illness from which he ;-&• suffered while on military service. The '?} committee therefore asked permission to make representation elsewhere regarding the case. -v The secretary described the case, which, briefly, was that the soldier lea New Zea- ' land with the Fifteenth Reinforcements, became ill, and developed meningitis at Durban. It was decided to send the 4 soldier back to the Dominion, and he had s since become a permanent tubercular 5 patient. Further, his pension bad been reduced from £1 10s to 15s a week. A letter was aviso read from Dr. Blackmore, medical diirector of tuberculosis institutions, stating that several cases had - occurred where Imperial service soldiers .% or naval men had been sent to him suffering from tuberculosis, and mentioning that he understood the Defence Depart- ■; ment would not undertake the treatment of these men, although in some cases they were New Zealanders, and that it was quite certain that their disability had been due to active service. Dr. Blackmore suggested that representation should be made to the Minister for Defence on a the subject. A member spoke in strong terms, and criticised the Defence Department severely. "The fact is," he said, "these poor boys are passed on "from one Department to another. There is altogether too much red tape among the officers of the Departments." It was agreed to forward all the corres- ~ T pondence in the matter to the Minister for Defence, with a request that he should act without delay.