THE HOSPITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24135, 29 November 1941, Page 8

THE HOSPITAL

Sir,—The letter on this topic in Friday's Herald raises some interesting points, but is disappointing in largely overlooking the point of view of the public in the matter. In his most recent letter, the DirectorGeneral of Health has raised an issue of which the public should take immediate notice: He has drawn attention to the, eases where cross-infection has occurred to a degree which can only be regarded as alarming. . The chairman will doubtless protest that the matter is well in hand, but the time has gone for explanations and excuses after the event. The department is, of course, doing what it can in the way of discharging its duty to_ the public by writing letters, but until the. question of who is the real controller of the hospital is threshed out these letters will just be the means of starting one moie controversy, and the public has surely already had enough of that. The recent amendments to the socalled Medical Bill have been criticised on the ground that they did nothing about health. There may be doctors who are relieved at being loft almost where they were before, but no one can be reaily happy at the unsatisfactory ending to what the public once imagined was to be a health scheme. Cannot we then do something about it ourselves? Some attempts have been made in the past .to improve hospital conditions locally; two very brilliant men were allowed, for a lamentably short time, as it turned out, to start on the big job which undoubtedly will have to be done sooner or later. The public may not appreciate the loss it suffered when the engagement of those two men was terminated, and may have to go on paying the price for some time to come. At the moment there is in progress an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a recent disastrous fire in this city. One is tempted to inquire whether there might not more profitably to the community be an inquiry into the complaints made by the Health > Department; or better still, nn inquiry by a recognised'expert into the whole matter of the administration of our hospital. After all we are in a dangerous position at the present, time as a civil community. Enemy action or pestilence, never far away at times like the present, would find us unprepared. The time for action is surely now. Infelix.