TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5600, 29 May 1905, Page 2

TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTIVES.

PRESENT AND FUTURE INTENTIONS.

In the course of a conversation with Dr Newman on Saturday, a “Times” repartee was informed that the fund for establishing annexes to the Wellington and Otaki Hospitals for the specific treatment of consumptives has almost reached £2500. Dr Newman dispelled a slight misapprehension existing in some quarters to the effect that the main depot for sufferers would be at the rear of - the Wellington Hospital. The present proposition is that the annexe in Wellington will be merely a receiving place, a sort of half-way house where a limited number of patients will be attended to for a few days or weeks pending their removal to the milder air of Otaki. It is proposed at present to erect four cubicles for males and four for females, and an administrative building on the site selected behind the Wellington Hospital, and to provide between 35 and 40 cubicles at the Otaki Hospital, whore the maximum amount of sunshine, combined with salubrious air and attractive situation obtains.

Dr Newman speaks with bracing confidence of the movements. The crusade against consumption was to bo waged in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, as well as in smaller centres, where indeed in some instances much had been done. Subsequently it was intended to weed all consumptives out of the congested centres of population and confined communities—from the workrooms, shops, factories, offices, and anywhere where persons affected wero forced into close contact with one another—and keep them apart for treatment and so prevent them spreading the fell disease. '

The frequent memoranda that had been placed before tho public as to preventive measures have had a good effect, for Dr Newman states that for the last two yeans the number of known cases on a population basis lias been pretty well 'stationary. By the measures now proposed it was confidently hoped that the percentage of consumptives would be gradually reduced out of all recognition. It had been demonstrated that consumption in its incipient stages, if treated properly, could becured, and it would bo a duty to find out such cases and treat them on scientific lines. This would go a long way towards stamping out the disease in this colony.

His Worship tho Mayor, who presided at the Savage Club’s korero on Saturday evening, announced that the sum of £Bl Os 5d had been added to the fund for the : consumption hospitals as the result of the concert given by the club in tho Town Hall on the 17th inst. He congratulated everyone on the energy that had been thrown into the affair-, though tho management was only taken up by the club a day or two before the concert. In particular he expressed thanks to, the proprietors of the “New Zealand Times” for a rebate of £lO 10s and tho “Evening Post” for one of £5 5s in the advertising accounts; to Mr A. Linlcy, >vho attended to the bill-posting and distribution free of charge: to Savage W. Leslie for decorating tho stage and supplying curios; to Herr Hoppe and tho orchestra; the stall of the Dresden Piano company; and to their energetic secretary. Mr J. Dykes. It is only just to the Savages to state that each member who attended, performers or otherwise, paid the price of admission to tho best seats.