EARLY TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7292, 23 November 1910, Page 1

EARLY TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS

DR HARDWICK SMITH’S SCHEME HOSPITAL BOARD DESIRE DETAILS FOR ADOPTION. COMPULSORY NOTIFICATION , URGED. Dr. Hardwick Smith's report, recommending; a. special out-patient department in connection with the hospital for the treatment of phthisis and the organisation of a district nursing scheme, was the subject of a brief discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The report was placed before the board at the October meeting, consideration being held over until yesterday in order that members .might become fully acquainted with the suggestions outlined. Mr R. C. Kirk moved that the board place on record its appreciation of the report, and that the medical superintendent be instructed to place before members for details for giving effect to his proposals. The principle, he said, snomd be adopted. ‘ Miss Richmond seconded the motion. Mr B. R. Gardener said :a great injustice was being aone the public on account of cases not being reported. He had been told that it would be a breach of oonhaence if the names of patients were publicly laid on the board table. It was wrong. Patients discharged from the hospital went to work among healthy people, and in consideration of the feel* mgs of the patients, nothing .was said. It was time the Government made; it compulsory for the medical profession to report cases of consumption. He knew of on© family in Wellington absolutely in the toils of consumption, and he guaranteed not one case had been notified to the Health Department.. Consumption. would be rampant in the Dominion as long as cases were not reported. He suggested that, the report of the medical superintendent should bo held over until after the medical conference which was to discuss the question. If the medical profession would not do its duty, then at was the duty of the board to compel notification. Dr. Valintine had said that the death rate was decreasing, but the year book, giving the figures from 1899 to 1909, did not show this. There would not be a decrease until notification was mad© compulsory.-He instanced the cate of a consumptive who, had left the Seddon Homo, and taken lodgings at the Salvation Afniy : Home.it -had' been 3 found that seven or eight of the inmates were suffering from the disease. ‘ Something; should ,be don© to prevent such persons wandering about and' spreading this plague,. « • ( - > •

Bev. Van' Stavere’n'; You want legislation :

Mr Gardener: ;We ‘ stand here* like a lot of mummies and never do anything. (Voices: No; no.): 'lt was no good the board spending ’ five or six thousand pounds in an attempt to check 'the-dis-ease, if there. were not compulsory notification.- ‘

Mr Kirk said there was a great deal of truth in what Mr Gardener had said, but- his remarks were scarcely apropos, the motion ‘was for the adopcio* ci the report'dealing with the establishment of an- outdoor department for the early treatment ,pf the disease. . • The motion was carried, ,