HEALTH CONFERENCE REMARKS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 16

HEALTH CONFERENCE REMARKS

(To the Editor “ N,Z. Times ”) Sir, —Mr J. G. Wilson at the Health Conference last week made some statements that I consider are liable to bo misunderstood. He stated that “there was need for tho appointment of an expert bacteriologist. The Health Department and Mr Gilruth hitherto had helped in this; but Mr Gilruth had gone and the spirit of economy was such that there was'not the same opportunity for medical men to have bacteriological assistance/* As an outside medical man X consider such a statement is unfair to the local Government Laboratory and its staff. I am sufficiently well acquainted with this laboratory, however, to know that the work done there for medical men has Increased enormously since Mr Gilruth left. During Mr Gilrutl/s last year (1905) about 700 specimens were examined there, whereas last year over 1500 specimens (more than double) were examined. Along with Dr Hardwick Smith X also hope that the ratepayers* and Government's money is not going to be wasted over obtaining large quantities of radium. Radium so far for treatment has proved to bc a failure, as all the benefit derived from it can bo got more cheaply with X Ray and the knife. Dv Hardwick Smith also said there were far more pressing needs for the treatment of consumption, etc., and I quite agree with him.* Homes for epileptics and feeble-minded children are also badly required'—l am, etc., LOCAL MEDICO. July 6th.