WIDESPREAD SCOURGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8181, 24 July 1912, Page 1

WIDESPREAD SCOURGE

TUBERCULAR DISEASE PROPOSALS FOR DEALING WITH CONSUMPTION. After giving the matter a great deal of careful consideration the special committee appointed a month ago by the Wellington Hospital Board to inquire into the whole question of the treatment of consumption yesterday presented a comprehensive report to the board. EDUCATE THE PUBLIC I The committee’s first finding was that in order to prevent the disease from attacking the healthy and predisposed the general public must be educated concerning facts pertaining to the communicability of consumption. In order to carry this out the committee suggested: That popular literature on the subject of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of consumption be published by the Health Department, and that such literature, be. distributed through local bodies and the dispensaries. That notices of 11 Not to Spit ” be posted up in trams, trains, and other public places, such notices giving the reasons why spitting is dangerous, and that the Government and local bodies be asked to freely post such notices both in the English and Maori languages. _ That local anti-tuberculous societies comprised of women be formed with tho object of educating the public, more especially the mothers of children. RIGID AND COMPULSORY. Suggestions were also matte by the committee in order to prevent the disease from increasing. ■ It was urged that compulsory notification bo, insisted upon, as by this means tho health authorities will be able to trace the source of infection, and so help and educate those who suffer and others who come in contact with the disease. , The Government should be asked to make a more rigid inspection of emigrants prior to their departure from Home ports, as well as on landing in New Zealand. In support of this suggestion the committee quoted statistics of tho patients m the Seddon hospital as proving conclusively that many people land in, New Zealand suffering from consumption, and in many cases at an. advanced stage of the disease. The total number of treated in the Seddon . hosnital. since its commencement is 242 j" 1 , 103 of these patients were born . in. New Zealand and 134 were, emigrants; ,18 per cent., of the latter, or 10 per, cent, of the.',teta) number treated, entered the hospital within two years of their arrival'in New Zealand.

The committee .'also recommended the building of one or more convalescent homes for children to enable the weakly and predisposed to overcome their tendency and become healthy citizens. PROBLEM OF THE “ EARLY CASE.”

Discussion of the 'best methods of treatment of the “ early case ”' of consumption led to the following recommendations being made;,'; That a dispensary be provided for the treatment of chest complaints. By this means suitable cases can be treated in their own homes. (This has already been approved by the board, and will be given effect to when the new out-patients’ block is completed.). ' • That necessities such, as drugs, sputum mugs, disinfectants, ’ and dressings should be given to those needing them. ' That instead of a health inspector reporting on these cases ,a, oertifh cated nurse bo appointed who shall be taught the methods of prevention of the disease, and shall visit the homes of those suffering and give advice and reassurance as well as practical help in carrying out the treatment. (So far as • Wellington district is concerned this has. also been, approved as part of the, dispensary scheme.) , That full statistics be kept at the , dispensary of the circumstances, condition, and progress of the patient. That when the home is not suitable, then such patients must be drafted to sanatoria in order to educate 'them and give them a chance to get well. / That farm colonies should be instituted by the Government where trades such as gardening, treeplanting, poultry-keeping, and beekeeping are taught. These would afford the incipient and recovering ' cases a chance to work under favourable open-air conditions. WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. Finally, the committee recommended that the following steps be taken: - That the chronic and late cases of consumption must be sent to suitable modified sanatoria, or if they remain in their own homes then the people in contact, with them must thoroughly understand the nursing of such cases. That the Government take more stringent measures re consumption and other infectious disease amongst the natives, and that the notification of all forms of tubercular disease be carried out more rigidly. That legislation be passed by the Government to compel treatment and segregation of the refractory consumptive who will not submit to treatment or voluntary self-discipline and is a source of great danger to the community. HAPHAZARD TREATMENT.

Attached to the committee’s report was a statement hy Dr H. Hardwick Smith. medical superintendent, in which he summarised some of the more importants points to bo considered. Ho said that the treatment of the disease in New Zealand was still very

haphazard and inefficient. Further and more complete steps must bo taken to really grapple with every aspect of the disease. Several links in tho chain were missing, and unless those links were forged and welded to the rest, the' chain would be ineffective and useless. For the effective treatment of consumption, preventive and otherwise,; all these' matters must be taken into' consideration and into force: (1) : Prevention of the disease amongst the healthy; (2) prevention of the disease in the predisposed; (3) treatment of the early case of tuberculosis; (4) treatment of the chroma and late case of tuberculosis; (5) treatment of the refractory case of tuberculosis.

POINTS THE PUBLIC MUST KNOW . The public, said Dr Smith, should b« told about: The procreation of predisposed children; the, marriage of tuberculous people; dangers of postnatal infection; character and preparation ol food and frequent contamination ol milk; Hie proper ventilation and_ construction of the home; the proximity of a consumptive in the household and the precautions necessary to be taken j prophylaxis in the schoolroom; importance of proper nutrition; calisthenio exercises, particularly correct breathing exercises; employment of young adults in confined rooms;, effects of alcohol arid indulgence. ' To maintain health, other matters of administrative control must be carried out rigidly, such as: Tho_ suppression of promiscuous expectoration; inspection of’, milk and food supply, and insist ;on a clean milk supply; hygienic construction and sanitary supervision of public buildings, conveyances, factories,’ tenement houses, and commercial establishments; co-operation of operatives; financial assistance to employees when incapacitated by disease; tlie abolition of, congested areas'; inspection and restrictions _ in trades which conduce to chest diseases, particularly all dust-producing trades.FOR THE CHILDREN. Most of the children who were prodisposed to the disease would, if properly taught and placed in suitable surroundings, outgrow that tendency and- become healthy citizens. To enable this to be done suitable convalescent homes for children ought to ba built. There were practically no such means of treating children in the incipient stages of disease in New Zealand. Money was being spent on tha old and those about to depart from this life, but children who were going to bo tho fathers and mothers of the race were neglected; a weakly stock was allowed to remain, weak, when by the spending of a small capital lives and money could be saved to tho State. Dr Smith also elaborated on the committee’s suggestions for the treatment of the “ early, case.” In connection with tho treatment of chronic and late cases, ho said:, ‘‘The patients, who are always infectious, and ejerj time they cough cast tuberculous bacilli broadcast into tho air, must be segregated in suitable, modified sanatoria, or if they remain in their own uomes. then the people in,contact w,, them must thorougniy understand th nursing of such cases. These cases should be treated under the best conditions in-a warm, dry climate in the country, and be allowed to occupy theii time with light work and exercise when able to do so.’ ’ Discussion of tho report was postponed until the next meeting of tha board.

Mr Gardener, on whose suggestion the committee was set up, said that an attempt should be made to secure the co-operation of other boards. If the ‘Wellington board took action and others did not. Wellington would become the dumping ground for consumptives from all over the Dominion.