BROKEN IN THE WAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9692, 21 June 1917, Page 10

BROKEN IN THE WAR

SICK AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS STATEMENT BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH. CONSUMPTIVE SANATORIA NEEDED. An important .str«tciTU’:u in connoction •vvit.ii the number of sick and wounded in hospnaL and sanatoria in the Dominion van made yesterday by the Hon. 0- IV. Russel! (Minister for Public Health) to a •'Times" reporter. "The weekly summary of returned sick and wounded .-soldiers and discharged soldiers for the week ending Juno 11th,” said the Minister, “shows that on that date no fewer than 734 soldiers were under treatment as follows : “Ont-patients.—Expeditionary forces, 202; discharged soldiers, 99. “In-patienfc.—Expeditionary forces, 205; discharged soldiers, 248. “At the A uekiand hospital there arc 115 under treatment; at Napier, 31; Wellington, 03; Christchurch, 39; Di.medi.li, 71; Invercargill, 18; Rotorua, 12.5; Hanmer, 33; and Tanmaru, Lowry Ray, IG. The last return from Rotorua is for June 18th (the figures just given refer to June 11th), and by. Juno XStk the number at Rotorua hud increased to 142. TWENTY-FIVE MENTAL CASES. “Referring now to mental ernes" (continued Mr Russell), “there arc at liie Karitane Neurasthenia Hospital live members of Lite Expeditionary Force and five discharged soldiers; at Sc-acliffe, four and six respectively; at Avondale, one and two; and at Sunnyside, two members of the Expeditionary Force only. It is very gratifying to know that out of the SUCH) men who have returned the total number of mental cases under treatment is only some 25, which is probably not up to tile average of the civilian population. THE CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. “The department (ho added) is being considerably' strained in connection with the treatment of consumptive, soldiers. Altogether there are 28 members of the Expeditionary Forces and 35 discharged soldiers under treatment in special institutions, without taking into account those who are spread over the various hospitals throughout the Dominion- The policy of the department for some time past has "been to urge the hospital boards to erect shelters attached. t 6 their own hospitals, in order that-.jnen wiio are consumptive may have an opportunity for treatment amongst their own friends. This scheme is steadily extending; and it is dear from the number of men affected with pulmonary diseases who are coming under the control of the department that a considerable expenditure will have to be incurred for the purpose of providing recognised consumptive sanatoria for soldiers on their return to Now Zealand. Provision will have to be made during the coming session in tin's direction.'”