The Pension Value of T.B.

NZ Truth, 7 June 1924, Page 15

The Pension Value of T.B.

Moral Effect of Uncertainty Can Soldiers be Permanently Pensioned for a \ Variable Disease? • A permanent disability, such as loss of a limb, can be permanently pensioned. A fluctuating disease such as tuberculosis — some- • times active, sometimes totally disabling, and sometimes "arrested"—is not deemed a subject for permanent pension. And yet the lack of a permanent finanoial settlement may cause a mental ' unrest very handicapping to T.B. soldiers m their fight against the disease. The problem perplexes.

! At the annual- general conference .of J the Canterbury District Council of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association held m Christchurch recently, during a discussion on the subject of economic pensions, Mr. W. E. Leadley, secretary of the Christchurch branch of. the R.S.A., is reported to have said that doctors were not satisfied that T.B. was a permanent disability, and that the present procedure was that when a man came out of a sanatorium he was granted a full pension for twelve months, after which his pension came up for review.' Regarding this statement, a soldier T.B. writes "Truth" as follows: Sir,— Re the statement of Mr. Leadley that doctors are not satisfied that T.B. is a permanent disease: I, and, I am sure, thousands of other sufferers m Now Zealand would be exceedingly grateful and indebted to Mr. Leadley, who, besides being secretary of the Christchurch R.S.A., is also a -member of the local Hospital Board, for the valuable information he is apparently with-holding from an anxious ' world. Personally, I , have been suffering^for years and have received treat- ; ment at the hands v of the leading New Zealand T.B. experts, and have also had sojourns m sanatoria. In addition, I have received the best treatment pro- ' curable m England, and the utmost promised by any of the experts was that it might be possible to arrest the disease. If Mr. Leadley has m mind an expert who is capable of effecting a cure, then it is up to him to place his information at the disposal of the ppurb r lie, thereby eventually doing away with sanatoria and the unnecessary expense incurred by running these institutions, j Apart from this, however, he is not too \ late to save the country some thou- , sands of pounds m connection with the i proposed adoption of the Spahlinger , treatment, nqt -to. mention the saving 1 that might be' made regarding soldiers' | pensions. From inside, information the , writer is positive /-that Mr. Leadley's miracle healer is not one of the present , Government experts— and it not, why , not? . „ For Mr. Leadley's information, I may mention that T.B. (or tuberculosis) is , an excrescence or lesion of the lung ] (when such is attacked) and the best , any pf our present-day experts can do , is/t o stay the disease — -or, m other j words, put a brake upon it. And, even , then, it depends mainly upon the ] actions of the patient as to how long 1 the disease will remain inactive. The ( usual treatment prescribed is nutritious and light diet, light exercise,, and fresh air at all times, and, last .but not least, freedom from worry. ... ' . I trust that Mrl Leadley will s%e fit J to enlighten us concerning the doctors ; who say that T.B. is not a permanent i disability. If these, experts can back ' up their statements with practical proof, they will earn undying, fame and ' gratitude. Yours, etc., "Ono Lunger." When seen by a "Truth" representative concerning the subject matter of the above letter, Mr. Leadley stated that although he might have said T.B. was hot a permanent complaint; he did : not use the expression m the sense that the disease was curable, but that it was not classed as a permanent'complaint insofar as pensions are concerned. In amplification; of this, .Mr. Leadley said that about three years ago the R.S.A: decided to move m the direction of securing a permanent pension: for T.B. men, and, with that object m view, obtained the opinions of the leading T.B. experts m New Zealand. In all cases they stated that the disease was not one for a permanent pension, m that it was a disease which might be arrested and permit the subject to carry on -his ordinary work and earn his ordinary salary. For that reason it was decided that when a T.B. came out of a sanatorium, his complaint being 'arrested, he would be granted the full 'pension for twolvo months and then have his case come up for review.

sufferer . from T.B. Is an infinitely more precarious plight than that of men who have suffered the loss of a limb, or who suffer from bodily injuries, which, if they cannot improve will certainly not become worse. They know, at least, where they stand, even if it is only on one leg, whereas to whatever degree a T.B. improves he has to start, wh,en he relapses, right at the bottom again, while the old complaint just carries on from where it was arrested. The oftener the breakdown, the heavier the handicap, and the patient never has the same chance of recovering as before last relapse, Preyer and Spahlinger notwithstanding. HE "DREADS TO EARN." All this being: understood, it is high time that steps were taken to establish some definite scheme for allotting pensions to T.B. soldiers to abolish their necessity for battling. It is obvious that any T.B. on a permanent, though not necessarily full pension, would be ever so much more contented and settled, not to say better off than at present, when he dreads earning 12/- per month m case his pension will be reduced that much per week. The health of a T.B. is as erratic as a flapper's fancy. He may be able to earn a small wage for just long enough to justjtify the board m reducing his pension, and then, if he breaks down, he loses his job and has to battle to be reinstated. The strain makes his relapse a hundred per cent, worse. His one recourse m most of these cases is to apply for re-admisstbn to hospital, and very few of these men can afford to give up their homes to go back, especially those who have taken up such occupations as a misguided Repatriation Deparemerit has recommended to them.. Far better a permanent, if smaller, pension. Specialists tell us that the greatest asset T.B's can have is a contented mind; but contented minds are few now. Most of us have a pension— far too many have not— but we know not whether to fill the cupboard this month because we may not have it next month, and the uncertainty of the life will not allow contented minds'. I am told that m the United Kingdom soldiers' pensions of four years' standing have been revised and stabilised as permanent pensions, so, that they have cleaned up the mess there. A 'TERMANISING" POLICY. I am.;.not well-informed on the subject, but from what I have heard I should say that the authorities might find a "permariising" policy the easiest and cheapest way to settle the matter of pensions m this country. It certainly must be a heavy expense to carry on as\ at present. There is no doubt that, if some definite scheme is not adopted to deal with the question m the near future, a grave injustice is gojng to befall the boys who gave their health for their country's safety. They are older than boys now, "Truth," but they will never be men— whole men. I should like to see some influential body instituted to watch over their interest and welfare. ' t should better like to see them battling together for themselves, but God help them! They can't, or thoy would not need to. If they only growl from afar and are apathetic, it is because o£ the nature of their complaint, so don't blame them too much, sir. I know your worthy columns have done much to alleviate their stress m the past, and will continue to do so as long as thoy havo difficulties. Would I were an abler writer, but I hope those lines will receive due attention through your columns. I thank you, sir, for your courtesy, and wish you continued success. Yours, etc., "THE BLOCKHEAD." P.S. — Should "The Gadfly" read these lines, I should like to sco a paragraph from him m this column.