TUBERCULAR PATIENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19020, 16 November 1923, Page 4

TUBERCULAR PATIENTS.

SYSTEM OF TREATMENT. UNIFORMITY NEEDED. (Peb United Psess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. November 15. . Interviewed regarding _ the tuberculosis discussion at the Australian Medical Congress, Dr G. J. Blackmore, who is in charge of the Canterbury Hospital Board’s sanatorium for consumptives, said that he attributed the low death rate in New Zealand to good general living conditions, fresh air and sunlight, and good housing. It had been noticed at Home for a verv long time that an improvement in housing and the general conditions of living bad steadily reduced the amount of tuberculosis, and housing was considered the chief factor in bringing about a reduction in older countries. What he regarded as most important of all was a system of uniform dealing with the disease throughout the dominion. There were whole sections of the dominion not getting anything done for them, as they did not belong to any hospital district that could afford sanatorium work. It would be better to have combined control. Dr Blackmore said he was very pleased that he was dealing with children at Cashmere in trying to prevent diseasa If it could be prevented among the children, they would be going a long way towards getting rid of the disease altogether. Referring to the Australian figures regrading tubercular dairy herds, Dr Blackmore said that the figures from the abattoirs showed that many cattle and pigs were condemned for tuberculosis, and pigs got tuberculosis from the milk they were fed upon. When herd tests were carried out in connection with the supply of milk for institutions controlled by the Canterbury Board, about 25 per cent, had to be rejected, and yet they were in excellent condition. If the matter were gone into it would be found that New Zealand was just as bad as Australia. Dr Blackmore said, that he had started the Dreyer treatment about the beginning of last month. It was too early yet to give an opinion about it, but he bad the opportunity of giving a very full test, as the vaccine had come out promptly, and quite a lot of patients were undergoing the treatment. The Dreyer treatment was very different from the Spahlinger . treatment —not so much in material as in the way it was being dealt with by the discoverer. Professor Dreyer had asked people to test his treatment and had given full details and sent vaccine out. From Spahlinger they could get nothing, and ho would not allow anyone who knew the subject to test his vaccine. He simply refused to allow anyone to put it to the test. Referring to the work of the sanatorium. Dr Blackmore said that every early case of consumption went out with the disease arrested. It was nearly 14 years since the institution had opened, and they had taken in cases of every description. Many had died within a few days of admission; yet it was known that over 70 per cent, of all ♦hose who had ever entered the sanatorium were still alive, and the figyres were improving every year.