RHEUMATISM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20290, 24 December 1927, Page 13

RHEUMATISM.

WIDESPREAD RAVAGES. AN INDUSTRIAL PROBLEM. ENORMOUS DOSSES. The widi-'-pread ravages of rheumatism and its enormous cost to the country in disablement and suffering were discussed at the conference of the National Association of Insurance Committees, states the Manchester Guardian. It was described as a serious blight on industry and a heavy burden on the benefit funds of approved societies. Lord Cozens-Hardy (president) was in the chair. Mr J. Mackenzie, secretary of the Industrial Health Council, gave an address on health education. He claimed that no other organisation than his was dealing with the subject of occupational sicknesses and diseases. Almost every trade and industry had ailments peculiar to itself, as well as those it might have in common with other trades and industries. As the trend of present-day medical science was chiefly devoted to prevention rather than cure, this society felt the need of imparting to the workers such information as would fall into line with medical science in seeking to prevent rather than cure sicknesses and disease. Laying down the line of work and seeking the recognition and support of the workers were two different things, and success could only be achieved with the workers’ co-operation. The first step, therefore, was to secure the endorsement of the society’s policy and programme by the official body of organised workers’ organisations. This meant addressing a large number of trades and labour councils all over the country, and he was glad to say that on every occasion the approval was unanimous and cordial.

They had been asked by the Iron, Steel, and Kindred Trades Association to supply them with reliable information on how to prevent rheumatism, which seemed to be the most common of the complaints from which workers suffer. They had at present an inquiry on foot, several doctors had been investigating the subject, and'thcy hoped soon to be able to send the result to that association for distribution to its members.

In his recent report Sir George Newman described rheumatism as “one of the most insidious, disabling, and mortal of all the great diseases.” He believed that rheumatism was responsible for one-sixth to onc-seventh of the sick benefit payments to insured persons in Great Britain. This came to £1,300,000 a year, the approved societies paying £1,000,000. A wellknown Harley street doctor said that the loss might be appreciated when one found that 30,000 work years or 6,000,000 work weeks were lost every year to industry through rheumatic absentees, and ithe death rate from rheumatic causes was higher in this country than that for cancer, tuberculosis, heart ailments, or influenza. GERMANY'S EXAMPLE. Mr Henry Lesser, vice-president, described his recent visit to Germany and th© clinics there for the treatment of industrial rheumatism. How were they to deal with th 6 mass of sickness ana disease which came under the general head of rheumatism ? Amid so much that was vague, ambiguous, and confused in the matter of diagnosis, did it not seem clear that what was needed was a more concentrated effort by way of research and organised experiment in the treatment of the disease ? It seemed to be generally recognised in. the medical profession to-day that damp houses, poverty, and the absence of sunshine were contributory causes of rheumatism of one kind or another. These conditions were part of a great socia problem which perhaps could best be solved by the enlightened activities of the central and locai authorities in this country. - . Acute rheumatism or rhemuatic fever m the nature of things would seem to be the concern chiefly of specialised or large general hospitals ; but as regarded chronic rhemuatism there was virtualy no specialist treatment available, except at the comparatively few British spas, where the cost of maintenance and treatment was usually beyond the means of the average insured person. The approved societies had gone very carefully int othis question, but they, too, found the cost prohibitive, having regard to the very limited and uncertain character of the surplus funds at their disposal. He recently joined a party of representatives of approved societies, and industrial managers, ■ and physicians, who, on the invitation of the German Minister of Health, visited the industrial clinics in that country and attended a conference in Berlin of the Central International Committee on Rheumatism, appointed bv the Society of Medical Hydrology. His general impression of the visit was that the Germans, by means of these ambulatoriums or out-patient clinics, were exploring a special field of investigation on a scale which had not yet been attemnted in this country. He was unable anywhere to obtain statistics showing .the results achieved, but it was rather striking that ail who were concerned with the problem —whether as patients, physicians, employers, or State insurance officials—appeared to be agreed on the advantages to be derived from hydro-therapeutical treatment. The British Committee of the International Society of Medical Hydrology had put forward a scheme for the establishment of an experimental clinic for rheumatic diseases in London. The-clinic would offer all the most approved methods of external or physical treatment which had proved efficacious in other places for the cure or alleviation of rheumatic diseases, and which were not at present available in London. Two hundred cases per day had been fixed as an economic minimum. The proposal had been sponsored by the British Red Cross Society, which, under the chairmanship of Sir Arthur Stanley, proposed to launch an appeal for £40,000 as a foundation fund, _ Should the experiment prove successful, similar clinics would be established in other parts of the country.

On the motion of Mr P. Rockliff, London, it was resolved that the subject of the addresses on health education should bo remitted to the Executive Council for further consideration, and report to the next annual conference. The session closed with a vote of thanks to Lord Cozens-Hardy for his services a s president.