“Uncalled-for Comparisons” Alleged in Connection with The Waipiata Sanatorium

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26773, 17 May 1948, Page 4

“ Uncalled-for Comparisons” Alleged in Connection with The Waipiata Sanatorium

Arising out of the recent discussions concerning the treatment of tuberculosis patients in the Otago Hospital Board’s district. Dr A. Kidd, medical superintendent at the Waipiata Sanatorium, has made the following statement to the Daily Times:—

“I have previously refused to enter into the controversy of Pleasant Valley versus Wakari as I felt it was a matter to be decided by the Otago Hospital district only. I still think sc, but I cannot let for a second time Dr Moody’s mis-statements go unchallenged. He knows, or if he is going to make comparisons should know, that Waipiata Sanatorium admits all three stage patients. I presume he has seen our patients in Wakari as he has quoted some as being in no hurry to return to Otago Central. To-day we have 43 stage three or advanced cases, 35 second stage, and only 40 out of our 118 patients are in the first or early stage and quite a few of these have or have had cavitation. “I do not quite understand what Dr Moody means by suspect cases, but no

cases are admitted to Waipiata until observation has made it more than reasonably certain that the case is tuberculous. “ No institution that I know of sends patients home to die. Certainly Waipiata does not except under exceptional circumstances, such as being requested to do so by the relatives and even then we only transfer the patient to the tuberculosis annexe of the district from which he or she was admitted. ’ “Why the Otago Hospital Board insisted for the second time in drawing attention to Waipiata and making uncalled for comparisons I am at a loss to understand as hitherto our relations with the Otago Hospital Board’s medical staff have been amicable, and co-operative rather than competitive.”