THE CONSUMPTIVE POOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 18

THE CONSUMPTIVE POOR.

QUESTION OF ACCOMMODATION. ACTION BY THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. The following letter, which explains itself, has been forwarded by the representatives of the Meddcal Association to the District 'Health Officer:— Dr Ogston, Health Officer, Dunedin. Dear Sir, — We informed you some time ago that we intended to ask the Hospital Board to provide accommodation for the consumptive poor, and to suggest a plan which at? the time had the approval of the principal Health Officer of the colony and of yourself. We have received no reply to our communication to the board, but we gather from the press reports that the board refuses to consider any suggestions from any source on the matter, and maintains that it is the duty of the central government to provide such accommodation. In view of the attitude of the Hospital Board it appears to us that before taking any further steps it is accessary to know the exact legal position of the Hospital Board and the Hospital Trustees with regard to their duties to the sick poor. We shall be glad if you can give us information on the following points: — (1) Is it the duty of one or both of these bodies to provide accommodation for the indligent sick? (2) Has the body on which such duty is laid (if the answer ia in the affirmative) any right to discriminate between different forms of sickness and injury? — for instance, can it refuse to give help and accommodation to a sick person because his sickness is aue to consumption, diphtheria, or alcohol? (3) If such refusal is illegal, is there any power in the State which can compel one or both of these bodies to provide the neceaary accommodation and nursing for •these cases if the refusal is persisted -in? It seems -to us that if there is no law deal- j ing with these matters — if it is competent for the two Hospital bodies to decide as to what cases they will help and what cases j they will leave unhelped — then it is useless > to .proceed further. £f^ p.n the other iuuddj

— the Hospital Board and the Hospital Trustees have been acting illegally in marking discrimination between different kinds of sickness — if it is their duty to make due provision for all kinds of sickness which may affect the community! — it is .obvious that it will be better for everybody that this should be clearly Tan* authoritatively stated. Dr Ogston, District Health Officer, will probably forward the letter to the Chief Health- Officer (Wellington) for advice as to what action is to be taken in regard to the providing of accommodation for the indigent sick.