THE FIGHT AGAINST CONSUMPTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 41

THE FIGHT AGAINST CONSUMPTION.

A CURABLE AND PREVENTABLE DISEASE. ITS AFTER-CARE. LONDON, April 21. Sir A. Mond, the new Health Minister, made what is regarded as a straightforward and sensible speech, when moving the second reading of the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Bill, which, in effect, gives legal sanction to arrangements made with the local authorities for the treatment of tuberculosis in sanatoria. The Bill on the whole met with friendly’ criticism in the House, and recognition of what had been done by the Ministry of Health. An important point of criticism xvas that, much as is being done for the remedial treatment of consumption, still more remain's to be done for its prevention. Consumption, still the most terrible of diseases in this country, is curable, and it is prevent ibl '. As the Insurance Committees ceased to be responsible for sanatorium benefit, it was obvious, said Sir A. Aloud, that the dutymust be carried on by’ other public bodies. The County Councils and the County Borough Councils had already’ been responsible for a large amount of tuberculosis work, having made arrangements lor treating uninsured persons in their areas, and under (ho Bill they would take on the work of dealing with tuberculosis persons, both insured and uninsured. Where a local authority failed to make adequate arrangements for the treatment of tuberculosis such arrangements might be made by the Ministry of Health, and the expenses incurred in making such arrangements would lie paid in the first instance by the Treasury. Clause 2 provided that any 7 approval by the Minister of Health of an institution for treatment of tuberculosis might be given for such time and subject to such conditions as the Minister might think lit, and the. Minister should have power to withdraw any such approval. Objections bad been raised on behalf of local authorities as to the use of the power conferred by that clause, but he was prepared to satisfy’ them by accepting amendments during the Committee Dage. VALUE OF PKEVEXJ lON. ATr Orm l.v Gor hoped the Ministry would take ail p e-hue steps with the. 1. -d authorities lo secure a proper treatment for the prevention of the disease. At pree-ent the sanatorium term was too brief; it was an isolated event in the sad career of the patient. Frequently the disease was not tackled soon enough, ft was allowed to become acute before ti■ • patient went; into a sanatorium* and when ho went out again lie was lost sight of. The campaign against the disease required strategy as well as tact, and there appeared to be a serious lack of arrangements for the after-care of the patient. Further, there was insufficient

hospital accommodation for the really advanced cases, and he hoped that the Minister would deal with that problem more successfully and more expeditiously than his predecessor had done. Fundamentally they had to rely not so much on expensive cures, but in combating the disease they must get down to the children and food, to the hygienic conditions of the people. VIEWS OF MEDICAL M.P.’S. Lieutenant-eoilonel Nathan Raw, while approving the work of sanatoria, made the point that its cure was wasted without after-care. It was most important to find suitable work for men who had partially recovered. He said tuberculosis was a preventible disease, and should not exist in any civilised country. There were over 600,006 peo pie in the country who were attacked. The after-care problem was extremely important. A man who has been attacked by tuberculosis was at best only 50 per cent, what he was, in so far as earning capacity’ was concerned. Some means must be devised whereby these afflicted men might be given suitable and remunerative employment. This duty should be undertaken by municipal authorities through the establishment of municipal workshops. Government assistance might also be available. Captain Elliott pointed out that a similar scheme had been successfully operating in Scotland for some time. It. was of vita! importance that remedial measures should be put into force with the least possible delay. The after-care of patients required to be carefully considered. What was really wanted was a sort of national scheme by which a certain proportion of light jobs in every industry should he reserved for the casualties of industry. To deal with the disease satisfactorily the hearty cooperation of not only’ local authorities, but of those who had set up voluntary’ schemes was essential. It would he necessary to adopt a special scheme for the treatment of sailors. Major Farquharson was critical of sanatorium treatment, which was in an experimental stage, and the results did .not warrant an unlimited expenditure of public money. Major Mokson urged the Minister not to be pushed into great extravagance in the matter of buildings. It was not necessary to have palatial hotels for proper treatment of the disease, and the true economy was not so much to save money as to expend it in a manner that would benefit as many people as possible. He regarded this Bill as carrying out the pledge given some time ago by the Government, and, that being so, he hoped it would be carried into law without delay. Mr R. Richardson (Labour M.P.) asserted the Bill did not nearly approach all that had to he done in dealing with this problem' That we had found ourselves a 03 nation during the war was largely due to tuberculosis. This disease, for which miserable, damp, ill-lighted, ill-ventilated houses were the breeding grounds, should be combated nationally’ rather than by the local authorities. Sir A. Mond explained that the Bill merely dealt with the transfer of certain obligations from insurance committees to local authorities. The total estimated expense was £2,300,000 a year, of which local authorities would contribute £1,000,000 and the Exchequer the same amount. The balance of ‘£300.000 was the approximate ' amount of contributions which would be received from the insurance committees by the local authorities. The points raised in the debate would be carefully looked into, and he hoped to take advantage of many of the suggestions made.