INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13973, 20 April 1916, Page 5

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

(To the Editor , of the Herald.) Sir, — 'Tho present discussibn m the press with regard to the /treatment of infantile paralysus,.. lias .seemed to call for no expression'' of opinion other than •that of the" "'medical,. faculty until the appearance of a letter m your issue of Tuesday evening over 'the signature of ■Dr »Scott. m which there are one or two matters lo Mil ioli, I feel bound to refer, both m justice to the medical supGriritendent. the matron, and the nursing staff,, ami to the m'eiubeiv-i.o'f. tho .Hospi.-^ tal Board. , . In order to pm]jhasisp (ho heavy- calls on the. musing .staff, D.r Soott draw's attention to. Lite fact that.- there are 1 jJu'ly Itwo niglit nurses m ohargo .of the ward cpntiiiiung 3i crises of infantile paralysis, "and' .makes a. comparison of thi.sj fact with thnt of. a mother sitting up at night with one child, clearly thus ■^intirig tliat the .patients do not get sufficient/night attention. As a matter of fact bn the day df Dr Scott's visit there; were only 21 cases m ,the : .ward. ;; I have to state, m reply ,^ 'to; ■ what I consider- an' exceedingly unjust and unfair deduction, .that I' am:; absolutely satisfied that the care and attention given to the patients by the nurses on higlit; duty ; is entirely adequate, and; that if, further help is needed m this idiije'Ctiohi ; the medical superintendent and the matron can be absolutely trustr "ed to see that such help is immediately forthcoming. -••-•. .. .' ; Towards the end of Dr Scott's letter he makes what appears to me as a lays man, a most astounding etatemerit, to thj^ effect that the decision as to the proper treatment of certaiji cases is a. matt-er f or the Board ! If the Hoard consisted wholly of members of the medical profession, ' one might reason* ably expect them, to offer their' opinion, but as, I believe, m the majority of ,case_s, Hospital Board.9 are almost entirely. composed of laymen, it wduld ; t,o my mind} be the height of impertinent arrog-ance for them to claim the power to decide^ i- For what pni'pose other than' this, haye r -\ve ' a properly, qualified niedical superintenderit and an honorary active and hpribrary consulting staff.' ' Dr ; Scott asked me some' d^ys ago if it would' be. permissible to hold the instvuctioh 'classpfii m massage for the lady..'; volunteers; at the' hospital,. pre- ;- sumably "'mrtkirig use of some of- the cpnvajlescent paralysis cases. I consulted tlie medical superintendent,, and • fully agreed' with, his" opinion, that, wlule recognising ih^devpirrtn and «>lfsacrificihg . kindness ■of the ;larly volunteers, it would not be desirable to allow; ahy description of aiiiateur practise qf '" th'o'-.iiaiure , referred^ to, within the hospital. Siiice' informing Dr Scott tq f tlijis effect, I. have seen 110 reason to .alter my qpinidri. ' " .It js'not for me to express, any personal opinion' on tlie professional rts,pec,is.; of the matter under discussion; but L feel bound to say,' from my.- long experience with Dr Reeve, .that, he is the- last man to wish to take part m any "professional brawl'". l and- is quite incapable, of piiblioly "accusing;; a 'follow practitioner of "untruth . and ni!sro : presentation of fact" or of making such a discussion a ■ vehicle fov "an indiroct attach..'* — jL^am, etc.,HOWARD KfeNWAY. . bhaii'man Hospital BoJivd.