RAILWAY HOSPITALS OVERSEAS

Southland Times, Issue 23677, 28 November 1938, Page 5

RAILWAY HOSPITALS OVERSEAS

USE BY INJURED WORKMEN (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, November 25. The efficiency of the special hospitals conducted by the railway organizations in Great Britain, the United States and Canada was the subject of comment by Dr M. R. Finlayson, of Sydney, one of the three medical officers employed by the New South Wales Government Railways, who. passed through Auckland by the Mariposa on his return from a trip abroad. Dr Finalyson said New South Wales did not as yet have a hospital of this type, but he intended to make a report on the subject to the Railway Commissioners when he reached Sydney. Railway hospitals overseas weje maintained for the rehabilitation of injured workmen, Dr Finlayson said. Those of one American organization were very highly developed, although several of the English companies had smaller, but exceedingly efficient, units of this type. Considerable investigation had recently taken place, mainly in the United States, into the effects of air conditioning in trains, he said. That had been the outcome of numerous complaints from railway passengers and employees that they had suffered various respiratory troubles through the introduction of a conditioning system. Investigations proved, however, that the troubles could not be attributed to this cause and it seemed that travellers had simply found another excuse to explain their contraction of ordinairy complaints.