The Waikato Sanatorium Scandal

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5965, 18 August 1920, Page 4

The Waikato Sanatorium Scandal

[To the Editor.]

Sir, —The Minister of Health has decided to close Te Waikato Sanatorium, giving the following reasons for his decision :

(1) Difficulty of access and unsuitability of site. (2) The buildings are out of date aud would cost too much to make up-to-date. (3) The Department's officers express themselves as rather against sanatorium treatment.”

(4) The cost of running is excessive.

(I) The sanatorium is about seven miles from Cambridge, approached by a well-metalled road cn which hundreds of pounds have recently been spent. The situation is central f r the whole of the Auokland, Waikato and King Country population, and is the best for its purpose. The climate is ideal—abundant sunshine, dry atmosphere, getting all breezes and an altitude of 1600 feet. There is no other sanatorium in this half of the Island. Otaki is 380 mihs from Auckland and Waipnkurau is over 400 miles. The extra item of cartage up the hill is baladoed by the fact that there - are about 500 acres of timber near the top of the hill to supply fuel, aud there is attached an excellent farm supplying vegetables, frnit, eggs, poultry, honey and mutton for the constitution, and also good feed for the horses; apd there is a quarry of good metal on the top of the hill and an excellent supply of water. That the sanatorium is some distance from the town is *an advantage, rather than the reverse, for it is advisable for patients not to have too many visitors during their treatment. (This does not apply to advanced cases, who should be treated in anj nexes to hospitals near their relatives ) In short, no better situation could be found for a sanatorium for the large, growing popnlot'on in the northern half of this island.

(2) The buildings are of excellent old timber, much better than can be procured at the present day, and the shelters are excellent in design. In 1916 a large, handsome pavilion was bnilt to accommcdate 20 patients in the early stage of their treatment, when they are confined to bed. This added greatly to the comfort of the patients, aud made the nurses’ work much easier. In the last few years all the buildings have been painted, and eien th'is year a large {contract was started for repaintmg, and if completed nothing would be (needed to make the institution quite' sound for many years to come. So this reason for closing down also falls to the ground* (£) That the Departments officers express themst Ives a l * against sanatorium treatment is almost too absurd for criticiim. The results for tbe three years 1913-16 show that 51 per cent, of the patients were discharged fit to make a living. Considerably more actually did return to work but against advice, as it was thought they might break down. Even many of these havo actually been able to remain at work. This proportion is excellent when it is considered that in those 'years, cases in all stages were accepted for treatment, thongh not suitable sanatorium cases. None was refused admission. Surely this is sufficient justification for saying the Department’s officers’ assertion is absurd, and that it is a scandal to close down the place. In those yeais tbe superintendent was supported greatly by all the medical profession in the Dominion, who apparently ap preciated the excellent results obtained, and many hospital boards visited the institution at the invitation of the superintendent, and expressed their great pleasure with the work done and especially with tbe excellent dietary of Mhe patients and their happiness.

/ (4) The cost of running the insti--1 tntion was too high for many years, For the three years 1909-12 the average cost per bed was £lB5 per annum, reaching as high 5s £197 in 1911. In 1913 it was decided by Parliament to close down the institution and this was already started when the decision was reversed, and instead there was brought from Londan an expert who had for some years been [medical superintendent of the foremoßt, largest * and most efficiently managed hospital for chest diseases and consumption in the world. In the three succeeding years (1913-16) he managed by preventing waste and by proper administration to Bteadily bring down the qost of the institution till in the year 1916 the cost was reduced to the remarkably low figure of £9l per bed per annum, i.e, less than half the original cost, even' although in that year the cost of living generally, and especially of institutions, had greatly increased. This cost compared favorably with any i anatorinm in the world in the year. These figures, which are from reports presented to Parliament, show that without possibility of denial, the institution can be run economically and •fficiently, so that the fourth reason for closing falls to the ground also. At the end of 1916 the superintendent resigned his post to go to the Front. If, since that time, the cost of the institution has increased out of' all proportion to the increased cost of living, and if since then the medioal profession do not support the institution as they did in 1913-16, then, surely, on inquiry into the oaußes of this should precede the closing of such an important institution. Professional etiquette compels me * to be anonymous, but I enclose my card.—l am, eto.,

A. B, Morrinsville, August, 1920.