AID BY AEROPLANE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21086, 12 July 1938, Page 4

AID BY AEROPLANE

PNEUMONIA VIC TIM By Telegraph —Piese Association AUCKLAND. July 11 In response to an urgent call for medical aid an aeroplane from Hobsonville Air Base, piloted by SquadronLeader J. E. Gibson, flew to Great Barrier Island yesterday afternoon, with Doctor Bruce Grieve, of the Auckland Hospital staff. Flying up the coast against head winds, the machine took 50 minutes on the journey. The patient, visited was the young daughter of Mr J. Gates, an employee of the Public Works Department, who was suffering from pneumonia. It was thought inadvisable to remove her. The doctor attended several other cases, one of the schools being closed because of a measles epidemic. He said he considered a regular medical service was needed for the Island, where there are 400 permanent residents. The district nurse did excellent work, but was unable to cope with all the demands, largely because of the primitive means of transport. Doctor Craven, medical superintendent at the Auckland Hospital, said later that steps would have to be taken in conjunction with the Health and Defence Departments to arrange regular visits by a doctor.