A TERRIBLE DISEASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6995, 10 January 1901, Page 1

A TERRIBLE DISEASE.

.■i:. '. . • . ■ .■:• : — "*~ — r~. - ■••■■, SUPPOSED CASE- OFLEPROSYv • ■■ ■ •»■.■•■• . ■•- ■ ' - ......... . .'. REFUSED ADJDTTANCE TO THE HOSPITAL; CORRESPONDENCE BEFORE THE CHARITABLE AID BOARD. At 'the' meeting of the Charitable Aidi Board yesterday afternoon, the Chairman stated that a letter had reached him some weeks since lrom the City Council, but before making its contents public he .thought it, aavasabie to refer 'toe case, to whicn it related for further medical investigation, and the wnole correspondence would be laid before the Board. He sHomd explain tliac the patient had been treated by the Board's several medical onicera ioi ; years past, and also in the hospital soine considerable time ago, and her "case was a, most, interesting asadi extraordinary one, he believed, irpm the professional pount of view; t>u* he was doubtful whether it was one wuiioh the Board should any longer attempt or profess to .Da able to deal witn, new that the Public Health Act required, and rightly required, tnat special provision shaii ; b« made for treatment of diseases of such a nature. The question, then, was upon •whom should tne duty of. making such I special provision properly devolve? If it I was not the obvious duty of another local Board, which was popularly supposed) to have Deeh constituted for the purpose of carrying out the important function oi arresting and endeavouring to cure disease, and especially those diseases whica threaten lihe public health, then he was quite at a loss tc. understand who was to be expected to discharge such functions. He had directed the attention of the hos.pdtal authorities to the nature of the case, and furnished .a copy of the cfcanmundcafcion which had been forwarded to the Board ? s office, but was met with the answer fch&t tiie case was one which cotald net be admitted into > the hospital, although he had pointed out. how impossible it was to procure proper attendance and appliances zn a sma.il, private dwelling. He would be extremely sorry to -have it thought that he had in any way attempted to foist any responsibility righuly attaching to the Board on any other public body, but he. "thought it would be painfully evident that such a case as was now brought under notice mu&fc no longer be lei t to cause alarm in the minds of nervous persons, or a risk of contagion if the disease should prove to be of" tne serious nature hinted at. The Clerk then read 1 a number of letters relating to the case referred to by the Chairman. The first was dated Oct. 25, ISOO, from Dr Frengley to I'he . Chairman of the' Sanitary Committee of the City Council, and stated that, from his inspection of the city, the doctor had reason to suspect that a ease of leprosy existed in a certain house in the city. The letter suggested that the. supposed case should be brought under the notice of the District Health Officer. Dr Frengley thought it inadvisable to--' allow news of the matter. to spread abroad until there was a certainty that the case was leprosy. The next letter was from the Secretary of the Beard to Dr Clayton, staling that were seemed to be an impression, that the casß was one of leprosy, which it waa not, and asking him to inform Dr Frengley of the unfortunate woman's condition. The next letter was from Dr Frengley to the Chairman of the Sanitary Committee, saying that Dr Clayton *and other medical men had diagnosed the ease as, one of lupus of a very virulent form. The sufferer had at one time been jn the Christchurch Hospital; The Secretary of the Board then "wrote to the Resident Surgeon of the hospital, | "enclosing a copy of Dr Frengley's lettere, and stating that the voluntary services of a district nurse were being given, but ! indghfc at any time be discontinued, owing to danger to other patients. Dr Clayton reported to the Board on Tuesday last that he had been attending the case for the last four and a 'half yeairs. Up to the last two or three months 'he had seen no reason to differ from the diagnosis made by the medical onen who had treated it for some five years previous to his taking charge, but, in view of recent developments, hs was not prepared to state that the previously-accepted diagnosis of lupus might not be open to question. AY the Board's request lie had asked Dr Symes to assist, thim to thoroughly investigate the cap, andi Dr Symas's report was appended". A suspicion had been aroused that the oase was one of a stiE more serious nature, but at present he could not admit that the diagnosis of lupoid laceration had ibeen proved to bs incorrect. His main object, 'however, in making a special report on the case was to draw the attention of the Board to the absolute necessity that existed for making fresh arrangements for the treatment and management of the case, as it was impossible for the sufferer to be allowed to continue longer in her unsatisfactory condition and location, owing to the advanced state of the disease. In. nis opinion, whatever, might be tihe ultimate diagnosis, there could be no doubt that ifc wag a case requiring isolation and the best- of skilled and constant nursing. For the present he had been obliged to rely upon such assistance as the Board had oeen able, with great difficulty, to supply, and had been dependent for skilled Biasing upon the voluntary assistance generously given from time to time by several nurses. One of the .nurses had devoted! at great deal of time and skill to the case, and would, no doubt, now be glad 1 to be relieved of her heavy responsibilities. Under the present circumstances, he found it. impossible to do all that was necessary for such. an Exceptionally difficult case, and he considered it no longer possible for him to continue to 'trea/b the disease with justice to the patient, safety to the public,

dical change in .the patient's surroundings were effected. It should not be forgotten that the sufferings of the woman were being intensified and aggravated by the constant state of suspense and anxiety in which she was now existing. He could not too strongly draw the attention of the Board to the urgency of this matter. Dr Symes then reported that the case was one of lupoid ulceration, requiring (isolation and skilled nursing. The Chairman said the case had bean relieved for- nearly eleven years past, as that of a widow with children dependent upon her. In 1892 Dr Stewart had reported the case as one of lupus. The Board had spared no effort lo afford whatever assistance it could under the shape of hired attendance j for domestic work, and any recommendation of the medical officer had been promptly acted upon. -The cost to the Board had been i at. the rate- of nearly £60 a year for the past four years. . He considered that Dr Mason, Government Health Officer, should be approached, with a view to taking immediate action ; in the case. The case was a very bad one, and the woman was in a terrible condition. The whole facts should be placed' before Dr Mason. It was a disgrace to humanity, that. the hospital authorities had refused to receive the case. He blamed the hospital authorities in every way, for it was their duty to see that the sufferer obtained relief. ' „ \ <Mr- Wallace said there was provision in the. hospital by-laws that no case should bo admitted which was a, danger to other pa- 1 tients. Perhaps, however, there would be room iri the fever ward. Mf Manhire- thought; the case should be sent -to the hospital again, and then the whole responsibility would rest on the Hospital authorities. ... ...'■ V ''%: Mr Smith said tie case only illustrated what a hopeless muddle the hospital system was in. Elaborate buildings, replete with every scientific appliance, had been erected, and the poor suffering creatures were heartlessly Tefused admittance. Those patients who had money were immediately admitted, but those whbhad none were ■turned away, or, if they had to be admitted, were treated so badly that they were .-glad t<> gqt away. The Chairman's motion, that urgent representations should be made forthwith to Dr Mason, with, a view to the case being immediately taken in charge by the proper authorities, was seconded by Mr Feldwick, and caTried. , Mr Manhire suggested that the Chairman, Mr Smith and the Clerk should be a deputation to interview Dr Mason. With the consent of the meeting, this was added to the motion.