“Blue Baby” Operations To Be Done At Auckland In Near Future

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 June 1948, Page 4

“Blue Baby” Operations To Be Done At Auckland In Near Future

(P.A.) Auckland, June 28. “Biue baby" cases, several of which have been sent from New Zealand to America for treatment, will be treated at the Green Lane hospital when the cardio-surgical unit decided upon at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board tonight is estab, ished. Adopting the recommendation of the hospital’s committee, the board decided that the unit, should be established tc undertake the treatment of cases of congenital neart lesions from all parts of the Dominion which were likely to benefit from surgery and chronic pericardial lesions. It would also treat otner cases determined by the unit, after the return of M£ Douglas Robb from the United States. Mr. Robb was appointed by the Government to study the technique and practice of the “blue baby” operation and other recent developments in heart surgery in the United States. Subject to the consent of the Minister of Health the board decided to purchase equipment valued at between £5OO and £7OO. The chairman of the board, Mr. J. Grierson, said Mr. Robb would be back in New Zealand hy Friday. His suggestion that the purchase of the electro-cardiograph va’ued iat £650 oe deferred until it could be referred to Mr. Robb was adopted.