FIGHTING DISEASE
TUBEiiGUIOSIS SCOURGE IN N.Z. ESTABLISHMENT OF CLINICS CONFERENCE IN WAIHI ' Dr. R. A. Shore, divisional-director of hospitals, accompanied by Messrs W. H. Rathbone and P. R. Smyrk, chairman and secretary respectively of the Waipawa Hospital Board, visited Waihi last Saturday forenoon to confer with members of the Waihi Hospital Board, on the proposal of the Health Department to establish tuberculosis cliincs in various centres. The visitors were met at the hospital by the chairman of the board, Mr A. E. Robinson, and Messrs C. Copestake and A. B. Johnson, the manag-ing-secretary, Mr W. G. Collier, also being present. In outlining the development of preventive measures against the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis, Dr. Shore said that the department had established the sanatoria at Otaki for women and at Pukeora (Waipukurau) for men, but it had been found expedient to hand over control to the Palmerston North and Waipawa Hospital Boards respectively. In the past the treatment had to do mostly with chronic cases, although it had always been realised that to do any good the disease should be taken in its initial stages. The fact that there were upwards of 5000 cases in New Zealand that required treatment of one kind or another for the arresting or prevention of the disease was proof of the crying need for propaganda and the adoption of a proper system. MUST BE STAMPED OUT In the past the treatment mostly had to do with chronic cases through lack of accommodation, but it had always been realised that no lasting good could be done until the disease could be tackled universally in its early stages, and the present campaign had that object in view. Such a course could be successfully pursujed only by the complete assistance and co-operation of hospital boards and medical practitioners who would be able by their contact with patients to have cases brought to the proper quarter for examination and subsequent segregation or home treatment. In the South Island it had been found at first that people were very much inclined to hide their complaint and avoid anything in the nature of a medical examination in the fear that they might actually have the disease and, having it, no matter in what stage, might be compulsorily segregated. Now the reverse was the case and the work in the South Island had been a rich incentive to the North Island not to be left behind in the progressive measures adopted, not just to arrest the disease, but to prevent it —stamp it out altogether. ULTIMATE BENEFITS The stamping out of the disease would, of course, take some years, and at first would probably mean that hospital boards would be saddled with the extra expense of guaranteeing (and mostly paying) the fees of patien,ts who had to be sent to sanatoria from their districts. In the course of a few years the treatment and preventive measures prescribed would be go organised that the expense now would then actually prove an asset, and for the reason that in many chronic cases not only the burden of the cost of treatment but the maintenance of the family of the patient (if he happened to be the breadwinner) had to be undertaken by boards, and this had proved, and was still proving, a very heavy and continuous drain on the community. By the co-operation of boards, medical men, school and district nurses and other social welfare officers all cases of suspected tuberculosis would be notified and every endeavour be made to treat early stage cases at home, segregate chronic and render contacts immune from infection. EXPERT EXAMINATION
The department had already appointed a turbeculosis specialist who would visit the district of each board periodically at regular intervals for the purpose of examining cases notified and to deal with each one on its merits. It was anticipated that only a very few would require complete segregation, although many would need a proper system of home treatment. The public should welcome and applaud the effort and assist wholeheartedly in the propaganda of the scheme. Those who believed they were weak-chested, who were prone to persistent colds or pulmonary trouble of any kind should take the opportunity of the examination afforded by the expert, even if only to get the assurance that they were entirely free of the disease. It would cost the patient nothing and migth be the means of preventing altogether the course of a disease which all humanity hgd come to dread. Mr Bathbono, after endorsing Dr. Shore’s remarks and urging wholehearted support to the proposal, concluded; “Our work would be for posterity, and if we build up ait organisation now to properly control and combat the disease we would be banding on a wonderful gift to the generations yet to be born.” The chairman, Mr Robinson, and members of the Waihi board present undertook to place the proposal before that body at its next meeting, ; and said they had little doubt but [ that it would find unanimous appro- ] val and be given all possible sup- | port.
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Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8849, 30 November 1935, Page 2
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842FIGHTING DISEASE Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8849, 30 November 1935, Page 2
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