[Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Llanelli / Llanelly R.D.C.

  • Llanelli (Wales). Rural District Council.
Date:
1938
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1938] / Medical Officer of Health, Llanelli / Llanelly R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    27/52 (page 25)
    Sanatorium. They succeeded. They fathered a National Move ] ,ent—they inspired a national urge for better conditions, and carping criticism was not the means by which they attained their purpose. This momentous work was carried out without the aid of public funds. The Sanatorium was opened by Princess Christian in 1908 and handed in 1910 to the newly-formed Welsh National Memorial Association, free of debt, together with a gift of £2,000 in cash. If it had not been for these men of vision and action, the W.N.M.A. wrould probably never have been heard of, and the authors of the Rjeport might have paid these men a tribute were it only for the opportunity which they themselves have had of gaining national publicity and a place for their Report in the National Library. However, West Wales will revere the memory of the old pioneers and history will do them justice. The Association merits all the money the County can afford to give to it, but we must not ignore the persistence of other diseases, the treatment of which will require substantial financial assistance. The treatment and prevention of T.B. has materially altered since 1910. Those who have had the opportunity of visiting Papworth can have nothing but praise and admiration for the stupendous work of Sir Pendrill Varrier-Jones and his staff. Money is not wasted there on expensive hospitals with their irk- some discipline and wearisome routine. The money is used to make the patients as happy and contented as possible, encouraging their hopes and ambitions to improve themselves, so that they may join in some productive work according to their health and •strength, earning wages, however small, at the start. A large percentage of them are ultimately able to earn their own living in Papworth Colony or elsewhere. The majority of the patients are already doing this, and they have been allowed to' bring their familiies to live in the village. Their children are brought up in the family circle, and not a single child has contracted T.B. Papworth is no longer in an experimental stage, but is a practical proposition. The wages paid to' tuberculous employees in 1918 totalled £174. In 1938, the corresponding figure exceeded £40,000 Such is the measure of the growth of Papworth. In view of these facts, it would be well for the Contributing Authorities to the W.N.M.A. to think seriously before consenting to the Association to embark on an expenditure of £250,000 in building a hospital at Singleton, Swansea, which is already a congested area; in addition, the fundamental principles of A.R.P. insist that patients of hospitals in large towns should be evacuated to the country immediately in case of hostilities. Then, \ ot b u i 1 d in the country if a hospital is required ? The argument that it should be near a thoracic surgeon is futile ; it would be easier to remove that surgeon, however ponderous he may he, than the unhappy patients, in case of an emergency.