Leprosy In Ng

Success of New Drugs at Central Highlands Hospital

Gratifying results in the treatment of leprosy have been achieved at the Papua- New Guinea Administration’s Leper Hospital, near Mt. Hagen, by the use of two drugs, Sulphetrone and Diamadine, according to Mr.

Leonard Barnard, who has been in charge of the establishment since its opening in 1949.

Mr. Barnard, a Seventh Day Ad ventist missioner, reached Sydney at the end of September, with his family, en route to Wellington, NZ, on five months’ furlough.

Eight miles from Mt. Hagen, in the Central Highlands District, the leper hospital is financed by the Administration and run by the SDA Mission. Two SDA technical trades men and builders, Messrs. J. Aitken and F. L. Aveling, operate a sawmill and are converting the hospital from the temporary to the perman ent stage. It will have 500 beds when completed—at present 150 patients are accommodated.

Nowadays, month by month, numbers of the first batches of Central N. Guinea natives, who originally trekked in to the hospital from all over the district suffering from leprosy, are being discharged as cured, as the result of treatment with these wonder drugs of British medical science. Sulphetrone was used mainly until quite recently, when supplies of the newer and three times more powerful Diama dine reached the hospital. Both are administered in tablet form.

Mr. Barnard served with the Australian Army Medical Corps in New Guinea during the war and later was with ANGAU. His assist ants at Mt. Hagen were Sisters O. and E. Pearce, together with a large staff of orderlies and workers.

A thriving farm, run in conjunc tion with the leprosarium, supplies 90 per cent, of the foodstuffs needed by oatients and helpers. In addition to treatment, the staff teach the hospital inmates to read and write, hold religious services for them and show educational films.

While Mr. Barnard is on leave, Dr H McMahon, of Melbourne, is in'charge of the hospital. On his return to New Guinea Mr. Barnard plans to organise and establish another leper hospital at Hatzfeldt haven, on the coast, between Madang and Wewak. The only other leper hospital in the Terri tory is at Alelaua, New Ireland.

A radio telephone service between Australia and New Caledonia com menced on November 2.