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which can be shown and demonstrated is not quite so quick or
dramatic as in the latter.
The Council has already seen, by means of photographs, how
backs deformed through Tuberculosis are cured and movement is
regained, not only in the spine but in the various joints affected.
It is not necessary for me to go over this ground again. Such
facts can also be confirmed by the statistics published by Dr. Rollier
of cases he has treated during the last 20 years. These are very
remarkable, and had Dr. Rollier selected special classes of cases for
treatment, his results might have been still more remarkable, but
not only has he not done this, but he had treated all kinds of cases
which were sent to him, many of them unfortunately hopeless cases
from the start. These were included in his statistics, and will therefore
account for the number of cases which have improved but have
not been cured.
As a full account of this part of the subject would take up too
much space, I shall give just totals. From 1904 to 1913 the total
number of patients treated was 1,129. Of these, 945 were cured,
112 were improved, 41 remained stationary, and 31 died. When the
war broke out many of the patients had to return home suddenly
and a larger number of very advanced cases were sent in their
place, so that the figures do not appear so favourable. From 1913
to 1921, 370 cases were treated, and of these 235 were cured, 78
improved, 26 remained stationary, and 31 died.
The deaths in both series were due to pulmonary and other
complications, and many of the patients should never have been
sent there.
When we visited Leysin we were not shown selected cases. We
went to about 20 clinics out of the 35 and were shown every case
in each clinic. Dr. Rollier himself is very enthusiastic about his
work, and pays individual attention to every case that goes there.
He makes a point of seeing all as often as necessary, and his visits
vary from once a day to each patient to a minimum of about once
a month, according to how the patient is progressing.