A INTRODUCTION
33
more than 100,000 people watched the excellent sportive performances of the 350 para–
plegic athletes representing 23 countries. The athletic performances, endurance and
standard of these paralysed athletes were also an extraordinary inspiration to the Japanese
Government, private organizations and employers to help their paraplegic fellow men in
their social and industrial resettlement. Within 6 months after the Games, the first
factory, specially built for the paralysed, called Nagano Plant, 70 miles west of Tokyo
was opened for 56 paraplegics in an area of many factories producing cameras and com–
munication machinery. In 1967, Professor Amako reported that two more of such
factories had been established, one in Beppu where Dr Nakamura is in charge and the
other at the Fuji factory of Musashino Electric Co-operation, not very far from the
National Spinal Injuries Centre, Hakone, set up under the direction of the late Dr Tomita.
According to the late Dr Tomita's statistical survey (1968), the number of paraplegics
in Japan had reached the 10,000 mark.
NEW ZEALAND
For many years, leading surgeons of various specialities have made great efforts to
induce the authorities concerned to set up Spinal Injuries Centres for a comprehensive
management and rehabilitation of these patients. However, no progress was made mainly
owing to financial difficulties and statutory restrictions in the social field. For instance,
according to the regulations of the New Zealand State Health Service, paraplegics can
receive their wheelchairs only on loan for 9 months after which time they have to buy
the wheelchair. This regulation is in striking contrast to the provisions made for appliances
and aids for other disabilities, such as contact lenses, and help for the blind, artificial
limbs for amputees and artificial hip joints, which are given free under the existing
regulations. Moreover, the only small unit of 10-12 beds segregated for the treatment
of spinal cord injuries at the Christchurch General Hospital is at present hopelessly
inadequate. During my recent visit (1971) to that beautiful country, undertaken at the
request of the New Zealand Paraplegic Federation, I was given every opportunity to
study this whole medical and social problem of paraplegia and tetraplegia. As a result of
many discussions with the hospital, municipal and governmental authorities, including
the Minister of Health, the Government has now given financial help to set up two Spinal
Injuries Centres, one at Auckland and the other at Birwood Hospital, Christchurch.
POLAND
In 1949, a Centre for Rehabilitation of Paraplegics was established within the Institute
for Rehabilitation at Konstancin, near Warsaw, under Dr Marian Weiss. This unit was
at first concerned mainly with paraplegics transferred from other hospitals suffering
from serious complications. In due course, with the growing problem of paraplegia and
with increasing facilities for the management of paraplegics and tetraplegics, a unit for
paraplegic children and another for acute traumatic lesions were added. In 1964, by a
decree of the Ministry of Health and the general management of hospitals in Warsaw no
surgical hospital is allowed to admit paraplegics, all of whom have now to be congregated
