The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1887.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 204, 1 September 1887, Page 4

The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1887.

For the causa that laoka assist—ice, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

We are firmly convinced that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board have done the right thing in resolving: to appoint an experienced Medical Super intendent, who will be held responsible for the entire management of the Hospital. Tlie changable constitution of the Board itself makes this desirable, and under the present system there cau be no consistency of management nor effective control. But we are also convinced: that a gprievous mistake will be made—one aff^tting injuriously the interests of the pitients and medical science in the city—if the Board carry out this resolution in a spirit of antagonism to the Honorary Visiting Staff, who have rendered such valuable and gratuitous services to the institution. That there is no wish to do this on the parjb of the members of the Board we feel every condidence, and tlie wording of theChairman'smptionimplies that the Board are sincerely anxious, while rectifying an anomalous and unsatisfactory condition,of affairs, not to deprive themselves of the valuable aid which they may derive from the medical profession. A. little thought and . conciliatory negotiation between the Board and the Visiting Staff when amending the rules is all that appears to be necessary to overcome every difficulty and make the new arrangement a most advantageouserne edti&Hy m fclie BoaMi the Visiting Staff, and the institution.. It must be frankly recognised in the outset that the position of the.Visiting Staff and tjbeir authority over the case? that come under their treatment shall not he. arbitrarily interfered with. .The Medical Superintendent^ while exercising a general supervision over the, medical as well as the administrative departments of the Hospital, can only rank as an equal with his professional brethren of the Visiting Staff, and when he considers it expedient to alter the treatment in a case he should only do so by summoning a consul | tion, except in the case of emergencies, which the rules already provide shall be instantly met by the resident surgeon. If the new rules were framed on these lines we see no reason to apprehend any friction between the Medical Superintendent and the Staff; on the contra:y, the experience of the former will rather tend to prevent anything like conflict. Then with regard to the classification of cases, some imprpvementmight easily be made upon the present haphazard system, under which a dozen patients may fall by chance to one member of the Staff, and only two or three to another member, while the patients, except in the case of diseases of the eye, are deprived of the advantage of the specialist talents of the staff. This is not the system pursued in the best-managed institutions of Great Britain, where the classification adopted ensures to the patient the best medical skill that is available for his particular disease, and affords the medical.. attendant an opportunity of putting his talents to the best use. The present age is peculiarly an age of specialised studies, of experts, in all professions, and in. the medical profession as much so as in any other. A. better distribution of the cases, both as to the number allotted to each Visiting Surgeon and the nature of the maladies, would be an immense, advantage ; and we believe that the Staff are fully, conscious of the need of some change in these directions. It would be presumptuous to say right off how this may best be done, -but we feel sure that a little consideration by the Board and the Honorary Staff, with the aid of the Medical Superintendent, will produce a solution. j.* We understand that in Guy's Ho&; pital, London, the want of a responsible head for the general administration of the institution was so keenly felt that an experienced medical officer, at a salary of ,£BOO a year, has been appointed recently, and that the new arrangement yields admirable results, without in any degree disturbing the amicable understanding with the Honorary Staff. A system somewhat akin, we... are informed, is in operation at the Eoyal Infirmary, Edinburgh. It would be well to obtain full information relative to the regulations of these institutions.. It cannot for' a moment be expected —and_ we do not ..suppose that any member of the Board entertains any notion so unreasonable—that medical men of ability and recognised

status in the city will continue in attendance at the Hospital as respectful learners from the Admirable Crichton whoso services it is supposed may be procured for £500 a year. No doctor ;of standing could place himself in a position so compromising and humiliating. On tlie other hand, we believe that mere proj fessional jealousy will not prevent the medical men of Auckland from meeting on perfectly equal terms and cooperating with an experienced Medical Superintendent, under a judiciously framed code of rules. The appoint-* meht of a junior House Surgeon, who 'will carry out the directions of the Medical Superintendent and the Visiting Staff, will readily obviate the friction that might otherwise ensue at the point where the orbits of the Superintendent and the Visiting Staff meet or cross each other. The problem to be solved altogether presents no points of difficulty if it is only approached in, the, right spirit, and we strongly urge its solution upon the; Bbara and, the Medical Staff .as. a duty; which ihey.owe;.t6 the public..- ; :; ;'