A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 236, 2 October 1908, Page 3

A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY.

ATTITUDE OF THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

"KEEKHsG WITH ENVY, HATRED, AXD MAIICE."

A meeting of Auckland medical practitioners, convened by Dr. fcjtopford. took place in the Federal Club Rooms last flight. The meeting arose out of the controversy which has arisen between the Auckland branch of the British Medical Association and those members o{ the profession who are not on the roll of the Association. Dr. Stopford. who was elected to the position of chairman, said that they had to thank the Press for taking up the cudgels, not only on behalf of the medical proposition, but also of the public. None of those present could say that they had suffered materially in pocket through the persecution to which they had been subjected, for history showed that the sect which had been made the ■victim of persecution had always flourished. Thej had to face one of the most serious questions that had ever been put before the profession, for they were banded together to fight that close corporation, the British Medical Association, which asserted its influence in every part of the world. The fight had oeen forced upon them, and no onp could say that those present had behaved other than as gentlemen and professional brothers. Dr. H. Keith said that in referring to tile 8.M.A., he took it that the chairman spoke of the Auckland branch of tZif Association. Dr. Stopiord concurred, and went on lo move the following ri"solution: — '•That the thanks o c this rusting be given to ihe 'Star for the stand that paper has taken to endeavour to right a very serious menace to the public wellbeing. M The "Star" deserved the thanks of the whole community in bringing this matrer before the public. It had been commented on *uh rosa for some time, bin thp paper had found that the fnctr- were true, and hence the leading article which had appeared. The consequences and effects of that article would Lie widespread throughout the Dominion wherever the B.M.A. was rampant and '.r.ju>t. The 'Star' had entered into .-he question with its ryes open to the fa;-L that the public were the chiof suf-ff-rc-r?. They wore nor, going to fight personalities, neither did they intend to he malignant, hut they wpre going to >t"p hyper-criticism wnen it struck at fhe public. The writer of the article knew that they would dn nothing to \n'.< j rrpre with a reconciliation it it was put forward in proper form. But <o long as the basis of reconciliation w;is not honourable and equi'.able they would stand firm. Dr. H. Keith seconded the resolution, ■.vhich wa= carried unanimimslv. Dr. Kpller then moved: "That the statements made by the Star' in its fading article of Saturday last are true Iα substance anl in racf." Dr. A. C. Owen seconded the resolution, which was carried ncm. con. Dr. -T. Keith moved: 'That the nctinn taken up by the Auckland branch of the British Medical Association is illogical and un-British. and. savours of c'liidishness. and reeks with envy, hatred, malice, and ail uncharitableness " Dr. L. Keith seconded tlie motion, i which was carried without dissent. Dr. Stopford proposed the following ■ resolution: "That now it is the duty of\ the Auckland branch of tbr British Mcdi- i cal Association to Like such steps as,! tend to promote the public good, and not to treat with callou- indifference an : urgent and crying public scandal."* The Chairman said this needed nn but the public should not be allowed to' suffer through the action of the B.M.A. Probably nevpr in thp history of the medical profession had there been a more self-sacrificing body than the members gathered together at that timp. Dr. Owen seconded the motion, which was also carried unanimously. Dr. J. Keith moved: ''That this meeting i.s not on? of aggre.-sivenes.s and malignancy, but one that wishes to see i the whole body of the profession once ; more united together, and nncp more I honoured and respected by every mdi- j vidual of the community." The resolution was seconded by Dr. L. K.eith. and carried without opposition. ) Dt. Murphy moved: "That the public , , safety is equally as clearly our duty to j protect, as it is the duty of every practitioner to succour and help to the best; of his skill all and sundry who urgently! and of necessity require such skill." This was seconded by Dr. Florence Keller, and carried. Dr. H. Keith moved: "That this body | of medical men are met together to for- \ mulate a scheme of forming , a proper union, the fundamental principle of which j shall be liberality of thought: and that 1 no bar to admission to its ranks shall be placed on any individual so long as ; he or she i-> a qualified pprson. and has not rendered himself liable to the law of this Dominion." In seconding the resolution, the Chairman said that possibly he felt the resolution more than other membprs. for the reason that their therapeutics were difEerent. They could, however, meet on the common ground that they loved humanity, and were trying TO do good. They were showing Auckland that their liberality of thought and action were untrammelled by any "pathy." for every man must treat disease according to the highest motives of his conscience. When the last great day came, they would not be judged on a question of "pathy."' hut, whether they had done the best for their patients. The resolution was carried unanimously. Dr. Owen proposed: "That the thanks of this meeting be given publicly and by this channel to all the chemists and nurses of Auckland who have, to the hest of their endeavour, preserved, as! far as possible a neutral attitude, even though threatened an<i bullied by the Auckland branch of the British Medical Association, and have thus done their best to serve the pii!?fic with skill and discretion.' , Dr Murphy seconded the proposition. Dr Stopford remarked that probably in no town in the world had the boycott been carried out so literally as it had been in Auckland. In spite of this. chemists, whom he had not supported because of the difference in his therapeutics, had never refused to send ;i message to him, though their shops had been the strongholds of the B.M.A. There could be no worse position than to make such men as these subservient to the will of an autocratic body such as the B.M.A. With regard to the nurses, in almost every case, these women had considered the welfare of their patients before personal aggrandisement. The first ching the nurses thought of was the good that they -were doing, and he honoured them for it.

The resolution was unanimously agreed to. Dr H. Keith moved —"That copies of the whole of the foregoing resolutions be sent to his Excellency the Governor and the whole of the members of his Majesty's Government of t£is Dominion-" Dγ Kellar seconded the resolution. Dγ J. Keith asked if it would be of any use forwarding , the resolutions to his Excellency the Governor. Dγ Stopford: Lady Plunket has taken a great interest in matters relating to infant life protection, and 1 am sure that anything of interest to the profession would receive his Excellency's consideration and sympathy. This resolution also was agTeed to without opposition. Dr H. Keith moved—■" That, provided the best interests of the public are safeguarded in a proper manner, it is not the wish of this meeting that any action should be taken at present that would in any way tend to prevent this coming about, and hence a reasonable delay will take place before any further action is taken, out of consideration for those members of the Auckland branch who are more or less in sympathy with us."' Dγ Murphy seconded the motion. The chairman remarked that the less they said of the matter the better were the chances of reconciliation, and they had shown themselves to be neither aggressive nor irreconcilable. But on no other grounds than those of equality to both parties were they willing to abate one iota from the stand they had taken up. The motion was agreed to unanimously, and the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman.