THE DOCTORS AT HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 67, 18 March 1916, Page 8

THE DOCTORS AT HOME.

AVCKLAMDfS SUPPLY ADEQUATE.

TO MEET THE CITY'S DEMANDS.

It is common knowledge that there has been a general post among the medical men of Auckland since the outbreak of war attracted doctors with a rush to the field service which promised surgical experience such ac- no living man is likely to ccc again. Coming on top of such knowledge, the resolution passed by the Auckland Dietrict Council of the United Federation of Labour on. Wed-nesday-night: "That attention be drawn to the inability of the worker* to obtain medical attention at night owing to the scarcity of doctors, and the high charge* prevailing," was certain to cause uneaeinese in. the public mind. It suggested that there wae probably a serious shortage of doctors in the city, and the knowledge that many medical men had gone to the war lent the colour of probability to the suggestion, carrying with it the alarming hint that the appearance of one of the periodic epidemics indigenous to our climate might catch the community medically undermanned, to the particular prejudice of the workers, ac the "class most dependent on good health and least equipped in means to meet an emergency, when medical attention* is at a premium. Consequently, a representath'e of the " Star " sought a statement of the actual position from a medical man of standing and large practice, who is in a position to speak authoritatively* "It is quite true," he said, " that very many members of the Association (British Medical Association) have joined the Expeditionary Force. The number from the Auckland Association dietrict, town and country., up to December was 52. But I can •quite conscientiously state that there is not a serious shortage of doctors in Auckland. I have heard the matter several times incidentally discussed among medical men, and the invariable conclusion they come to after talking the position over, is that they cannot understand how all the doctors -that were jn Auckland before the war managed to get a living." " "We are hard-worked just now," he added, "but I cannot think of one member of the profession who, is overworked." The infantile paralysis outbreak had, he sai3*-occasioned hundreds of extra calls from anxious parents, the jjreat majority of the cases, being merely the customary infantile troubles, while there had been also -widespread sickness among children consequent on the hot weather causing stomach complaints. It -wae -wonderful the manner in which that extraordinary sickness had been'coped with.* That was due to the fact that the -vacant places of very many of 'the enlisted doctors had been filled in several ways. Since the beginning of the year figjit or nine doctors-from the country had moved into town. Then medical men who had hitherto specialised in particular complaints had temporarily taken up general practice, while several of the more elderly men who had to all intents and purposes, retired, when the war occurred had again taken up'aetive practice.

Although a nurnbpr of the medical men now in Auckland had enlisted, and would be going away month by month, stated the "Star's" informant., he was quite certain that even that further decrease would not create any actual shortage of medical men for the normal requirements of the city.

Respecting night calls, he pointed out that, quite a number of doctors made it a practice, and had done so for years, not to go out at night, except for the most serious cases. A doctor could not be blamed, he said, for declining a call at night to a trivial case/ or one made by people whom he knew would not pay a fee. There were numerous instances of people who not only did not pay medical men, but who made no effort at all to pay. Personally, he did not inquire about the fee when he had a call to a scrioue caae, and there were numbers of medical men who acted on the same' lines, and attended cases even when they were quite aware that they would not be paid. But still, medical men could not be blamed if they did require some guarantee of payment "hefore giving their services, or if they declined a call when they knew from experience that the patient made no effort at payment: As to the fees, he was in a position to say absolutely that there had been no increase 66 far ac the members of the Association were concerned. There was a lixed scale, and while members at times reduced the fees below scale and even remitted the fees entirely, they were_not expected to charge more than tire scale. H«y was quite positive ther did As to the charge, mafle by two or three doctors who were not BM.A. membere,v he could not epeafc generally, though i n one or two. specific instancy he had known made to be m excess of the customary