A SURGEON'S RETURN.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 307, 27 December 1924, Page 4

A SURGEON'S RETURN.

EXPERIENCES IN AMERICA

THE CMNICAI, CONFERENCE,

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL SYSTEM.

There returned to New Zealand on Christmas Eve-"and very to be back, too," he said-Mr. Cmck . Robert son, the noted surgeon, who haste absent since August. Mr. rtson was one of an invited party of Australian and New Zealand med.cal men who attended the great congress of the American College of Surgeons in New York. This party was composed of Drs. namilton, Russell and Devine, of Melbourne; Drs. Kalph \\ orrall, Royle and Hunter, of Sydney; Sir Undo lerguson and Dr. Falconer, of Dunedin, Dr J. S. Klliot, of Wellington; and -Mr. Carrick Robertion. Dr. DevinO unfortunately died of typhoid almost immediately alter arriving at Cambridge University, where he had gone to do some research work. His is a big loss to the field of surgery. "They treated us splendidly, said Mr. Robertson, referring to the reception and entertainment of the Australasians in America. "Nothing was too much trouble for them. hven the most renowned men in America, with great demands upon their time, would take, a half-day off to show us round their fields of work." Honorary fellowships of (he American College of burgeons wore conferred upon Mr. Robertson, and upon Mr Undo Ferguson and I>rs. Worrall and Hamilton Russell. The college also appomted nine New Zeijanders foundation members of the farieruily. Mr. Robertson emphasised the practical value of their experience to the vi-otin"- New Zealand surgeons. I here were iiOIXt surgeons at the conference. iincluding a number of very difHinfjiiixhol men, not only of tlio United States, but 'of Britain and the Continent also. The conference was entirely a clinical one, the visitors each day obtaining practical experience in surgery. The various hospitals in New York had a programme of work arranged, and the Australians were treated as specially privileged persons, who might visit where they would, and obtain admission to the floor of the operating theatre at any time. Since the foundation of the American College of Surgeons, said Mr. Robertson, the general tone of surgery ! and the general average, of good surgery | had been raised very much. Much of the value of the trip lay in investigaI tions subsequent to the conference. j After leaving New York the party split up, and Mr. Robertson went to the John Hopkins University, Baltimore, where lie saw two days' work. He then went to the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic, passed on to Chicago, and thence to Rochester, where he spent a whole fortnight at the famous Mayo Clinic. The Mayo'd manage several hospitals at Rochester, with a total of 1500 beds, the largest St. Mary's, of 700 beds, being staffed by nuns.

"I also went to San Francisco," said Mr. Rob'ertson, smiling. "It may interest the people here to know I was informed that since the death of Dr. Abrams, the 'cult of Abrams,' or Lhe 'electronic reactions' treatment is dead, too. It has absolutely gone out."

Mr. Robertson referred to the community hospital—wherein the patient pays for treatment and pays his o»vn medical adviser, when he is in a position to do ho. This method makes no difference at all to the patient who cannot afford to pay. He gets the same as the man who can —but the man who can pay is asked to pay—which is regarded as "the fair thing."

"The community hospital," he said, "has proved such a succors in the matter of efficiency and finance that it has put in the shade all municipal hospitals, as the public hospital as we know them here are called. It is only right , to hay that the community hospitals are in most cases provided by private subscriptions. There seen™ to be plenty of money and many rich and generous men in America. Fine hospitals are built on the community system and they never want for improvements on tiie latest ideas. At the same time, they are run on business lines, and they generally pay.

"I have a lot to say about hospitals. There must be great changes," said Mr. Robertson, "but I want to sec Mr. Wallace, the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, in reference to that." Mr. Robertson was accompanied on his trip by Mrs. Robertson. One of their most interesting experiences wa3 a visit to the .Grand Canyon, which is described as perhaps the most wonderful natural sight in the world. It is a "great gash in the surface of the earth," which takes two days to descend by means of mules. Mr. Robertson spent a month in England, whither he went to see hie mother.