MEDICAL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 39, 16 February 1931, Page 10

MEDICAL SERVICE.

DOMINION AND AUSTRALIA.

CHAIR OF OBSTETRICS.

PROFESSOR ALLEN'S ADDRESS

The principal speaker at to-day's luncheon meeting of the Auckland Rotary Club was Prof. Marshall Allen, Melbourne University, who addressed, members chiefly on. obstetrics. He explained iha position of the Obstetric Fund, to which, he said, New Zealand had contributed liberally, and its general objects. As a result of the raising of this fund a Chair of Obstetrics had been founded at Dunedin, with a full-time professor in charge. In addition it had been found possible to arrange for travelling scholarships, as a result of which students from New Zealand would go to Melbourne University for six months' training, after which they would go to Great Britain to complete their studies. In this way it was expected before long to see the commencement of a stream of highly qualified young men coming into the Dominion to take their part in a work which would be of inestimable value to the Dominion. - Professor Allen went on to tell of two aspects of public service in Australia. One was the "flying doctors' scheme," commenced four years ago. An aeroplane medical service'was conducted over the vast territories of North: West Australia. A doctor could be dispatched promptly when his services were required, and in consequence conditions of life in those far-off regions had been revolutionised. The funds came from voluntary local effort, subsidised by the Federal Government. Another line in which the Australians were doing work which, in its own sphere, might be compared with the hew Zealand Plunket scheme, was the bush nursing sstem. As the Plunket scheme had been initiated by one man, Sir F. Truby King, so Australia's bush nursing system, owed its foundation to Sir James Barrett. Under it, nurses and doctors co-operated in giving medical service to the inhabitants of sparsely settled communities. In the small towns the depots were more like advanced dressing stations, but moderate-sized towns had their hospitals. Sixty percent of the cases had to do with maternity, and in addition there were the customary casualties' requiring attention. In moving the vote of thanks, Rotarian Dr. Kenneth MacKenzie said the thanks of the Auckland community were due to Professor Allen for taking one Of their students into his own care at a school where the opportunities for study were exceptional. In the past, the practice in regard to students going Home to study had been unbalanced. It was comparatively rare for one to go to train in obstetrics, and he was very pleased to see the change.