SURGEONS MEET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 31 August 1936, Page 8

SURGEONS MEET.

IDEAS EXCHANGED. DIET AND DENTAL CLINICS. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. "There was a notable absence of any extravagant claims. Too often untried discoveries of wonderful cures are prematurely given to the world," said Dr. Frank Macky, of Auckland, this morning, on his return from the PanPacific Surgical Association's congress at Honolulu. "Even the most strikingly new things at this conference were presented on a sound, conservative note."

"A valuable feature of the congress proved to be a fusion of the social and scientific side in what were known as the breakfast sessions," he added. "Groups were arranged of those interested in different sections of surgery, and they met at early breakfast. The subjects chosen were usually those of the leading papers of the previous day, and for an hour a'nd a half the chairman of the day would lead an animated and informal discussion presenting an illustrative case or two. These meetings led to free debate and were an excellent means of bringing the surgeons together." The extremely mixed population' of the Hawaiian group was mentioned by Dr. Macky and this had a very definite bearing on the public health question of the territory, he said. In this connection the congress was entertained at one of the largest sugar plantations and had a demonstration on the spot of important work being done there in relation to diet and dental clinics. It proved a fascinating subject, which seemed assured of having far-reaching results. Problem of Native Races. The tuberculosis problem was a very real one and many of the native races were highly susceptible to disease and reluctant to enter hospital, thus forming a constant menace to others, continued Dr. Macky. The wethod of attack on this situation was full of interest and a choice example of American thoroughness, also a choice example of the impulse to reduce everything to figures. Chest surgery and chest hospitals were developing rapidly and a round-table conference on this subject proved full of interest.

One notable feature was the interest of the Press and the public in the proceedings. Certain public meetings were largely attended and lengthy daily display notices and photographs were prominent in the daily Press. In addition, organised meetings and demonstrations were held for the laity associated with hospital auxiliary work, child welfare, and so on. Men whose duty it was to disseminate accurate informal ion of how hospital machinery works and to make the general public realise that the hospital was theirs were appointed. That type of activity as part and parcel of the hospital's life vvas hig'ily developed in Honolulu in association with the Queen's Hospital and its dynamic direcrector, Dr. Larsen. New Zealand Causes Surprise. "The institution was probably unique in many features," continued Dr. Macky. "Another factor was the practically universal pay ward system in; the community hospital, or intermediate hospital, where single rooms or ward accommodation was available according to a sliding scale of fees. New Zealand has no metropolitan hospital of tf.-is type, and the rest of the conference were amazed to hear that this was so. Far from there being a preferential type of attention for the ' paying patient, investigation showed that the ward patients under the routine staff did better than the room patients under private, attention, even when the medical personnel was the same."

Dr. Macky concluded (hat the next congress was expected to take place three years hence, and the association had clone New Zealand the honour of electing to the presidential chair Dr. J. Hardie Neil, of Auckland, an enthusiastic supporter of the conjress. Proverbial American hospitality was lavished on the visitors by their Honolulu hosts and hostesses. The traditional "say it with flowers" custom was followed on every occasion, and all voted the congress an outstanding success from all' angles.