ENDOCRINOLOGY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 143, 18 June 1940, Page 3

ENDOCRINOLOGY.

ITS IMPLICATIONS. SUPREME COURT APPEAL THE MEUEI CASE AGAIN.

"Endocrinology is the study of the internal secretions of the body, and those secretions of the juice by a large number of structures in the foody whose function is tq regulate all processes in the body— , nutrition, growth of the body and ] sexual development of the body." This i definition by Dr. Walter Gilmour, patho- i logist at the Auckland Hospital, was ■ given in evidence 'before Mr. Justice : Blair in tho Supreme Court to-day, when ' Perry Hubert Meuli (Mr. Bainbridge), < appealed against his recent conviction 1 and line in the Magistrate's Court on two ■ charges of breach of the Medical Practitioners' Act, 1914. 1 The appeal was by way pf a rehearing. Mr. G. S. R. Meredith, who appeared for the Crown, said that appellant held hiinself out as an endocrinologist, which it was submitted by the Crown was a title implying that he was specially qualified' to practice medicine, and consequently a breach of section 23 of the Medical Practitioners' Act, Dr. Gilmour, the first witness called, gavo the definition stated above, adding that endocrinology was a branch of medicine. If a person held himself out as' an endocrinologist, witness would think it indicated that that person possessed wide knowledge of mcdicinc. No one could undertake the treatment of diseases due to the malformation of the endocrine glands unless he had a wide knowledge of the physiology of the body and of diseases in general that affcct the body. Not Registered to Practise. To Mr. Bainbridge witness said it was possible for unregistered practitioners to have the knowledge necessary for treatment of endocrine diseases. Such persons might have gone through the regular training and still not be registered. To his Honor, the witness said he did not know of any qualified and registered person practising in New Zealand as an endocrinologist, lie did not know of any such person in Britain, but thought there might be such specialists -in some of the larger hospitals in Amcrica. Detective-,Sergeant Nalder, gave evidence that he callcd at rooms in Dilworth Building on the door of which was "P. 11. Meuli, endocrinologist, glands, nerves mental disorders." Witness interviewed appellant there about treatment of a woman, and was told that the woman had called twice and had been examined an I given advice. He said he had given her no treatment. There were a considerable number of books on medicine and surgery in the rooms. Appellant said he was not qualified or registered as a medical practitioner. He graduated in America and bad practised for 14 years in Now Zealand. He belonged to no medical institute or society, and had no diploma. The Legal View. Mr. Bainbridge cited a number of authorities on the legal view of the use of certain names which were unusual to describe certain callings. He submitted that "endocrinologist" was an unusual word, which very few members of the public could understand, or even pronounce, and that consequently it did , not imply to the public that appellant hold a mcdij".<il degree or diploma or was specially qualified to practise medicine or* surgery In order to succeed, the Crown had to establish that the word carried such general implication of medical qualification or degree by registration. Counsel quoted such callings as those, of ehiro- ' praetors, chiropodists and dietitians as l>eing analagons to that of appellant. The words "nerves," "mind" and "gland" merely indicated the nature of his calling. He did not hold himself out. , as a specialist in the treatment of nerves, mind and glands. Mr. Meredith drew attention to the t wording, of the Act which made it an ' offence not only to imply the holding 1 of a medical diploma or degree, but also to imply that he was "otherwise : specially qualified" to practise medicine. " The Act was aimed at the charlatan,. but even a man specially skilled by " experience, but unregistered, would : come under tho same prohibition. Coun--1 scl argued tliat the use of the words 1 "nerves," "mind," and "glands," as a background to the word "endocrinology" made a clear implication to the public that he was specially skilled to deal with medical problems. (Proceeding.)