MEDICAL SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23798, 18 November 1942, Page 4

MEDICAL SERVICE

Sir—Replying to Dr. Reay, I should like to say that I do not write without some knowledge of the subject, and I still believe that valuable assistance could be rendered by partly trained women, provided always that they were thoroughly observant and capable of making an intelligent report. As a teacher in a King Country school, I worked in close association with the District Nurse, whose base was 35 miles from my school (over roads scarcely worthy of the name), and whose district covered a circle with a 45 mile radius. The only hospital was 20 mnes from her base. With only first-aid and home nursing certificates, a thermometer, and a watch, and a little knowledge gained from my own reading, J was able to see dozens’ of cases on her behalf, often tramping miles over roadless country to way-back whares, reporting all observations by telephone to the nurse. Her directions were given to me and prescriptions sent by cream carrier. Except on her regular monthly calls she needed to see only'those cases whose symptoms were alarming. I have acted, too, for doctors who were in difficulties with Maori patients, too shy to discuss their ills with a strange man. Our scheme worked very well and I soon recognised a variety of illnesses. The difficulties of our field had to be seen to be appreciated and in a city some similar plan should act satisfactorily. It was knowledge gained among the Maoris which enabled me to correct the doctor’s diagnosis in the case mentioned in my previous letter.— Yours, etc., VICTIM. November 16, 1942.