SHIPS' DOCTORS SCARCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 11

SHIPS' DOCTORS SCARCE.

;-,llany,qfjtli J Qsm l al,!cr,., i s^ i ams)iip,,companies (says, the London. "Express ',) arc complaining of a of; ships' doctors, and some of- the :iarg<^v',llnes,;are,.,.also.-having considerable: difficulty, in obtaining ; tho right men. ~ ;'; , ■ , ; . 1 "We always have troubib in obtaining .doctors for our .ships',".;said an ; official- of one of the South African lines to an "Express" representative recently'/ "but the difficulty is worse this year than ever, before. . "Ten yoars ago we had moro applications for;the posts than we wanted, biit now- it is just the,, opposite. , This year. wo • have offered 'increased pay, -,but in. spito of .this wo.-havo not received nearly so many, applications as would be expected. , ~ "The. present, time of.the year is.naturally the worst 'becauso so many young doctors are aotiiig as 'locums.'' ; The smaller lines will-.'have to offer increased inducements or else fail to,obtain doctors for the ships." .•(■"'We novqr have-much'difficulty in .-obtain-' ing medical men for our boats," said Mr. Pritchard, of- -the.. Union-Castle.-Steamship Company to the "Express" rcpresontativo, "but it must; bo remembered that wo offer more inducements; than many of the smaller companies. . - ■ -. "Thero. is always plenty of lifo on board our ships; and for some reason or other tho majority of tho medical men look on'this as

ii considerable inducement to •' accept appointments with .us.; ~.'.. "Somo of tho smaller lines do not offer any salary to their doctors, and then they naturally hayo somo >' difficulty in getting men; Other, firms only offer £5 for-a three months''voyage'.- ''■■■■ ' "Many young medical men, who'havo only just passed a stiff examinatioii, are will-

ing to join ships simply for the sake of the voyage, and it is from this class-of doctor that many ships draw their men."'