"HEALTH AS A RIGHT"

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 29, 3 August 1921, Page 9

"HEALTH AS A RIGHT"

THE AIMS OF SOCIAL MEDICINE

PUBLIC SUPPORT ESSENTIAL,

A lecture on "Social Medicine" was given at the Red Cross Rooms last evening by Dr. WyKe, Director of Hospitals. Mr. J. P. Firth presided over a- large attendance. The lecture was.one of tha series arranged by the Now ' Zealand 1 branch of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John. Dr. Wylie described "social medicine" as a term more used by American than by British health authorities. The subject was closely allied with preventive'medicine, on which another lecture was to be given. He would therefore speak of one subject—the influence of public opinion on the development of the socialising of medicine. There wius a lapping of fcho functions of medicine over social phenomena. Personal hygiene related to individual living, but. this was, to a large extent, affected by many social conditions, such as water-supply and other public matters. In mediaeval medicine, the foundation of hospitals and education marked an early phase of social medicine, out of which grew the more centralised' service of the family physician. Ultimately medicine became subdivided by specialisation, but the 19th century was marked by a sympathetic development, with the object of securing the health of the community, which had to-day reached a higher development than ever before. He quoted the activity of the health authorities in the schools, tho cvmpaigiia against infantile mortality and -tuberculosis, and the investigation of epidemics,,as indications of the extent of this movement. In the matter of infantile mortality and tuberculosis indiyjidaal medicine had clearly failed-. Social medicine became the conservation of human leaouroeß, as evidenced by the development of a higher standard of effective and healthful citizenship. It was antithetic to individual medicine, to thei extent thai it recognised health as a right rather than as a privilege, and: triad to afford an equal opportunity of health to all groups. Socialisation of medicine really meant the democracy of medicine. Dr. Wylia enumerated many of the organisations ch-sracteristio of the development of social medicine, and especially mentioned the work being done at the military hospitals at Trentham and Rotorua for the crippled children. Previously the otrippled children were not .recognised ac they should have been. This was because they were scattered and little noticed, and because no adequate machinery existed for treating them if they had been collected. Medical work during the war, especially in the correction of crippled conditions, improved the position, and enabled arirangements to bo made for efficient surRrcai treatment, for the education, and for the vocational training of the pa.tiente. Each of these three activities was in progress at Rotorua and Treniham. By these means notable efforts were being made to overcome a great deal of preyentibte suffering. Dr. Wylie said that no advance in social"medicine was possible without the support of a sound public opinion. The State and the local authorities and the medical man might do 'much, but they could achieve nothing -without the enlightenment of the public. The objects of an enlightened opinion were to secure and preserve healbh, to avoid disease, to give ite assent to sanitary reform, and its consent to sanitary government. The Government could make reforms only if the people would consent to and ■assist their execution. "The best laws are waste paper if they are not under-' stood," and, on the other hand, if the people knew what they wanted,''sooner or later the necessary legislation would bring it about. The lecturer said that such bodies as the Red Cross Society did valuable work ii) educating the public. The obvious place to begin was in the schools, where the habit of healthy living should be continually inculcated. Much wider propaganda was required, and it was plainly desirable to make use of those who "know for the enlightenment of those who do not.. Dr. Wylie said that the press was a mest powerful instrument far the enlightenment of public opinion, which had done much, and could do much more, and, both professional and lay, could mould and guide public opinion. The Government itself (most bear its share of responsibility in helping "to procure a aound public opinion. On tfae motion of Mr R. H. Hunter, Dr. Wylie was ieartily thanked for his lecture. The Hon. Dr. Collins announced that, like the other lectures of the serias, the address would be published, and wonld thus be available for closer study.