STRIKING SUCCESS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1930, Page 9

STRIKING SUCCESS

OBSTETRIC FUND

TOTAL: £31,741

WOffiEW'S COMMITTEES ,

PRAISED

The announcement was made at a meeting or the Obstetric Chair Endowment Appeal Committees yesterday afternoon that the amount raised in .tho campaign ■ was £31,741.-. The objective was to collect £25,000. It is proposed to devote the surplus 1o travelling medical scholarships.

Dr. W. Irving, president of tho New Zealand Obstetrical Society, occupied tho chair, and in addition to his remarks, addresses were given by Sir Thomas Sidey (Chancellor of tho Otago University), Sir Lindo Ferguson (Dean of the Otago Medical School), and Dr. Doris Gordon, honorary secretary of the Obstetrical Society, and organiser of the campaign.

Dr. W. Irving said that as president of tho New Zealand Obstetrical Society, a branch of the British Medical Association, he welcomed those present, who had gathered to celebrate the successful result of their labours for the Obstetrical Society Endowment Appeal. It was' only a few years ago since the Obstetrical Society was formed. 'To be precise, it' was during tho B.M.A. annual meeting in Duhedin in 1927. Tho idea originated in the fertile brain of a lady doctor. A meeting was held of all interested, and officers and a committee were elected. Tho original objects of the society were to improve the midwifery work throughout the Dominion, and to encourage research work. The Minister of Health and tho various high Government officials' were most sympathetic, and they had shown their appreciation of the society by referring matters to the organisation from time to time for their opinion. So the society got well established,., and felt they wero justified in ■endeavouring to help in some practical way to improve tho whole of tho practice of midwifery from the Medical School at Djmedin to the oldest graduate in private practice. ■ TEACHING OF MIDWIFERY. To start at- tho beginning, said Dr. Irving, tho members of tho society ■knew from the Dean of the Medical School, from Professor Kiley, and from Dr. H. Jellett (consulting obstetrician, Department of Health), that the teaching in midwifery at the Medical School was badly handicapped by the want of material arid by inadequate funds. The University authorities had not suffi; ciont funds to adequately support a professor of obstetrics and his assistants. There were two small maternity hospitals in Dunedin—St. Helens — which was originally established for the* training of mklwives—and the Batchelor Homo. Both of these were converted houses —orio under Government control —and the other established in memory of the late-Dr. Batchelor by the Otago Hospital Board. Obviously these two homes wero not in keeping with the dignity of the rest of the University; but there was vno money, and tho teachers there went on doing their splendid work against great odds. Everybody knew it was not fair to cither the* teachers or the students, but tliov made the best of things. It would take too long to go into all the details, continued Dr. Irving, and to give the history of all the meetings and deputations to Ministers. The members of the Government wore always most sympathetic, - and finally they wero able to see.their,way to assist the University,-and, they gave an annual sum of money by which a chair was created; and Dr. Itiley had the honour of being in ado tho first professor. Unfortunately he was approaching tho age limit for retirement, and so he was not able to enjoy the honour for long. : ' ••DEPARTMENT STARVED." In 1928 Mr. Victor Bonney came to New' Zealand as official representative of, the B.M.A. in England to attend the annual meeting of the New Zealand branch of the B.M.A. Mr. Bonney knew the New Zealand graduates well, and had had several of them as his house surgeons in London, and ho said he was willing to take as many more as we could send him. If any praise were needed for the training_ of our graduates that remark, coming from such an authority, was surely sufficient. He was shown over the University, and lie said, what they all knew, that tho Midwifery Department was starved. His visit led to fresh activities on overyone's part; and the result was that tho Government put a largo sum of money on tho estimates for a- new up-to-dato maternity hospital in Dunedin. DR. DORIS GORDON'S COURAGE. Now he came, said Dr. Irving, to the conception of tho present appeal. The authorities in Dunedin were faced by the fact that at the end of this year they would, have to advertise for a new Professor of Obstetrics. They knew also that to be an ideal professor he muat be a whole-time man; but a wholetime man must have a salary sufficient to enable him to give all his time and energies to his subject. There was not the'money, and there was'no hope of advertising for. such a.position. "It was at an. executive meeting held in "Wellington only a few months ago that we (the Obstetrical Society) decided to try and help oneo more," remarked Dr. Irving. "I say 'wo' because these things have to be decided by a body of responsible people; and for onco I think I am justified in betraying committee secrets when I tell you that our honorary secretary (Dr. Doris Gordon) quickly said, TU get the money for this professor if the committee will allow mo something for expenses.' ' I need not say any more. You know tho rest. This energetic young woman, herself tho mother of a family, at once set to work and got influential people to help her." Lady Alice Fergusson had previously given her patronage, and had interosted Her Majesty Queen Mary, who sent her well-known message to Now Zealand. As soon as Her Excellency Lady Bledisloe arrived i - Now Zoalaud Dr. Gordon secured her interest to such an extent that. she graced a meeting held in Christchurch and made a few very appropriate remarks. The Gover-nor-General also honoured the society, and made a delightful speech on .the subject of motherhood. And so what the society had so much at heart .has come about, and they had got the money they-had sot out to secure. , "MOST WONDERFUL THING." "To me it seems tho most wonderful thing that has ever happened, certainly 'in New Zealand, that such a sum of money could have been raised in a fow weeks. No words of mine can express the gratitude and admiration I feel for all those womer who have worked as they must have worked; and for those rich and poor alike who have contributed to this great final triumph." Dr. iTving then presented the cheque for £25,000 to Sir Thomas Sidey, Chancellor of tho Otago University and School of Medicine. The money was to bo held as an endowment for the teaching of midwifery and gynaecology. TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIPS. It was stated by Dr. Irving that when till the finances of tho appeal wero gathered Tip there would be a surplus of

sonio £5000 or £0000, which the executive of the Obstetrical Society and the women's executives wished to bo devoted to scholarship and research purposes in tho obstetrical department. He had been instructed to say that tho surplus was not accidental good fortune. It was the result of foresight on the part of many workers.in the campaign, who were inspired with the hope that there would bo a surplus whereby travelling scholarships in obstetrics could be endowed and young New Zealand doctors could be sent overseas each year to specialise in midwifery; also, it was desired that some research should he carried out in disorders associated with maternity. THE AMOUNTS 4 RAISED. Dr. Doris Gordon said tho amounts collected in the several districts were as follows: — ' _ , ' p Auckland ..... IITO6O Wellington .' 9,101 Canterbury <Vj]« Otago and Southland ...... b,4.60 Total ••••• £31,741 After stating that the expenses in connection with the appeal would be less than U per cent., Dr. Gordon*said that the women of New Zealand had supported the appeal whole-heartedly. A warm tribute was,paid to tho members of the various committees. The speaker expressed tho opinion that the success of tho campaign would be a ■monument to women's .power and lnlluence for many years to come, and would result in a great improvement in obstetrics and gynaecology. In accepting tho gift on behalf, or. 'the University and Medical School, Sir Thomas Sidey (Chancellor of the Otago University) expressed the thanks of. the council of the University to all those who had assisted in the movement. He could assuro the public that no effort would be spared in promoting the object for which there had been such a. striking response. , '