MEDICAL SCIENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 91, 14 October 1935, Page 10

MEDICAL SCIENCE

IMPORTANT BRANCH

SPECIALIST'S VIEWS

The importance of gynaecology in medical science and the* need for its position being raised in the scheme of work of the general hospitals in New Zealand was stressed today by Dr. J. Bright Banister, specialist in gynaecology at Charing Cross Hospital, London, who has just completed a short visit to the Dominion. Dr. Banister was a delegate to the British Medical Association's meeting in Melbourne, and came to New Zealand as the guest of the New Zealand Obstetrical Society. He has visited the main centres in both islands, and conferred with the Health Department this morning before leaving for England tomorrow. ,

Dr. Banister said that as far as general hospital work in New Zealand was concerned gynaecology, which embraced obstetrics, was not treated with the importance that it deserved: 'In England every hospital of any importance had its gynaecological department, and he considered the New Zealand hospitals should work towards the same goal. He; had been invited •by the Health Department to meet Dr. Watt and Dr. Paget, and.his:talk with them had convinced him that "'the future study of gynaecology in New Zealand was assured of ' every consideration. They realised that the Department could not make much advance without the co-operation of the members of the medical profession interested in that branch 'of medical science,, and they were working in extremely friendly co-operation with them and with the Obstetrical Society. Both the doctors were broad-minded men who were doing good work that would develop along the right lines. ■ More use should •be made' of the expert knowledge of doctors'by hospital boards in New. Zealand, Dr. Banister said, and referred to mistakes that could be made by laymen in various matters affecting the proper working of a hospital. "The community need have no fear that.it.-wHly.be experimented upon," he said when, referring to the establishment-of gynaecological departments at .'■ public hospitals. VThere are heaps of good men perfectly capable of doing the work necessary. It is mainly a matter .of hospital organisation; of having these patients in a special department under the charge of a specialist. The expense would not be any greater than it is at present. The same patients would.be treated in the same hospitals but would be treated by one man in one department. With his specialisation in the work would- come an improvement in the standard of the treatment." '

While more attention should be given to gynaecological- work in New Zealand, said Dr. Banister, it had, to be admitted that the obstetric side of medical practice deserved great praise. The New Zealand Obstetrical Society could take a great' deal, of the credit for this position for the work it had done in influencing the practitioners and in co-ordinating- the efforts of various agencies to improve the standard in New Zealand.!