THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

Evening Star, Issue 23273, 23 May 1939, Page 5

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Notwithstanding the profession of ipublic interest on the part of the doctors, I consider that we have been poorly served in New Zealand by the medical profession. Consideration of the people's teeth will prove that. Dental decay may be regarded as the most serious disease in New Zealand, considering its prevalence. The dentists have certainly come to the rescue, by supplying artificial dentures, thus minimising the seriousness of loss of teeth. Although this has enabled people to carry on with more or less efficiency, it is practically certain that the loss of teeth has been accompanied by other physical deterioration, leading to the various diseases or physical inefficiency prevalent to-day, which contribute very largely in making medical practice the more or less lucrative profession it is. The only, and therefore outstanding attempt on the part of the medical profession to solve the cause of bad teeth was, so far as I know, the expedition, or tour, of the American, Dr Kemp, for the purpose of making a check-up or comparison of the effects of food in relation to dental decay, certain Pacific Island natives, who had recently adopted modern foods, being evidently ideal subjects for such a comparison. Dr Kemp will deserve the thanks of the whole world for such a practical attempt to analyse and point out the cause of dental decay. Should his findings hear fruit in leading eventually to the production and preservation of sound teeth, it is safe to say that the need for medical services will be at least halved.—l am, etc., J. M'Kat. May 2& .. .