THE HOSPITAL AND THE B.M.A.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 30 May 1927, Page 4

THE HOSPITAL AND THE B.M.A.

(To the Editor.) Sin, —Notwithstanding your leader in to-night’s “Star,” I am entitled, I think, to a last word. You are wrong in assuming that the controversy has centred round the resignation of Dr. Frazer; that was only an incident affecting Dr. Frazer, and, however I might have sympatliised with, him, I would not, I think, have been drawn into a newspaper controversy by that alone. This is my point of view . The general body of ratepayers and electors have decided that public hospitals shall be established, and in order that tiie' poorest person may enjoy tue best, treatment, these institutions are subsidised out of the rates and the consolidated fund. The ratepayers elect their representatives to govern these institutions, and although the chairman has a deliberative as well as a casting vote, it is just here that Mr. Gillanders in my judgment has failed. He is hot entitled to consider the £IOO,OOO institution as a hobby for his spare time. Disclaiming any intention of wounding him, I say that the collective opinion or the board is better tlian his, and he ought therefore to be but the mouthpiece of his board. In regard to Mr. Gillanders’s refusal to answer questions put to him during this controversy, I say that that refusal is simply indicative of a refusal or an inability to acknowledge that he is a trustee for the ratepayers, and tliat his duty is to give an account of his stewardship. Now, it will be generally admitted thqt an institution established by the ratepayers should seek to serve those ratepayers first. From them come the patients. In effect those ratepayers have decided to pay a medical man a large salary to conduct their establishment. I say without fear of being contradicted, save by the medical profession here, who are interested, that the best-conducted hospitals in New Zealand empower their medical superintendents to admit patients, and they have no honorary medical attendants. I cite Hamilton, hospital as one. The resident medicos who signed the manifesto of the 24th inst. .stated only half a truth, when they said that they performed work in the hospital. The statement is less even than half true. The true position is that the medical men always request to be put on the honorary staff because it gives them prestige and connection, and so valuable was this right regarded in connection with our own hospital that there was a contest as to who should get on and wKo should be prevented from going to the hospital. The essence of this dispute is simply this. Is the board going to control its work for the benefit of the ratepayers, or is it going to hand it over to the medical profession to conduct it for their own benefit ? This may seem hard, but it is the truth. The tragedy of the situation, so far as we public are concerned, is this, that in Dr. Frazer we had a man with 16 years of hospital work behind him, ready and willing to obey the board in regard to its command to him and to take control of the admission of patients. Through the mishandling of the position, chiefly by the chairman, we are to get a young man,,’of 28 years of age, now associate-professor of anatomy, but without a day’s experience of the hospital. I am confident that the B.M.A will bring pressure to bear on Dr. Cairney when he arrives, in order that the conditions of admission may be made to suit them. I, .at least, will watch the doings of the hoard thereanent. Now, sir, my fear of the domination of the B.M.A. is no figment of my brain Your readers know generally the layout of the old hospital buildings. After it was vacated, Dr. Frazer was instructed to see whether a part of it could be converted into a maternity hospital. He reported, so he tells me, favourably. But why has the suggestion been shelved?. Because the resident medical practitioners are opposed to the scheme. In Stratford there is a maternity wing. For every accouchement a fee of £6 6s is charged This amount covers two weeks’ medical profession tempts one to say all medicines —in fact there is no other What a boon a maternity ward would be here, and yet we are denied it because it would detrimentally affect a half-dozen. Sir, the medical profession temps one to say hard things about it. Bernard Shaw says it is not a profession; it is a conspiracy. Mr. Shaw’s sentiments will find an echo in many minds. I do not know much about the Toronto System, but this I do know. I challenge the resident medioos to deny that it could not be introduced into this country without a change in the law Their adherence to a Toronto system is therefore only a blind and an attempt to make the public a little more muddle-headed. In fact, I charge the medioos who prepared the manifesto that it was designed not to give information and to clarify the position, but to make it more difficult to see._ In conclusion, I desire to disclaim any intention of hurting Mr. Gillanders. He himself will, I am sure, search in vain for a reason why I should do so. The reward of him who points out public abuses is sometimes to lie abused himself. That may, perhaps he my reward, but I retract nothin.-! am, TAYLOR. Hawera,- May 28.