REMEDY FOR QUACKERY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 23 May 1936, Page 11

REMEDY FOR QUACKERY

CAMPAIGN FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Speaking in the House of Commons against a uill to deal with quackery in medicine, Sir Arnold Wilson asked: — "What is the real remedy? I do not deny that there are evils, but I submit that the remedy to deal with unorthodox practitioners on their own ground. The General Medical Council should accent, for the first time in -its history—-it would be a great decision—the principle that it or tne Medical Research Council should accept responsibLtiy for broadcasting on public health at every opportunity, without the grudging statement which, to my regret, every medical man who broadcasts at present receives from the British Broadcasting Corporation, that lie docs so at his own risk. The General Medical Council is so frightened of advertisement that it lias made it most difficult for medical men to broadcast as they should. I should like to see the National Health Insurance Commissioners spend considerable sums of money on sending out leaflets inculcating positive good health instead of presiding over the permanent endowment of ill-health. Let- us dear our minds of cant —no easy tiling to do in matters like this—and decide to use the public interest which has been aroused by the bill to take a far more active part in promoting good health. The campaign for physical education will be useless unless it is accompanied by a campaign in favour of good, positive habits of life.”