MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13956, 13 August 1917, Page 2

MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

SIH JAMES ALLEN'S STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, August «. In reply to the statement by Sir .lames Allen that lie had not received a reply- from the British Medical Association !o his letter asking if the Association would supply twenty doetors for the purpose ol' making an early medical examination of members of the Rpioiul Division, the officers of the Association informed a reporter to-day that no communication had been ''received by the Association from Sir •huiicE Allen respecting the matter. On the other hand the Association had been trying to obtain recognition by the. Defence Department'of an advisory board, for the offer of which the Defence Minister had repeatedly thanked the Association but denied the necessity for such a board as far as his Depart 1 meat was concerned.

WELLLINGTON, August 10. Willi regard to the supply of twenty doctors for the purpose of making an early medical'examination of members of (he Second Division, the oflicers of the British Medical Association, after stating that no communication has been received by the association from Sir James Allen on the subject of the supply of additional doctors, go on to say: "He (the /Minister) now throws the blame of the delay .and holding up of the examinations upon the association, which has absolutely no voice or responsibility in the matter, much lo its regret, Owing to the haphazard method in which the military authorities have called up the medical men in tho past, and are continuing in the same unsatisfactory way, the scarcity of medical men is becoming a matter for concern, even to the Defence authorities, and it is manifestly unfair now to throw the blame upon the association, which, recognising the present trouble long ago, has been battling to forestall it, and introduce some method and system, and so far, all in vain. As long 'as the Defence Department could get men voluntarily they did so, .till now nearly three hundred doctors out of the original seven hun•dred and fifty have been called up by the military services. To now suddenly call for twenty more, and throw the responsibility of getting them on the British Medical Association, whereas before we were not consulted, is putting the .association in an unfair light, which its members much resent."

DR THACKER'S VIEWS. " ' ' WELLINGTON, August 10. ' Speaking, in the lloued to-night,' Dr ! Thaeker -alleged ■■that the British I Medical Association had not been recognised in a proper way by the DofVnce authorities. There would be no dearth of doctor.?, he said, if they' were treated in a decent manner, Dr Thaeker urged, that'.'members' of the Second Division should be allovrnl t.o go.to private doctors and secure'a certificate, from them as' to any disability suffered by 'them',' These -certificate} should then be sent. to. the military doc--tors, and tliev would instontlv kr.ov.' what to-do. Such a sehemeJwould save the'"Government"'a' lot of money.