ROMANCE OF MEDICINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14531, 19 November 1910, Page 5 (Supplement)

ROMANCE OF MEDICINE.

THE ARMY'S BETTER HEALTH.

ENTERIC FEVER DOOMED.

The opening of the winter session of the London medical: schools was marked by striking addresses" from Lord Kitchener and Sir A. Coiian Doyle. . Lord Kitchener at Middlesex Hospital "dwelt upcavthe valuable work done by the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Indian Medical .; Service in improving, the : health of the army and prophesied the ; coming banishment ;of the scourge of ; enteric from our ; Indian Icantoninents. Lord -.Kitchener urged the students to "play the game," and work with all their might. ■ "I belong to a : service," • he went on, "which , fa;, perhaps,' more: closely connected than any other with the medical profession. The Royal Army Medical Corps and the Indian' Medical Service have accomplished much in recent years towards the improved sanitary conditions of the army. That scourge of the army, enteric fever, is now, at least, definitely yielding to , improved sanitary methods, and to the system of inoculation, which has recently become almost universal. " "Enteric will before long, I feel sure, join the formerly dreaded cholera in total banishment from our barracks. To ; bring home to- you the measure of. success which has attended their work in India, I need only point, out that during- the last ten years the ratio. of constantly sick, invalided, and healths has been reduced by no less than fifty per cent. ) " .there still remains in that country a vast field for your energies and painstaking research. , Malaria, continues, to too great an extent, to baffle our efforts to reduce its dire effects upon the constitutions of our troops, notwithstanding the expenditure of money and.energy that has taken place of late years. Our surroundings in India' are largely responsible for this disappointing result. - MALARIA. STILL ACTIVE. " Measures which have been; successful in exterminating malaria in Khartoum are, unfortunately, .impossible in a country .where native sanitation and water supply are not under our control, and where the disease is endemic. We, therefore, still lack some practical means which, without affecting the susceptibilities of the vast native population, can be made effective in stamping out malaria amongst our men. " England lags behind other, nations in the; struggle ; for the prevention of disease by means of improved treatment and sanitary methods. This conclusion forces itself upon trie ' when ■' I see what America has achieved, not only generally, 'but even in so apparently - hopeless an area as the Isthmus of Panama. " I am glad, however, to acknowledge that there is a marked improvement in the interest which is taken by the public in such matters as the prevention of tuberculosis, • the treatment of cancer, and in the support of bacteriological, research.' "The town-planning conference which is about to open shows this increased interest in sanitation in yet another direction but in this connection mav I suggest that to achieve success in such matters we must, before asking for legislation, test theories practically, and keep ;in mind that climatic causes and locality-may change aim est every basis from' which our deductions are drawn. - "You have before you in the British Empire an enormous field for the exercise of your talents. Those of you who go to India will find nearlv 300,000.000 of native population mostly living in insanitary and overcrowded dries which, urgently call for care-vfully-consic!ered treatment. The difficulty there.lies in evolving methods that will not conflict with the tradition of ages in the direction of ..caste and religion. " Many of you.are undergoing a course of military: training in order to be able to take part efficiently in any war that may be forced upon us in defence of our country. The training which : turns out competent' medical men for the civil work is quite inadequate in ' equipping medical officers for the special, needs of the, army in war time. This was brought home to us during the South African war. " Before, therefore, you can be of real utility with troops in the field you must jro through a thorough training in the organisation and routine both of the army and of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and you should, acquire a good\ knowledge pf the special conditions of the army both in camo and barrack life.' . " Further, you should endeavour to obtain practical experience of the treatment of patients in the field, ; their collection in advanced hospitals, and . of the system which must control the difficult work of evacuating sick and wounded to general hospitals and bases." . . ~ . • , '