PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19255, 18 February 1926, Page 10

PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.

URGENT NEED FOR RESEARCH. FOUNDATION OF INSTITUTE. DOCTOR'S STIRRING APPEAL. NEW MINISTER URGED TO ACT, [by telegraph.—press association.] NELSON, Wednesday. A striking appeal for adequate provision for the study of preventive medicine was made by the newly-elected president of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, Dr. S. A. Gibbs, of Nelson, in his presidential address to-day. When the proceedings of the conference opened the retiring president,: Mr. Carrick Robertson, of, Auckland, congratulated Dr. Gibbs on his election. Before delivering his presidential address Dr. Gibbs read a telegram from, the Minister of Health expressing the hope that the conference would be a successful one,' and intimating that its resolutions would receive his careful consideration. Addressing the conference, Dr. Gibbs said ho could think of no question so urgent at the present time as the need for the establishment of an institute of preventive medicine. The practice of medicine and preventive medicine, though inter-dependent, were two very definite and separate studies. The former attempted to restore the individual after his health had become affected. The study of preventive medicine aimed at discovering the law of health and protecting the health of the community by preventing its invasion by harmful agencies, or of placing it in such a position that it should bo immune from such agencies. Both these branches of medicine were necessary and closely interrelated. "In the interests of the race," said Dr. Gibbs, "the study of preventive medicine is probably of far greater importance to us as human beings. Medical discovery is the most impoz'tant of all kinds of discovery ; yet in this country, although adequate provision is made for the study of the practice of medicine, the study of preventive medicine 'is practically neglected, being represented by a recent grant of some £2OOO. World Heeds Awakening. Nor are we alone in so inadequately dealing with so vast a subject The world needs an awakening to the necessity of systematically and comprehensively studying the laws of health and the causation and prevention of disease. To be of real benefit scientific research requires io be on a much larger scale than has hitherto been effected or imagined. , , "As a profession we , require larger vision,. We roquire to imagine that this .world might, and should,; be freed from ■preventable disease' and its consequences. Wo require to take a more active part in upholding the hands of, those who are serving in many lands to arouse people to the study of prevention rather than cyire," . ; Hall a Million Required. After dealing at considerable length with; various phases'of the question, including the struggle for existence, present apathy, and - the '-surgical : side D£ Gibbs proceeded: " Wo need' not further elaborate the many subjects cryitig-'out'for research;; We suggest thai an institute for research is imperative and that . it' can bo estab- • lished only when we, as a profession, are sufficiently seized of its importance. The health of any community can advance only just as far as the medical profession is capable of carrying it. Such an institution must come. Let us, both individually and corporately, hasten the day. , Its form, and constitution could be decided later, but it might' well take a form somerwhat similar to that of the local Cawthron - Institute. It -- must ,be adequately endowed, say. , with a sum of £500,000, and what better use could we make of our war reparations? This may sound'a large sum, but it is only about a quarter of the amount we annually pay j for the upkeep of our hospitals, and about one-seventh of the amount of the annual grant for education.' As has been stated by 'Sir Ronald Ross, tho establishment of a medical institute for research offers a, benefit to humanity and a pecuniary return ' that is not approached by any of ; the other public expenditure, social, and even, educational grants, included. . Such. ,an institute should be absolutely free from Governmental interference and control and preferably in association with our medical. School in Dunedin. Gathering Grains of Truth.' . . 1' Hesearch after truth ■ is tedious, arduous and requires absolute honesty, accuracy and patience. Comparatively few "are mentally Or temperamentally fitted to conduct it, but such men exist and are available. Grains of truth have to b« isolated and gathered together and their relative importance and the place they eventually occupy in the structure is often only realised after years of effort. Those who look for the immediate abolition of disease will be disappointed. Nevertheless, some of the benefits should be speedily available. We spend millions on treating disease and almost nothing on the only possible way by which those mil-; lions and the suffering they represent can be saved. "A golden opportunity is within the reach of the Minister of Public Health at the outset of his career in that capacity, if he will only grasp it and importune the Minister of Finance, in season and out of season, for means to found an institute that will eventually benefit untold generations of New Zealanders.. Interest'is being aroused and money found for scientific, industrial and agricultural research. Why not for medical research, the most important of all, both to- the individual ana the. nation? New Zealand was, we believe, the first country to estab-lish-a Ministry f Public Health. This! was due to the combined efforts of the medical profession. It is not too much to hope that New Zealand will again lead, the way and; with large vision and hopeful' foresight establish a national institute of .preventive medicine to investigate the laws of health and the causes of disease. •V ,Vfl cannot do-better than conclode with! tha words of the late King Edward VII.. . who, when presiding at a meeting' of t&V hospUal fund that bears his name, exclaimed: 'lf preventable, gentlemen, why "not prevented?' " . . Dr.. Irving (Christchurch), in proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Gibbs, said: all had listened with very great pleasure to his address and all must agree in tho abstract with . the views expressed concerning an institute of preventive medicine. If they could get something on the lines of the Cawthron Institute it would certainly be a. feather in the cap of the Government, and he thought a copy of the address should be sent to the right authorities in the hope that notice would be taken of " it' and something done to assist. » The motion was carried with applause.