VALUABLE WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23002, 1 April 1938, Page 6

VALUABLE WORK

COLLEGE OF SURGEONS SYDNEY CONFERENCE SIR L. BARNETT'S ADDRESS HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, Marcb 25 The New Zealand president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Sir' Louis Barnett, of Dunedin, delivered a striking address at the college's annual meeting in Sydney this week.

Sir Louis said there was reason to be proud of the rapid growth of the college in its 11 years. There were now 617 Fellows on the college roll, New South Wales having 175, Victoria 169 and New Zealand 12(5.

The English college had of late years made arrangements with the Australasian college whereby its primary examination in anatomy and physiology could be held in Australia and New Zealand, thus, obviating .the necessity for students to travel to England to sit for the primary examination.

However, for the final, or surgical, part of the test, a sojourn in London was essential. Last December 41 Australian and 14 New Zealand candidates had sat for this examination, and 27 of them were successful. The 50 per cent of passes was considered very satisfactory, being well above what waa regarded as the average in England. Choice alter Graduation Urged

Sir Lcuis said that perhaps the majority of the candidates passed their primary r ; examination comparatively early in their student days, and were thus, while still in their callow undergradual stage, fired with the ambition to become surgeons, but he doubted the wisdom of this procedure. Multiplicity of surgeons and misfits were thereby encouraged, and he had come, in the course of long years, to the opinion /that the choice between surgical and medical practice should be after, and not before, graduation. The making of a competent surgeon involved,a long and diligent apprenticeahip at an approved hospital for years lifter the mere graduation examinations had been passed. The essential training find education of a hospital's medical staff, too, could only be provided after graduation, and in a, properly-organ-ised teaching hospital. Efforts to Eucouxage Progress The college, sajd Sir Louis, considered it to be a vital principle that surgical staff appointments to hospitals should be made on the recommendation of an expert advisory committee, and should not be dependent on the verdict of lay members of a hospital tioard, ■ who, no matter how conscientious, business-like and wellmeaning, could not have the professional knowledge required for judging the- comparative fitness of candidates for the responsible duties of a surgeon. The college was not only concerned irith present-day standards of surgical efficiency. It sought to encourage proijress and to provide an everimproving surgical service to the people., The collective investigations of certain diseases, fiuch as cancer, hydatid '■< infection, and goitre, were examples of research work undertaken by. the college, and there were many others. ,