MEDICAL ETIQUETTE AND HUMAN LIFE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 14

MEDICAL ETIQUETTE AND HUMAN LIFE.

THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. At the ordinary meeting of the Otago Branch of the- British Medical Association r held on Wednesday, the following resolution, was passed: — "That the action of the president* of the New Zealand Branch ' of tfie British Medical Association in writing his lefter of Tslay 22 to the press be approved, and that the opinions expressed by him in that letter be accepted as the opinions of the association." In his lefter, as published in these columns, the president gave his assurance, that the association repudiated the sentiments expressed by Dr Davies in connection with the Marshall incident, and also that the association did not consider . it right thafi in the event of any person calling in a doctor at any hour he should be sent from, door to door till such assistance was obtained. Proceeding, the president pointed out that accidents might happen, and it might be impossible to obtain the needed services at the right time. To meet the difficulty effectively needed some such organisation as the Assistance Publique o£ Paris, where in each arrondissemenfc there was a public office open night and day, where the names of medical men willing to attend ca3es of urgency could be obtained. The bureau made itself responsible for the first fee. Some such scheme might be adopted either by municipal enterprise or by the State, or by private initiative. With regard to the attitude of the profession towards Dr Davies, the letter eulogised him. as most helpful to his brother practitioners and one who had freely given his services to those that could not afford to pay for them. The Jetter stated also that the association knew, as no layman could, that the circumstances of the message brought by MlM arehall were &uch as to lead to the assump^ tion that the case was one of no special urgency. It might be fairly assumed that Dr Stephenson would have written a note if it had been in his mind that a fatal! result might ensue. The inference was that the case was an ordinary one, and Dr Davie3 might fairly consider that any other medical man would be more useful than himself to Dr Stephenson. Concluding, the president said he was certain no slur could be cast on? Dr Stephenson's skiH. and it was not surprising that the association was not prepared to join in the outcry against a tried and! trusted member of the profegpion because he had uttered ill-judged words capable of a bad construction. They preferred to judge the man by his acts rather than by his words, uitich he had practically withdrawn and apologised for. The above is the substance of the letter tn which the association have given their approval by the passing of the above resolution.

The latest experiment in bicycles is to fife the pedals with magnetised plates, to attract plates on the shoes of the rider and hold his feet in place, -thus doing away with the toeclips, which are the cause of many acci-i dents to racing men. Mr E. Denham, until recently registrar of deeds in Christchuroh, speaking at the presentation made to him on Wednesday by local land brokers, with reference to the land! transfer system of this colony, said he woul<J like to do justice to "our friends the Ger« mans," who had been long before us in/ the matter of simplifying land transfer transactions. The South Australian and! New Zealand tyolenis had been founded on. 1 the German system, which was a. very; ■> simple one. As the season is now approaching foz* th& . sowing of wint<?r wheats, farmers should! use Nniiro akd Blaie's " Standard " Grain; Manure, which will add bushels of grain, per acre to their crops. It is a manure o£ very high quality, r.nd always give 3 sati3« fafiiarv sesulfca, Price* ffy ypj ton-.,*