DOCTORS AND THE WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 36

DOCTORS AND THE WAR

COMING FAMINE. NEED FOR EVERY STUDENT TO “ QUALIFY. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 8. As a result of the war and the largo number of medical students who have left their studies to take part in the field operations —to say nothing of the losses by death in the ranks' of the K.A.M.C. —there is every indication that a famine in _ doctors Avill occur. In England, the medical profession is much depleted, there will bo a yet greater diminution in its numbers, and recruits to the profession are below the number of past years. In fact, more than one medical student who volunteered at the beginning of the Avar for service under the R.A.M.C. has now returned to this country to complete his medical studies. The warning has been given that it is the duty of eA r ery medical student to qualify as quickly as possible. Before the war, hoAvever, the situation gave rise to anxiety. The Insurance Act and the Public Health Medical Service absorbed a large number of young men in what may he called administrative work, and thus left fewer for active professional work. The war has created a new and A r cry urgent situation, vand demanded a very large number of doctors at a moment’s notice. That number must groAV, because Avhile death has been busy among the K.A.M.C. officers engaged at the front, the size of the Expeditionary Army is constantly on the increase. More men Avill therefore be draAvn away from home practice, and these especially young men. Moreover, as the Avar continues, the need for sanitary officers and bacteriologists Avill certainly become greater, and the strain upon these men Avill augment day by day. It is of the utmost importance that they should be highly skilled and capable, because previous experience has very fully demonstrated that the “unseen enemy” is more deadly than the enemy in the field. Yet if they are sent out here they Avill require to be replaced at home. The British Medical Journal of January 2 paid:—“Upon the basis of the information received from schools of medicine he (the president of the General Medical Council) calculates that unless the present tendency to leave medical study he checked, the number of young, qualified medical practitioners added yearly to the ranks of the profession will, during the next few years, bo from 200 to 500 less than before; this is equivalent to a diminution of about 25 per cent, of the average number annually added to the Medical Register on qualification.