MILITARY AND MEDICAL

Otago Witness, Issue 3200, 14 July 1915, Page 60

MILITARY AND MEDICAL

TWO SERVICES. DOCTORS AND GOVERNMENT. IFhom Ocb Own Cohiuespcndent.) WELLINGTON, July 12. The question ot tno organisation of the doctors m regard to military and medical services was discussed this afternoon between the Minister of Defence and a deputation from the Wellington branch “of the British Medical Association. Dr Gibb (secretary of the branch) explained that the medical men of the dominion wore at sixes and sevens as to what was required of them. They desired to help, and they wished the Minister to ask for their advice and to co-operate with the doctors. They wished to know if adequate provision had been made for staffing the places offered as convalescent homes, and they stated that they believed that the measles hospitals at Berhampore and Kaiwarra were insufficiently staffed. Ho had heard of relatives sitting round the death bod of a sick soldier at Berhampore and commenting on the fact that there was no medical man in attendance. Attendance on convalescent men in boarding-houses was already a heavy burden on overworked doctors. Mr Allen: Do they attend them voluntarily? Dr Gibbs: We have to. We do not know whether we will be paid or not. Referring to the call for 100 doctors to go to England, he said it seemed that doctors were now forbidden to leave the country. The delay in completing the camp hospital at Trentham was also referred to, and the opinion was expressed that if it had been completed earlier it might have been extended and developed and have prevented the epidemic spreading to such an extent. He suggested that the Territorial medical force should be augmented and extended to any of the doctors given military rank and pay as - at Home .Mr Allen; Will they give us the whole of their time if we pay them? Dr Gibbs: No; part time. In replying to the deputation Mr Allen said that, regarding the treatment of men in their own homes, the arrangement was that the local medical officers should attend them. The department would gladly accept the help of the association, but it would have to give its own medical men every chance. The department’s own military men were paid. He had hoard no suggestion that the work of the civilians w.as to bo done gratuitously. If any doctor offered his services for nothing they would be gladly availed of, but whatever work the department asked for it was prepared to pay for. As for the Trentham hospital, the movement for it originated outside the department. A considerable amount of money was collected before the department was approached. He referred the matter to a sub-committee, and when plans and specifications were laid before him he approved of them without delav. The contractor was due to finish it on June 27, and was, the Minister understood, being fined for every day ho - was overdue. • The subscriptions had amounted to about £I6OO, and the hospital would cost at least £3OOO. He was sorry it had not been erected in time, but ho was not prepared to say that if it had been in ■ existence the first day the men went into camp it would have prevented the epidemic. It would have helped in dealing with some of the serious cases, but some had developed so suddenly that no one had had any warning. Now there was a medical inspection of every man in camp every day. The men were so keen to get away that they tried to hide their ailments. He could not pass an opinion on the question of one big general hospital, but doubted if it would bo a satisfactory way of dealing with all the men who came back wounded. If there were room in the hospitals near the men s homes they should be utilised. . Mr Rhodes said that no suggestion had been made that civilian doctors should give assistance gratuitously. Ho would be glad if the association would consult the head of the Public Health Department. It was difficult to say what accommodation there would be to provide for returned soldiers. Most of the convalescent men desired to bo sent to their own homes. It was proposed to send those requiring medical treatment to hospitals near their homes. For the convalescents whose homes were outside Now Zealand he had prepared the Kiosk at Oriental Bay, and had received an offer of the Kelburn Kiosk. If patients were distributed there would bo no need for’ a large base hospital. The military medical officers in the various districts would bo asked to look after patients, and would be paid pro rata according to whether or not they devoted all or part of their time to the work. . In reply to a suggestion that the association should be allowed to help in connection with the work at the hospitals and should bo consulted in those matters, Mr Rhodes said that now' the offer had been made he would be glad to avail himself of it if lie was short of medical men.