UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 3882, 7 August 1928, Page 73

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO.

FACULTY OF MEDICINE.

ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1927.

Dr C. E. Hercus, acting dean of the faculty of medicine in the absence of Sir Lindo Ferguson in Great Britain and Europe, in his annual report to the University Council on the activities of the Medical School, stated, inter alia:— The number of students in the school was 248 and the number of graduates 37. This number proved quite inadequate to satisfy the demands of the hospitals for junior house surgeons. These demands had grown rapidly during the last few years, and to meet them fully would probably lead to a supply of medical practitioners in excess of the needs of the Dominion.

For the first time in the history of the school it had been possible to utilise the clinical material in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland for the teaching of final year medical students. A large number of students had availed themselves of the excellent opportunites and facilities offered by these hospitals, and the thanks of the faculty were due to the. staffs of these hospitals for the enthusiastic and able manner in which the teaching had been carried out. The year was also notable for the transference of the departments of anatomy and physiology to the new Medical School building in King street. The increased accommodation for these subjects and the new rooms for medicine, clinical medicine and surgery, now fully occupied, were much appreciated by both students and staff.

Financial stringency had made the year a difficult one, and had seriously checked the natural and essential growth of the school. No adequate annual grant had yet been allocated by the Government for the maintenance and development of the National School of Medicine. The University of Otago had been unable* to supply the funds necessary for developing the teaching in directions which were demanded by the General Medical Council of Great Britain. It was unreasonable to expect a provincial university to supply all the funds necessary for the maintenance of a national school.

The department of obstetrics and gynaecology, although one of the most important departments in the school, was seriously embarrassed through lack of funds. A scheme of development necessary to bring this department into the state of efficiency demanded by the General Medical Council was submitted to the Otago University Council by the faculty, but the finance necessary to give effect to the scheme was not forthcoming. The endowment of a chair'of midwifery, with the provision of a modern maternity hospital in Dunedin, was so intimately related to the reduction of maternal mortality in New Zealand that it might well appeal to private benefaction. During the year the medical librarian, whose services to the school had been of the greatest value, received notice *of the termination of his appointment owing to financial stringency. The loss to the school threatened to be so serious that the faculty felt compelled to recommend that the modelling department should be given up and the funds so released devoted to the librarian’s salary. The loss of the modelling department would be keenly felt.

No teaching in experimental pharmacology was yet given in the school, although it was demanded by the General Medical Council. A course of training admirably suited to the needs of the situation had to be rejected by the council, as the necessary annual cost—less than £l50 —was not forthcoming. The associate professor of anatomy. Dr Cairney, who had recently returned from post-graduate study in America, had to resign his appointment for financial reasons. His loss was a serious one. and illustrated the necessity for better financial provision for the junior teaching staff.

In an endeavour to relieve the position it had been decided to increase the fees payable by medical students, but the increased revenue from the source would not be sufficient to meet essential and immediate needs.

In spite of these ever-present difficulties. the standard of teaching had been maintained at a high level, as evidenced by the good name and the academic successes of recent graduates in Great Britain.

Steady progress, as far as limited resources would permit, had been maintained in research activities. The fourth volume of the “Proceedings” of the school, which was published during the year, indicated the relatively wide range of this research. In addition to these, Dr Hector had continued his research into poliomyelitis, and he had also carried forward an intensive study into New Zealand pollens as related to the causation of hay fever. Dr Steenson carried his research into rheumatoid arthritis a stage further, but owing to his appointment to a research position with the Rockefeller Foundation in the Solomon Islands he relinquished the research. Dr Fulton completed a valuable statistical review on cancer in New Zealand. Various papers by members of the staff had also appeared in medical and scientific journals. The Plunket Society raised the necessary funds to found a scholarship in memory of Lady King, and this was presented to the school during the year. The holder of the scholarship will take up the study of subjects related to the welfare of women and children. This generous gift should be of permanent value to the Dominion.

During the year Dr A. J. Hall, who was carrying out the teaching duties of Sir H. L. Ferguson in ophthalmology, was laid aside by illness, and his work was taken over by Dr W. E. Carswell. A serious loss to the teaching staff was experienced in the retirement of Dr O’Neill from hie Hospital duties and clinical teaching on account of ill-health. There had been various other changes on the senior staffs: Dr R. B. Dodds had succeeded Dr H. P. Pickerill as lecturer in stomatology; Dr James Thomson had succeeded Dr A. R. Falconer as medical superintendent of the Dunedin Hospital.

During the year the school was presented by Mr E. Anscombe with a bronze replica of Lord Lister, and by the grad-

uates of the school with a bronze replica of Louis Pasteur.

The reporting departments of pathology and bacteriology have had a busy year, 30,700 specimens being examined and reported on for the Dunedin Hospital and the medical profession.