DOCTORS ON THE TROOPSHIPS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 182, 7 September 1914, Page 4

DOCTORS ON THE TROOPSHIPS.

To tie Editor of THE SUN. Sir,—l noticed it is reported that his' Worship, the Mayor entered a mild protest on the fact that only one doctor was to go on the local troopship with 1200 men, and he was informed that it could not be altered. Napoleon once said that ' 'cannot'' was a word onlyfound in the dictionary of fools.' Howevei\ since then we have seen that a. second doctbr is to be alloted. Now, we know that military law will not permit officers, however strong their opinions and feelings might be, to protest against anything done by higher authorities, and, therefore, they cannot , get the matter remedied, and the mistake has to go on. Therefore, Mr Editor, I consider that the. Press and his Worship, who are mot bound by these? red tape methods, have a duty to perform for, the local Canterbury Contingent by insisting that, further medical men be allotted to the ship. Do you know that there is no dearth of doctorsj and, as a matter of fact, that on ® the troopship the staff officers and their wives travel on from Wellington that, besides Ambulance only 500 men goitig on board, but there will be ten doctors on the ship? The local camp evidently has. the germs of a mild epidemic of scarlatina about it. What is going to happen if this breaks out on the voyage with 1200 men and two doctors? Supposing an accident happens to one of the doctors! Although we all recognise the great stress of work headquarters, have on hand, and must make allowances, accordingly, still- we must make them use a little commonsense in their' an&ngements. What will be the/good of an efficient ambulance at the front if a large section of the troops arrive at the end of the journey sick? I trust, Mr Editor, yourself and the Mayor will take this matter up again with energy, and not stop until those surplus doctors are fairly divided between the ships, when, no doubt each; troopship will have at least four doctors on board.—l am, etc., VISITOR.