MEDICAL SERVICE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7917, 11 August 1917, Page 3

MEDICAL SERVICE.

HAPHAZARD METHODS. (Special to “Mail”). WELLINGTON, This day. The Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister for Defence) is reported to have said that he had not received a reply from the British Medical Association to a letter in which he asked them if they could supply twenty doctors to make an early medical examination of the members of the Second Division; and that he could make no announcement until he had heard from them. The officers of the British Medical Association, interviewed on the matter, stated that no communication had been received by the British Medical Association from Sir James Allen in respect of 20 additional doctors for Medical Boards for examination of the Second Division men. The association knew nothing more about it than had appeared in the press. On the other hand, since January last, the British Medical Association had been trying to obtain recognition by •he Defence Department of an Advisory Board for the offer of which the Defence Minister had repeatedly thanked the association, though he denied necessity for any such board, as far as his department was concerned. He now threw the blame of the delay and holding up of the examinations upon the association, which, much to its regret, had absolutely no voice or responsibility in the matter. Owing to the haphazard method in which the military authorities had called up the medical men in the past and were still calling them up, the scarcity of medical men was becoming a matter for concern, even to the Defence authorities, and it was manifestly unfair now to throw the blame upon the association, which, recognising the present trouble long ago, had been battling to forstall it and introduce some method, and system, and so far all in vain. So long as the Defence Department could get men voluntarily they did so, till now nearly 300 doctors out of the original 750 have been called up by the military services. To now suddenly call for 20 more, and throw the responsibility of getting them on the British Medical Association, whereas before they were not consulted, was putting the association in an unfair light, which its members much resent.