MEDICINE ATTACKED

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2270, 19 February 1929, Page 6

MEDICINE ATTACKED

A DOCTOR'S PROPER DUTY

"I should like to see back in our midst the old-type family doctor, who kept a careful watch over the families under his care, but armed with the most modern preventive weapons for defending those under his care from being attacked by disease." This was a statement made by Dr J. Horward-Jones, Medical officer of Health at Newport (Mon.) in his presidential address to the annual meeting Of the Society of Medical Officers of Health in London. He attacked the system of effecting cures in bottles of medicine, made a striking appeal to the doctors to combine in the prevention of diseases, and indicated a future in which there would be a periodical medical examination of the general community. "There is a vast amount of work to be done in education of the public as to the true value of drugs in the'cure of diseases," he said "The Association of Insurance Committees and others interested in the finances of the Insurance Act are seriously concerned about the large increase in the cost of drugs, and number of prescriptions required by insured people. The total is between forty and fifty million perscriptions per annum. , MOUNTAIN OF DRUGS.

"The weight of the medicine dispensed in bottles in England and Wales in twelve months is at least 8411 tons, and other items weigh- at least 2103 tons, a total of over 10,500 tons of medicine dispensed among about 12,500,000 insured people yearly. Remarking that the principle of periodical medical inspection now applied to the Army and Navy, school children, and, to a large extent, the expectant mother, Dr Howard-Jones said: "The extension of the principle of periodical medical examination to the general community for the preservation of 'health and the early detection of diseases will naturally follow.

"The public opinion is ripe for instructions in matter pertaining to the care of health. Health propaganda is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, there is a plethora of societies engaged in such work, and attempts at co-ordinating their efforts seem to lead to a rapid increase in their number. MIDWIFERY TRAINING

On the subject of medical training in midwifery, Dr Howard-Jones said: "It has been repeatedly stated in official reports that the teaching of obstetrics and gynaecology at most, if not all, the medical schools in Great Britain is to be desired. Improvements have been instituted since 1922,

but even now, according to Dr Janet Campbell, the training in obstetrices compares unfavourably with the training in, say, general surgery, although a good knowledge of midwifery is essential to the future doctor, while he may never practise major surgery. "The new curriculum in midwifery does include a certain amount of training in ante-natal care. In view of the fact that the deaths from premature births and diseases in early infancy in England and Wales exceed 25,000 per annum, this provision is not 'permature.' "Midwifery in industrial practice is generally underpaid. If we are to secure ante-natal and post-natal care then the question of renumeration will have to seriouly considered; not only that, but the public will have to be educated as regards the necessity for paying for preventive midwifery, and the State and local authorities will have to revise their present policies."