The Wanganui Chronicle AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1901. BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 March 1901, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle AND RANGITIKEI ADVERTISER. FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1901. BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

Thk Annual Congress of the members of the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association is to be held in Wanganui for the first time, the actual business commencing on Monday next; present indications point to a highly successful meeting. The British Medical Association may be regarded from many aspects ; scientific, ethical, social, and for many years past it has proved of the utmost value in protecting and safeguarding; professional interests, and affording opportunities of dis-

cussing scientific questions, interchanging views and experiences, and reviving or cementing old friendships. Membership of the Association does not necessarily imply, any special distinction, all that is required is a, registerable qualification and personal fitness ; no one can be admitted whose professional conduct is unworthy of his nigh calling. Four hundred years before the Dirtii of Christ, in the days of Hippocrates, lite young medicai practitioner baa to take a solemn oath. Ho vowed—"l will ioilow chut system of regimen which according to my ability and judgment seems best,' and uostuin irom everything deleterious and misclievous." . He vowed also that he would, never use liis art ior evil purposes : "l will give no deadly medicine v asked, nor suggest any sucli .counsel." Mo also vowed to lead a high and noble lite: "VVith purity and holiness I will pass my life and practice my art." ; He was also pledged to the strictest secrecy with regard to all private matters of which his profession might make him cognisant: "Whatever 1 see and hear in the life of man which ought not to ba spoken abroad, 1 will not divulge, as reckoning that all should he kept sacred.' i\o oath is now administered to physicians or surgeons on commencing their jjrofessicnal career, but it may be truly, said that the spirit of tho oath is closely adhered to, with rare exceptions. The visitors, who will begin to arrive on Saturday, from all parts of the colony, will, we feel sure, be not only welcomed by the local practitioners, but will experience a hearty reception from the citizens generally. The Trustees of the Museum have, with characteristic generosity, placed the lecture hall' of that institution at the disposal of the.! Congress. A more suitable room for the purpose would be difficult to find. There is perhans no class of the community who better deserve or derive more benefit from a holiday than medical men. To the doctor public holidays often mean more, rather than less work. There is not an hour in the twenty-four ho can with certainty call his own, and this •applies with especial force to those who lhave to wage singlehanded the .battle against disease and death in the smaller and more remote townships. How many such would gladly avail themselves of the opportunity of meeting their old friends, comparing notes on "interesting cases" free for a time rom the anxie.ties and responsibilities of ministering. to the sick and wounded? How many abstain from attending the Annual Congress from a sense of duty, a spirit o self-sacrifice, such as is required in few professions save the medical. The British Medical Association has a present membership exceeding twenty thousand, rf which number ove(f Miree-fourths reside in. Great Britain; the remaining fourth is made up by colonial practitioners and surgeons attached to the armuy and navy. There is scarcely a colony, however smaSl, which has not its branch. New Zealand occu^ pies a prominent position among the colonial branches, being only exceeded in point of numbers .by the Montreal (Canada) Branch, and that of New South Wales.

Such an organisation, ■with ramifications in every part of the world, may be looked upon aa the chief governing body of tho medical profession; its influence in forming and guiding public opinion on matters pertaining to mcdicall or surgical science can hardly be over-estimated. Kbig Edward VII. is enrolled amongst its Honorary Members, the list of which includes the elite of American and Continental scientists. It is to be regretted that in New Zealand only a small percentage of the members of the branch can possibly attend the annual conferences; many who would rejoice to ba present are unavoidably absent; those who do find it practicable to attend will, we feel confident, have no reason to regret their visit to Wangaiiui. ,