The Wanganui Chronicle. " Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, APRIL 10th, 1910. THE B.M.A. EXPOSURE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17544, 10 April 1919, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. " Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, APRIL 10th, 1910. THE B.M.A. EXPOSURE.

Tfae revelation published yesterday throughout the Dominion of the apparently deliberate suppression of the results of the referendum taken by tho New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association relative to a matter vitally concerning the {health of the community, constitutes one of the most scandalous exposures in the history of the Dominion. The primary fact —the withholding, on the grounds of an alleged technicality, of the op'nions expressed by hundreds of medicnl men in all parts of New Zealand con cerning alcohol in its re'ntion to public health—stands admitted by the Chairman of the Council of the Medical Association (Dr E. W. Giesen), in his letter in reply to the communication addressed to him by the representatives of the Efficiency, League and the N.Z. Alliance. This is in itself enough to arouse the indignation < 1 every right-thinking man and woman

in !New Zealand. But Dr Giesen's ad-!

mission, conceding as it does the sab- j stantiai accuracy of the whole of 'Uo •: seven questions which were siibmitte>; ; to him, gives to the grossly improper j proceeding an aspect so grave and sinis- j ter in its association with the noblest | of all the professions as would put- it j beyond the bounds of credibility -vero ; it not for the written admission of so high and unimpeachable iin authority i as the President of the B.M.A. Except i for Dr Giesen's honourable frankness, j —to quote the text of the official ex- j posure —"but few people would ha m | believed that through members personally interested in the 'Trade' <m<3 a pro-Liquor chfurroan, it could hold up the whole medical association 6ft n great national issue gravely atfect:n.; the health of the people." Yet t?n«bald allegations of the disclosure wl'ich are admitted by Dr Giesen to be substantially correct, are "that the meeting at which it was decided not to publish the result of the referendum j was called at the instigation of mem bers personally interested in the Li- j quor trade; that the meeting was presided over by Dr Fyffe, and that he not only cast his deliberative vote in favour of holding up the pub'icatinn of the result of the referendum, but also his casting vote, so that the master was decided upon the votes of Di. Fyffe." Dr C. W. Saleeby, who is one of the most eminent English psilili?' I health authorities, describes the functions of the medical service as "t--> j guard, to learn, to teach, to help" The action of thoso doctors .rho wero responsible for the holding back c f tht? opinions exprss^jd. for the public ve.fi by hundreds of their fellow-pra:t>Mon-ers, is in deliberate violation of the nob'e doctrine propounded by Dr Sn.leeby. As one writer puts it, the great discovery towards which medical science has been marching ever since it emerged from the mists of necromancy, is that ill-health and disease are the rosuits of definite causes th.iv <.'nn Le prevented. The medical fesair' 1! ilmfc has done most for the world has been not on the lilies of discororiag drugs and potions that .will lessen suffering, but ,on the lines of discovering ?he causes and conditions of which disease is the result, and the best means to eliminate them. The importance of th-? curative sdde of medical science cannot be minimised, but it is a.greater service to humanity to prevent disease than to cure it. This truth has been emphasised by the growing realisation of the importance of national health.' Health is the basis of human efficiency. A person in good health is an asset to the State; a person in bad heaJth 18 a burden upon it. In the war the strength of the nations was not measured by numbers a'one; for many people had to stand aside, classed as useless to their country in its greatest I emergency. In England 40 per cent, of the men of fighting age were found unfit for War service, and scientific investigation disclosed the deplorable fact that & preponderating percentage !of the unfitness was due directly or I indirectly to the liquor habit. Dr. Saleeby's arresting sentence admirably describes the purpose actuated the medical men of this Dominion in agreeing to make public, through the means of a referendum the result of their individual knowledge, experience and [ observation concerning alcohol as a beverage in its relation to the health of the community. Their purpose was "to guard, to t«*ach, to help" in the solution of a question of vital importance to the nation. Men who would for reasons stated in the official exposure, defeat so noble and humane a I purpose, are unworthy to retain theii* fellowship in an honourable profession. We do not hesitate to say that in our opinion it is the duty of the B.M.A. to at once place Dr. Fyffe and lus associates publicly upon their trial Iky fofe the bar of the profession, so that they may be either vindicated or condemned in accordance with their ability or otherwise to disprove the grave allegations with which they stan-1 charged in the terms of Dr. Gieson s ! letter.