MEDICAL CONGRESS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1244, 19 February 1914, Page 40

MEDICAL CONGRESS.

The Australasian Medical Congress opened its tenth session in Auckland during last week, and the city waa thronged with visitors from far and near. 'The formal opening took place in the Town Hall on February 9th, when the Governor, in the name of New Zealand, extended a welcome to the delegates. The great expanse of the Town Hall was gay as a flower garden with brilliant frocks, fair women and intellectual men. Gorgeousness was lent To the animated scene by the scarlet and purple robes worn by the various faculty, and the sombreness of evening .-dress, which was nearly universal throughout, was lit up and relieved by the warm colouring of the ladies’ dresses. Amongst those on the platform were. —His Excellency the Governor (the Earl of Liverpool), the Hon. W. A. Holman (Premier of New South Wales), the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey), the Minister for Publ.c Health (Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes), the Minister for Railways (Hon. W. H. Herries), Hon Dr. Pomare (member of Executive representing the native race), the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. C. J. Parr), the Anglican Bishop-elect of Auckland (Dr. A. W. Averill), the Roman Catholic? Bishop of , Auckland (Dr Cleary),..Colonel Logjan, A.D.C. (officer commanding the Auckland Militry District) , Dr, . T. H. A.'. Vai intine (Chief Health Officer), group of naval officers from the warships in

port, and delegates attending the congress.

The Governor, upon rising, expressed his pleasure at being accorded tiie honour of welcoming such distinguished visitors to the city, and read a telegram from the Imperial Government, sent through the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. L. Harcourt), which said “Please convey my best wishes to the Medical Congress for the success of their deliberations. His Majesty’s Government recognises the value of such meetings to medical science, not only in Australasia, but generally.” His Excellency then dwelt 'upon the interest Their Majesties took in the researches of medical science, and he welcomed the delegates in the name of the King. Mr. Massey (the Prime Minister), who, upon rising, was greeted with hearty applause, said what pleasure it gave him to be present and to extend the heartiest welcome to the delegates in their midst, the members of the Medical Congress and the other visitors from overseas. He extended a very hearty welcome to the Premier of New South Wales (Mr. W. A. Holman), who. was present. No gathering could be more important than that gathering of the trained medical men of Australasia, men who had come together to increase their knowledge. The knowledge of science had tremendously increased, but there was- still much knowledge to yet learn. Many medical men were strongly of opinion that a remedy for dancer had been discovered in radium, and he hoped this might be so. It was the business of the State to do all it could to extend research. On bjehalf of the whole of the Diminion he extended a very hearty welcome to Mr. Holman and the other distinguished visitors. Mr. Holman —a man young, of refined, dark, and intellectual presence —upon rising, was greeted with applause. He has a very polished style, combined with an unusually beautiful voice and a witty manner that at once made him at home with his audience. He said it was with very much pleasure that he renewed his acquaintance with the Medical Congress. He reminded any nervous New Zealand friends, who might be uneasy at having so many doctors in their midst, that it would be twenty-five years before it could occur again. He dwelt upon the. need there was for the faculty to turn their attention to mal de mer, and he spoke feelingly on the subject, for the Tasman Sea had been very unkind. He had been very interested with his visit to that district New Zealanders called the Thermal District. It had enabled him to formulate some new ideas of the future, and although it was the duty of the Medical Congress to prevent anyone from going there prematurely, still it was the duty of all to have some idea of what the future might be like. He hoped for a great degree of success for this Medical Congress.

The Minister of Public Health (Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes)' alluded to the recent outbreak of disease amongst the Maoris, and said he hoped the Congress would result in a uniform policy being adopted by the Commonwealth and the Dominion in preventing the spread of disease. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) also extended a hearty greeting to the distinguished visitors, and stated how delighted he was to welcome the medical men to a city which ranged as fifth in Australasia, to a city which had doubled in fourteen years both its population and exports. In twentyfive years’ time, when the Congress would meet there again, he expected and hoped half a million people would be resident in Auckland. He again welcomed —in the name of the citv —the Medical Congress to Auckland. The President of the Congress (Dr. A. Challinor Purchase) in his inaugural address reviewed the rise of medical science. He described the methods in use amongst the New Zealand Natives before the advent of the white man in a very interesting manner, and paid a high tribute to the early practitioners of New Ze*’ land, who were beset by every septic difficulty in their efforts to combat disease amongst the pioneer settler« Dr. Purchase drew attention to the

great advancement made by modern surgery. In the field of physiology great changes had taken place, and, in fact, in two years’ time a text book became obsolete, so great was the advance made at the present day. that the best text books became obsolete. At the conclusion of the president’s paper, Dr. J. A. Macdonald (England) offered the greetings of the British Medical Association to the Congress, and proposed a resolution of thanks to His Excellency the Governor for performing the opening ceremony, to which the Governor fittingly replied, and an historic meetingclosed.