THE PEOPLE'S HEALTH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 23, 2 March 1942, Page 6

THE PEOPLE'S HEALTH

MR DOUGLAS ROBB'S BOOK APPROVED BY UNION •EXECUTIVE At last meeting of the Auckland Farmers' Union reference was made by the President, Captain Rushworth, to a book recently published under the title "Medicine and Health in New -Zealand" the author being Mr Douglas Robb, M,D. r Ch.M. F.R.G.S. (E'ng) Captain Rushworth referred also to a pamphlet by Mr Robb published by the N. Z. Co-operative Publishing Society, Wei lington, some months ago.

M>r Robb, who is 42 years of age, is an Aucklander born, and has been in practice as a consulting surgeon during the last'l3 years. Past experience includes five years in London, broken by two voyages to. South America. He revisited England in 1936. For six years lie was an assistant surgeon to the Auckland hospital. He sits on the Council of the Auckland University College as a representative of the graduates, and is the New Zealand correspondent to The Lancet.

In liis bcok, -\vlvicli is described as "a retrospect and a prorpect'" Mr Robb reviews the past history of health movements in the Dominion and outline:' the varying activities oi' hospital departments and the medical profession with outspoken criticism, accompanied by constructive comments. Concerning the recent conflicts between the Government and the B.M.A. over the national scheme the author, while rigidly excluding all political references, direct or implied, sets out to indicate the faults of each and the fundamental causes that operated to prevent mutual agreement. In his uggestions for a radical readjustment of the whole medical system the .'uitlioi 1 places in the forefront I he ide;i lhal the medical profession should be completely reorganised wi!h community service, not personal p"o!it. as the primary ideal, and Mi' nsedie;;' men. Su;/g.'-d ft)r Ih-> ani"ndineni t !' hosni'al pniel. iee an 1 ! f'er a!tered relationship. 1 '. both monetary and otherwise, between pa! ; - ents, doctors and 1 In Slate are included in ih' 1 final conclusions. In bringing the matter forward the president said the book rcpre-

sented a serious attempt to criticise the present medical system, and provide the basis for an alternative scheme that would be more adequate for the community's requirements. Though dealing with what was largely a technical subject Mr Robb had presented his views with exceptional clarity, understandable by anyone*

Other members spoke favourably of the book after which the following resolution was unanimously carried: "That this Executive reaffirms its opinion that neither the Government's scheme nor the proposals of the B.M.A. are adequate for the health requirements of the community and that we refer Mr Robb's pamphlet to the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union with a recommendation that they examine the proposals put forward as providing, in our opinion a basis for dscussion of a more suitable scheme."