Sacrificed To Paternalism

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1948, Page 3

Sacrificed To Paternalism

AUCKLAND, June 14. "The question for New Zealand to answer is:. Are the most constructive attributes of man being saeriilced to the unfortunate trend toward paternalism and the presentlv popular philosophy of nniversal social sccurity?" This statement was made in an interview today by Dr. W. E. Neal, of Huntingdon, West Virginia, who has been in New Zealand for a fortnight investigating the medical services. "The attempt to provide a free medical service to tliose demanding it is being realised even to the extent of exploitation," he proceeded. "Patients receive too much medicine becausc they demand it. The doctbr often prescrilies excessively because it is profltable to do so. Henee the State pays for services and expensive drugs which many patients would be better olf without. " However, these eritieisms are sbcondary eompared with the time-honour-cd principles of the patient-doctor relationsliip established by the founders of the liealing art. The praetice of medicine was never intended to cont'orm to the assemblv line." In social niovements New Zealand had set the pace, Dr. Neal -added. "If the human element could be eliminated and the programm'e applied to relieve only tliose who reallv deserve help, it would be ideal, but the drain and penalties suffered by your producers taxed to the limit to support a movement of such magnitude tend to destroy the human incentive, ultimately t6flecting itself in decreased production and a declining nationai economy."