MEDICAL CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1237, 20 September 1911, Page 5

MEDICAL CONGRESS.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, September 19. In opening the Medical Congress yesterday, Lord Denman referred, to doctors as public servants, anil eulogised their gratuitous work and self-sacrifice in. the cause of humanity. Dr. FocklejYin his presidential address, declared that the increasing scone and complexities of medicine were such that they lengthened the course of study to from three to five years, which was altogether insufficient. With (ha exception of somo portions of the brain and spinal cord, no parts of the body were sacred from the surgeon's knife.

Pseudo-scientific writers, said Dr. Pockley, made exaggerated claims for the usefulness of radio-activity, but practically all the therapeutic effects of radium can bo got from tho liontgen-rays. Radium emanations wore not a cure for real cancer; early removal of the growth by a surgeon was the only rational treatment. Heferring to a White Australia, ho declared that whites would never permanently and continuously occupy the tropics, and they must either allow tho country to remain unproductive or use coloured labour.

The public failed to realise tho value of the gratuitous work done at the hospitals. In Sydney's 'two largest hospitals free operations valued at =£100,000 per annum were performed, ami altogether tho gratuitous work done in Sydney was of the valua of close on a million pounds.

Dr. Fockley dealt exhaustively with man's acquired immunity from certain diseases through constant contact. He instanced the native races' susceptibility to consumption, and compared it with that of the whites, who had experienced the diseaso for many generations. Alcoholism was more stringent than tuberculosis, but was susceptible of being weeded out. The propagation of the race was left in a large measure to those on whom the craving had no hold. Thus alcohol was not a cause of racial degeneration. All evidence showed the opposite. Nature eliminated drunkenness.

Regarding eugenics, the doctor said our limited knowledge did not justify us in taking responsibility; it was better to let Natnre manage in her own way. DOCTORS AND LODGES. INCOME LIMIT ADVOCATED. Sydney, September 19. A committee appointed at last congress presented a report on the effects of a resolution then adopted—that no doctor should pass.for admission into a Friendly society, lodger, or club at contract rates of remuneration any person whose weekly incomo exceeded ■£■!. It was stated that New South Wales was tho only State that had taken definite steps to enforce the resolution, and the outcome had been that wager limit clauses had been introduced into agreements between the doctors and their lodges. Already five hundred practitioners in New South Wales had benefited by this action. Victoria was taking initial steps to enforce the resolution, but Western Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and South Australia had done nothing in Iho matter. The committee strongly urged the profession to make a determined stand to enforce the wage-limit clauses throughout Australasia. ! , VENEREAL DISEASE. ~|.H,ii..i(pec, September 20, 0.35 a.m.) 1 Sydney, September 19. The Medical Congress discussed a number of interesting papers to-day. Tho Congress resolved that "the rates of pay for surgeons in tho Australian Navy, suggested in Admiral-Sir E. Henderson's report, are totally inadequate. Dr. Hain, of Melbourne, introduced the subject of venereal diseases and tho best methods of preventing them. Ho contended that there should be a system of compulsory notification. Vice should bo dealt with solely as a- matter of a low order.' He advocated that a campaign of publicity and eradication should ba undertaken.

Several other speakers advocated compulsory notification and legislation to get rid of quacks.