OTAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1855, 15 September 1913, Page 4

OTAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL

CRITICISMS REBUTTED. VIEWS OF THE FACULTY. The Education Committee of the House of Representatives heard evi-' denco on Friday on the question of the efficiency of tho Ota&o Medical School, which had.been attacked by a previous witness, nnd on the question of the needs of'tho University of Otago generally. . Mr. G. M. Thomson presided. Tho Chancellor's Evidcnco. Tho first witness was tho Rov. A. Cameron, Chancellor of tho University of Otago. The most urgent need of the Medical School, ho said, was tho provision of buildings. Other urgent needs were tho appointment of a wholetime professor of pathology (Dr. Roberts being recommended by tho Faculty for the position); the provision of assistants for tho professors of anatomy, physiology, and pathology; and tho erection of a medical schoui block on-a site in tho immediate neighbourhood of the hospital, for the moro purely medical subjects. Dr. Valintiuc had also Recommended that there should bo a full-timo professor of bacteriology, and that the principal lecturers in the medical should be paid sudh a, salary as will induce thmo to regard thoih University work ns primary, and not as a matter of secondary importance. Tho recommendation of a medical block near tho hospital had been made very emphatically by Dr. Valintino and' tho Faculty. Tho time was moro than duo for the 1 appointment of whole-timo professors of pathology and" bacteriology.' Tho need for assistants to tfio professors of anat-omy, physiology, and pathology was also urgent. Tho council also looked to tho committee to help it to such an increase in its annual grant as will ©liable it to appoint a lecturer in tho diseases of children. The payment of l increased salaries to lecturers was one which must commend itself. Arts and Sclenoo. With regard to tho Arts and Science department, lie. had written , to tho Minister that "some of tho professors aro miserably paid and over-worked, and much will bo done to increase the efficiency of tho work in this department if you can meet tho needs stated in this respect." Tho professors in this department recommended, intor alia, that the present average salary of £700 bo regarded as a minimum, and that a trained assistant bo provided for the professor of biology and to tho professor of mathematics. : Speaking in support of theso recommendations, the witness detailed several charges on the council which are not charged to tho councils' of other colleges. / Homo Scicnca School. Tho third department for which thoy asked help, Mr. Cameron continued, was the Homo Scicnco School, which owed its existence to tho generosity of Mr. J. Studholmo and a few liberal citizens or Dunodin. Mr. Studholmo contributed £300 per annum, and the citizens of Dunodin £200. Tho Government £1 for £1 grant on this contribution gave tho school a yearly incoind of £1000. This had enabled tho school to make a start,, and to prove to some extent the value of tho work. Mr. Studholmo and his Dunedin co-workers promised assistance for four years, or if necessary tor five years.' Tho council now looked •with confidence to the Government to take the responsibility of carrying on this important work, and thus showing its appreciation of tho sacrifice made by tho founders of the school. That this department of tho higher education or women had been neglected so long \yas a scandal. Surely it was of tho utnios importance that' our colleges should do their part in helping to make oui women students not merely scholars, but also true home-makers. Tho council asked that the Government grant bo t raised from £500 to £1000, and that)

something bo put on tho Estimates for tho necessary buildings. Dunedin Conoroslty. "In considering our pica for help for tho various departments of work in our collego," concluded tho witness, "it may not bo unfitting that I should remind you of tho generous way in which tho citizens of Dunedin havo helped tho Otago University from timo to time. We havo received from various sources by way of subscriptions, gifts, and bequests, over £.30,000, a yearly average of £5600. Add to this that tho Presbyterian Church pays the salaries of English, Physics, and Moral Scienco professors, and it will at once bo seen that we have done much in tlio way of self-help, i\nd. that our prosent asking is not the reßult of public indifference to tho claims of our collogo. In 110 part of the Dominion has so much been done by the people, apart from tlio Government, for university education. With confidence, then, we urgo upon the committee tho claims of the Otago University, and ask that liberal provision bo mado for meeting the needs of _ our Medical School, an Arts and Scienco Department, and tho Home Scionce School." A Petition. Tho witness presented a petition from those members of tho teaching staff of Otago University who had signed tho original petition to tho committeo praying for a Royal Commission. Tlio signatories wished it to bo clearly understood tliat they wore in no way privy to Dr. Hunter's attack on the Medical School. They knew nothing of his evidence except tho one-sided version ho supplied to tlio press. Tlio petitioners were still of the opinion that it would bo impossible to securo reform except by way of a Royal Commission. If tlio Senate would concede purely academic control of academic affairs, that would be a step in tho right direction. One of tho original petitioners, Mr. F. H. Campbell, lecturer in Germnn, did not sign tho petition, but wrote personally, giving his reasons. He was in favour of the objects of the petition, but declined to sign it because of its reference to-Dr. Hunter. Ho refused to beliovo that auyono could ever have said that they were privy to Dr. Hunter's attack, and thought it was beneath their dignity to take the trouble of denying it. University Reform. To Mr. Hanan: The witness did not think a R-ovnl Commission necessary. Tho needs for reform and the present position were so well known that tlio Senate could bo trusted to deal with tho question, Reform of -such an 'institution' must come gradually, Tho cmet need was for tlio provision of more adequate funds for tho various colleges. Tho most general suggestion at prcsont seemed to bo the establishment ot a board of examiners. Tho time was not ripe for tlio abolition of external examinations. Ho believed that each college should bo constituted an integral part of tho University, but without interfering with its individual liberty. This would remove tho.reproach sometimes uttered against the University of. Now Zealand that it was only an examining body. In addition to tho public benefactions ho had already mentioned, thero were several institutions like tho Students' Hostel, Selwyn Collego, and St. Margaret's Hostel; representing a value of. some £50,000, all provided by tho people of Otago. "With regard to the training of medical students, tho witness said that he oould give only a general opinion. Ho thought the school had excellent results. He had heard no complaint as to the equipment or training of any student turned out by tho Medical School. Ho could not- say how tho standard of examination 111 medicine compared with that 01 older universities. Dr. Colquhoun's Evidence. Dr D: Colquhoun made a; statement on behalf of tho Faculty of Medicine at Otago University. He emphasised that, ho was speaking, not personally, but on behalf of, and with tlio. full authority of, tho dean (Dr. Scott) and other members of tho Faculty. The statement was (ill part) as follows: — "The Medieil School has given a complote- education up to graduation point to about 160 men and women, most of whom aro now practising in the Dominion. Many of these could not ha,vo afforded- tho expense of travelling to, and living in, Groit Britain for tho purpose of study, and in the absence of a local school, could not havo qualified as doctors. -All of them 'have had the advantago of living in their own country during their timo of study, and boing within reach of homo influence. Thoy liavo also been ablo to study human diseases, under tho conditions, social, racial, and climatic, in which subsequently, as practitioners, they havo been called on to treat them. , "Of moro importanco than the mere number of students and graduates is tho efficiency of tho .education given to them. The following facts bear upon, this point:—The history of tlio school has been 0110 of istoady growth. Tho number of students is increasing, and with this tho number of thoso engaged in teaching has also increased. Fewer students' join for a part only of tlio course, but most of the present students aro going on to graduation. There haa also ueen a steady growth of tlio' facilities for teaching and learning. Since the foundation of tlio school nearly tho Whole accommodation for patients in tho hospital has been renowod on strictly modern lines. Tho system of nursing has been remodelled in conformity with tho best knowledge and experienco of our tima. Tho governors of tho Hospital havo for many yeans recognised the importance of tlio school, both from a Lational point of view and in the interests of hospital efficiency; and havo worked harmoniously with the University authorities, giving practical -security of tenure to its teachers, and constantly consulting theiu in all technical matters and carrying out their views as far as circumstanccs permit. Tho fact that tho .school has tho confidence of a largo numbor of tho medical profession is shown by the increasing number of sons and daughters of doctors who aro beuig, or havo been, educated there Tho School's Record. "In Dunedin, out of forty-two medical practitioners, twelve are graduates of Ivow Zealand University. Ono lady graduate is at tho 'head of St. llelon a Hospital. Tho school has a so supplied house surgeons to most ot tho hospitals ill tho Dominion, and to the mental hospitals, Soveral of our graduates went with tho, contingents to South Africa. The surgeon to Mawson ,s Antarctic fixneditioiL was a New Zealaiid giaduate. In overy part, of tho Dominion our graduates aro to bo found in practice, and at tho present moment twelvo ot our senior students aro on speciali duty 111 tho smallpox districts 111 tho iNorth lsllU "It cannot bo too emphatically stated that our 'graduates have never taken a position in any way inferior to that ol practitioners educated elsewhere. In some respects thoy havo had superior advantages. From tho first it has teen constantly tho policy of their teachers to advise t'heai to supplement the knowledge gained as pupils in our school by post-graduate study in Europe or elsewhere. Most of our students 'have fol - lowed'tliis advico—somo immediately 011 completing their course here, many of them after working at their profession in the Dominion for some years, in order to acquire tho money necessary for that purpose. By this means the Dominion is the richer in tho extended experience of its medical mon, and wo have also been ablo to test tho efficacy of tho instruction given here by tho results of tho examination open to our students in Great Britain. Writing on this subject in 1010, I mado tho following statement:—'Out of 130 graduates, 83 or 84 have gone to Europe for post-graduate study. Of this number twelve have becomo Fellows of tho Royal College of Suraeonß of England, ono that of Ire-,

land, and two that of Edinburgh. Ldl addition to tlio Fellowship 0 f tho English College, 0110 became a member of tho K,oyafCollege of Physicians of London. These are tho highest qualifications open to our students, ana tho result—ono to about five and a-lialf who havo gone Homo —is astonishing. luo hot think any British echool can equal it. Most of tho others have secured tho conjoint qualification of tlio Colleges of Physicians ;ind Surgeons the usual ono of London students. Several l.avo taken tho diploma of Public Health of Cambridge.' , , ~ "Not only have our students done weL in academical work, but they havo successful in obtaining'posts in many* public institutions. Several Homo hospitals havo year after year been stalfecr by Now Zealand graduates. Middlesex Hospital has established a special scholj arsliip for them. This is partly duo, 110 .doubt, to tho goodwill towards New Zealand which has been so prominent in England of lato years, but I think wo can claim that it iB also in part duo to tho zeal and efficiency of tho men themselves. , Ethuslastlo Toachera. "Looking back 011 our twenty-eight years' work, tho teachers of tho school fool that it is a good record. Wo aro proud of our pupils and confident of tho futuro of tlio school. Wo havo had many disadvantages to contend with, The teachers havo been poorly paid; some havo worked for years with no payment at all. It is a simple fact tliab not ono of them but would havo douo hotter for himself, for 11 money poinfcl of View, if W had devoted tho timoi spent in teaching, to his.own practice.] For several years all tho students' hos-j pital fees havo been thrown' into a com-; mon fund to sccure laboratories for hospital work and teaching. Tho publio of Dunedin lias given' tho hoa-j pital, among other things, a very perfect* X-ray plant, money to build wards andl nursing accommodation; Tho hospital and echool have never stood still, but. if, progress is to bo continued tho medical' school must be'rCcognised as a national and not a local institution. Tho staff is in many ways overworked and underpaid. I would refer especially to one' department—that of bacteriology. Dr. Champtaloup is at present bateriologisti , to the hospital, professor and teacher of students in publio health and officer of • publio health for h largo district. "Wo want moro money for .teachers generally, so that those who havo to devote much timo to their work may bo free from tho distractions of general practice. 11 y own, career is near ifa close, so that I can speak freely on this subject. The Professors of Medicine, of Surgery, of Gynaecology and Pathology, should have such a 6alary, that \vitiiconsulting work the.y should not havo to do tho work of a general practitioner. Now buildings are needed for the laboratory work of the hospital and tho university. Tho exponso of these ought to fall partly on the local institution and' partly on tho university. 1 "Medicine is a constantly oxpandiußi' ■science and wo must expect in tho fu-' turo, as in the past, that now depart-' ments will bo added to tho hospital and medical school. Hitherto tlio Otago dis-' trict has borno tho main part of tho ox-1 penso of a school which has educated students from, and supplied doctors to, every part of tho Dominion. It is ql)viously unfair that this state of affairs should continuo.", A High Standard. To Mr. Hanan: Tho clinical work of tho school was quite good, and there; was ample material. Thoy had moro' beds in proportion to tho number of' students than thoy had at such universities at Edinburgh. Tlio curriculum of Otago University was in no way inferior to that of older' institutions. Tho standard of examination was, on tho . whole, higher than the average. This high standard had been sot so that tho degree of the university-should not go to unsuitable men, and the value of tho degree bo thereby diminished. Author-' ities at Home had an excellent opinion;, of New Zealanders, > who were amongst • tho best students they had. At somo hospitals, tho authorities sought for. Now Zealanders and as one loft, bis placo was given to another. So far as ho knew, there had never been any favouritism in tho appointment of members of the staff, or any suspicion of corruption. All appointments had been mado in acoordance with tho qualifications of , the applicants. No ono had ever been deliberately passed over. To Mr. M'Callum: They were particularly wrong in surgery in Dunedin, r. •very'great deal of trouble having been taken by Dr. Barnett to keep tho Ecliool .up-to-date in this respect. There wcr« quito enough operations for require ments Criticism Rebutted. Mr. Sidey: Certain statements havo been made with regard to the efficiency of tlio Hospital. Have you anything to say about that matter? Dr. Colquhounliaiow that certain' statements havo been made. I am speaking on behalf of tho Faculty, and we are not going to enter into any controversy as to what tlio. Medical School has done. Our answer is contained in tlio statement I havo already mado to VOU, To tho Hon. Mr. Allen: Ho was at 1 momber of tho Royal Collcgo of Surgeons and a Follow of tho Royal Collego of Physicians. Both of those were fairly conservative bodies, and would not recognise -tlio graduates of an institution which thoy did not recognise as thoroughly efficient. Graduates of the Now Zealand University were admitted to their final examinations-without having to sit for preliminary examinations. Thoy recogniscd tho Otago School as a school where a student could receive an efficient medical training Unless tho. colleges were satisfied with'tlio efficiency of tho school thoy would very soon excludo its students. Ho thought that , those who had started tho school in the early days had been fully justified. They had shown both courago and foresight. Tlio influence of tho school had been for good both on tho profession and 011 the community in general. The students comprised tho best of the youth of tho Dominion, and tho standard was higher now than ever it had been. From his knowledge of the school's work, ho thought ono State, in common honesty, should aid tho development of an institution which was distinctly national in character, although a groat deal of its support had boon local. The people of Dunedin had 1 boon extraordinarily genorous, and the school had never asked for anything which had not been granted. This was a testimonial, not only to the generosity of Dunedin. people, but to their faith in the merit of tho school. They would not havo given so freely to an inferior mstitution. A Student's Views. Dr P R. Woodhouso, senior resident medical officer at Wellington Hospital, and until a fortnight ago acting-medical superintendent, of tho Hospital, said that lie had received all his training in Now Zealand. Ho had gone through nil tho ranks from that of junior houso surgeon, and had done botli suigical and medical work. TIo had no degree beyond that ho received at Otago. Ho had never had any feeling of inferiority in mooting witli tho graduates of other universities. His training at Otago, he believed, well equipped liini for 'tlw work which he had been called upon to do at the Hospital. Tic could remember 110 detail of the Otago trainirtg with which ho could.express dissatisfaction. "Flo had never been treated by graduates of other, universities as inferior to them, because he had received tho wholo of his training in tho Dominion. _ - .. Tho conmiitteo will sit again at It a.lll. on Friday, when a statement will l)o mado by Mr. H. H. Ostler, chairmau of the Victoria Collcgo Council.