HOUSE SURGEONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1989, 20 February 1914, Page 9

HOUSE SURGEONS

I,;*' i .-ft"- '• 'üb.ftfii iori:iM ixiilh acd ic '? mK FlE'm-f¥tßAß.;Sl'vjr)B?fTS?so

'A, letter received -by ■ the. Medical Superintendent e.!bf 'tho ?Hospital",'-(Dr.. Hardwlck-'Smith) from' the- InspectorGeneral of; Hospitals • (Dr. iValintine)' was read ut yesterday's meeting of tho Hospital and' Charitable Aid Board. Tho Inspector-Genefal' stated, that- - iir the ovont of Dr'. Ha'rdwick'Smith not being able to obtain a house - surgeon from Dunedin, as ho understood was likely to bo tho case, he would-like to recommend the appointment of fifth-year students-, who failed in tho recent examinations. '■■

Continuing, Dr. Valintine named two 'students who'did service for the Department during tho smallpox "epidemjo, and who had unfortunately failed . in ; their "final examination. As the Department felt to some extent responsible for such failuro on their part,, •on account of their'being-absent from, their studiesduring ,tho. epidemic, he was anxious to do. what he could for them.' Ho did not think-that it'would bo wise to appoint them as house-surgeons in-tho ordinary sense of the word, but'ho-submitted ijiat the Medical Superintendent, might find use forLthe services of the students 'referred to. - ' Ho confidently recommended them as" capable and "energetic, and .with-'a working knowledge- of their profession, i

.' Li-replying to the letter' Dr. Hard-' t^ick.Smith'stated that he did not anti-cipate-great difficulties' in. obtaining house burgeons,-but if-he cannot:get a ,Ne\v Zealand-trained doctor 'to' npplf- ho would Oia.v'o to'advise-tho board to call for applicants from Sydney'.' Personally ho would .'bo' sorry to have '.to advise such a course,'but r lio felt '-t-half it would not be wise to appoint students as unqualified house surgeons. He Was afraid 'that if students; wore'appointed "instead of house surgeons it would bo- tmsatis-, factory, for they would not bo able to undertake any responsible'work, such ns giving-, anaesthetics, -■ or undertaking : minor operations..'etc., 'without supervision.- In fact it-would moan that the. real -.-house, surgeons - would"' hare to dkr their own work "as well, 'as superviro the .others'. ' Dr. •■Haidwick'' Smith: thou«ht:.a bad-.precedent would-also he established.. pointed.out- that; 1m; Could-receive such students as clinical dorks,.-and-ho felt that-free tuition.' free board, and- lodgings, and-plentv of ■clinical material should be more, than sufficient inducement ,for,students--to ent-nr a- hos-nital. • • • ■ The. boanTTcommended the reply.