MOBOLISATION OF DOCTORS
OFFER BY THE B.Mi, CONSENTS TO CONSCRIPTION
■ A proposal for the mobilisation of the taedienl profession for war work, whether tor military or civil services was mado to tho Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen) and the Minister of Pubfe Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) by a rciprcfceiitative delegation of tho British Medical Association yesterday. J;V the carrying out of tho scheme the British Medical Association had sot «n an ad-
visory board, with Lieutenant-Colonel L. U. Barnett,' of Dunediu, as chairman, anl Dr. G. E. Anson as vice-chairman, and tho deputation consisted of members of this advisory board. Lieutenant ; Colonel Barnett said that >tlio British Medical Association had spent a great djal of time and trouble in endeavouring to work out a scheme of medical organisation to supply civilian as well as military needs. They had doiie this not with the idea of advancing tho interests of tho medical profession. They had done jt patriotically and at considerable sacrifice, because they felt Jvery strongly that tho present policy of selecting giedical men, or of accepting the services of medical men, although it' '■•had answered up till tho preseut time fairly well, would not much longer suffice. Tho supply of doctors. for. the military had been adequate up till now, 3>nt theso medical men 'had only, been obtained at considerable disadvantage to civilian requirements. Presently the difficulties would increase to such an extent that it would not bo possiblo to get n, continuanco of satisfactory services. Tho matter was one requiring careful land organisation, but the British Medical Association wcro prepared lo undertake it. It vie understood that the military requirements for service abroad were five medical men per month. Those men were required to make good wastage, and possibly to allow •some of tjio men who 'had been for a ]ong timo on service to return to New Zealand. In addition, men wero required for hospital ships, for home service in the camps and on the medical boards. The opinion of tho association was that the present voluntary method had been strained, just about to breaking point, and fife medical profession, "with no possible suggestion of selfinterest, proposed to allow themselvea ■to be mobilised and conscripted for foreign and home service. Tho crux of 'the scheme was that id, should be worked through the Advisory Board| sot up, .■which, board should be recognised by ihe Government and endowed with the necessary powers They had considered other schemes, but had on consideration rejected them. The 'scheme would need legislation, and if the legislation were passed the organisation could bo completed at once. Members of the association wanted to feel that they were being called upon for war work, and they should be recognised as doing war work whether they were to be officers in tho 'Medical Corps av medical men in civilian service. The whole thing must be on a military basis. Air medical men would be at the beck and call of tho Defence Departmont. Medical men wished to feel that when they were sent from ono dis'trict to another on civilian service they •were doing this as part of their war •work. They must be paid at war rates. Dr. Boxor, of Hawke's Bay, went into 'details about the scheme, emphasising thij-' point—that the British Medi'Oal Association would not agree' to be conscripted miles the scheme was •worked through tho Advisory Board. This- board would be informed of the Slumber- of medical men required, and aballot would be drawn from the medical anen on the register in Now Zealand to determine who should be allotted to those 'duties. Some would be exempted on. the KTOund of age, unsuitability, miblio interest, or undue hardship. The ballot •would be conducted by tho same people ■that were drawing the military ballots, iind at the same time. With Tegard to (pay, tho request was that every medical jnan conscripted should be guaranteed a 'net income of .£6CO, eaual to the pay of a captain in the N.Z.M.C., and to ensure this allowances would have to bo given ■for expenses. The cost of running a car was not less than JEISO a year, and there would have to be an allowance ot ',£IOO a year or so for chloroform and drugs. They asked the Government to guarantee this income and these allowances. ' If a doctor made more than the guaranteed income the Government would be freed from liability. Mr. Russell asked whether tho British •Medical Association would consent to iha-ve on tho Advisory Board SurgeonGeneral Henderson representing fte Dβ'Jenco Department and Dr. Valmtine representing tfce Public Health . Department. ;' ' ~ This suggestion the deputation was quite willing to accept. The deputation nlso agreed • that all medical men, ■whether members of the British Medical [Association or , -not, should be conscripted, and that worfen doctors should be conscripted for sea-rice in the hospitals. Sir James AjUen, replying, said that as far as tfie .Defence Department was concerned ho wiould be very glad to see tho organisation -created by which the Department cm.*!' be provided with medical men fotr- the front for the camps, and for -t!b« medical boards. Ihe Second Division .League had been in comjnumication with, him and with the British Ifedicnl Association, asking for the Breeding up of medical examination, It was desirable that these exancSinations should be speeded up, and lie> was afraid that more medical boards wrtild have to bo elected. In this- he ir.ijuld be glad to have tho assistance eo ftindly offered by the British Medical Aviation The Minister of Public Health would tell them how far he. would B'° .in. regard to tne legislation necessary... The Hon. G. IW. Russell said he wished to tbfcink the British Medical Association, for their amended proposals, which, 4e believed, would go a very long way towards removing the difficulties existing.'-' What had caused him to consider th et matter was that the military services . bad drawn, bo many men out of the medical profession that there was a shorta p>. of medical men for civilian needs. He '.believed that in the'scheme submitted tfrere was the possibility of a workable scl'ieme. Doctors were required now not oiil-.v for the country districts, but for the..N«p>tals in the cities. About the coudivai and details in the schoine it was not possible 1o answer 'Tes" or ,r N T o.-?' He would suggest that'the dotnile be* set down in writing, and I hat represents tives of the British Medical A6socnt tion meet and discuss it with him. If ihe allowances asked for wen 3 proved to be fair and reasonable they j-vould have, to bo paid. One of the difficiS'ties would bo in. dealing witli the cases- o 1 )' nien who had "one away and returned to' find thenpractices Rone. This was a difficulty that had impressed him. Pressure had been brought to bear on lhc» Ro™'nment for the importation of. doctors. He had agreed that no medial inan rtKHiM be registered hero unless! he iirst offered his sorvicK to the Miili=tei of Defence and the Minister of Public Health. This was an indication -cf the intention- of the Government.■ U» do a fair tiling by the medical profess Win.
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Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3147, 27 July 1917, Page 5
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1,197MOBOLISATION OF DOCTORS Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3147, 27 July 1917, Page 5
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