DOCTORS AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 95, 15 January 1918, Page 6

DOCTORS AND WAR

AUSTRALIAN ORGANISATION UEWKD. The "Medical Journal of Australia," in its last issue, discussed the reiauon.« the profession to the war. Setting; aside considerations winch the editor sas he outside the province of a medical jouiual," to-doy'a issue will say^"It is a lirime dntj- of he medical profession in Australia to press for i« mobilisation, so (hut the dillicullie of the future may lie anticipated and nothing may be left to chance. Since we have the assurance c£ an overwhelming number of medical praclinouevs thet thev are prepared to do nil that lies in their rower to help the Empire in ita lour of trial, it is essential that adequate steps shall be taken to ensure .that Hie knowledge laboriously collected by scientist, throughout the world shall to availalie for our soldiers. In the past on? soldiers have .suffered from the lack of skilled orthopaedic fxcatniwit fro.n he moment it is required nntu then Ahcharge Better results would .have been achieved had there been a neuronal service, under the direction o one of our leading neurologists. The absence of a propers-equipped bacteriolofiical laooratorv with each division, under the ense of 'a trained bactenologust, has bten responsible for much wron? diagnosis and wwtagc of fight.ng strath. The function of the medical protozoa in ,var is not limited to surgery; (here s much to be d<*e in other directions. But unless each special branch of medicine is entrusted to a competent expert, and unless the work ie dwdoßpd along recognised linen, goo» results cannot bo secured. It is iinnmWrinl whether the option is undertaken in Austra >a or in the several theatres of the war, provided that the neccssr.ry co-ordination «ists between those m authority at Homo and those in a.ilhonly abroad, The defects tf tho past have been due to' a combinaiJon of difficulties and unforeseen circumstances. The esoenenco for three and a h..lf years ofw,r «.ffic«i to tach us bow theso mamtold difficulties fa." be overcome and wnnt tlie prnb-, lems nf the comine year arc to bf. In« mm of the Anstrn inn Army JWical Service ninsl- be to be entirely *w™£ f-a.inod efficient, nnrl cnmplele. With ridicious selrcfmn of n'«1i;»l offners for the many to Jjj nllod this aim -],0,, V? W nttniP.-W-.. TIiPM shouli still Tμ. isiiPcimit. inwHcal and snririoal skill left i'i AustrMin 10-fptvp tho rcqnirenionls nf the civil nnmilation.