THE ELIMINATION OF DISEASE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 294, 6 September 1920, Page 5

THE ELIMINATION OF DISEASE

Sir,—On this subject there is much talk and little action, and the discussion by the congress «t Brisbane docs rot; bring.us much -nearer the objective than we were, 'flio men composing: the congress are not anxious to. eliminate disease. If they did they would be like Othello re occupation. That feeling can also hi) read into the remarks of the president of congress. It is true Unit si busy jira«tihoner has not the timo to fake'publio action to..prevent witness, as ho savsj then why does lie suggest as a remedy that the British. .Medical Association should appoint a committee to deal with tho hygienic aspect, of preventive- medicine. Disease, except (he acute infectious diseases, is largely due to three causes: (1; the venereal diseases as. the cause or about 70 per cent., directly and 'by ImraU ity".; (2): errors .in diet—principally in llio consumption of liquids which derange (he.health; (3) ignorance, which includes thei first, two causes flml others.' By meniu. of efficient hygienic training of growing: boys, tlin first cause could bopractically eliminated in one generationif the boys were also taught to avoid'indulgence in unsuitable, to-calicd, l'cods, especially; of. I.lm liquid variety, likely totalise- them to neglect efficient hygienicmeasures. The third cause, "ignorance," could also be successfully combated in thoi fichools.. liv iironDi' teaching.

_ Nbw, the British Medical Association is an entirely irresponsible body of medical practitioners banded together.fof their own personal interests. It has-nn legal status. It lias no Royal charier. It is inot even a registered society, and tlio presidont of congress knows that'. Why, then, would lie hand ever to sucli an association ot persons whom he admits "have generally not time to tnVn anv public, action to prevent sickness." Jt is so plain that he who runs can read.

The. outstanding reason why preventivo medicine was so successful during the war. in its later stages, is that the neu-ters-wero employed by tho State; often the right man got inio the right place, and it was in tho interests of everybody concerned that hygienic and preventive measures should be carried out efficiently.

- AVe have been told that the.mcmlicru of the British Medical As.ociatiou.havo not time to spare for the work, and us they are. depending c-n their practices it. is rat becoming, that the State should er.pect them to give up come of their earning powor tn carry out tho hygienic nspect of preventive medicine. Tlio Temody is for the State to' talso over, the whole medical service and apportion the duties of tho practitioners. It would then be their interest as well as their duty to see that hygienic means were adopted to stamp out the diseases which are. at tlio fountain head of most of the ills of mankind.—l am, etc., MO TE RA.