The Globe. FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1875.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 305, 4 June 1875, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1875.

The Supplementary Estimates, as proposed by the present Executive, were laid on the table of the House yesterday evening, and we are glad to see that amongst them the following items figure—Class VII, Lunatic Asylum; Surgeon (additional) £SO; Eesident Surgeon, £2OO. We presume that the G-overnment are under the impression that they will be able to obtain the services of a resident surgeon who is thoroughly qualified to fulfil the duties required from him for the sum of £2OO per annum, in addition, of course, to his board and lodging. We are afraid, however, that the smallness of the amount proposed will prevent any gentleman who has studied the subject of the treatment of the insane, with a view of making it his special line of practice, from applying for the post. We shall be glad if we are wrong in this surmise, but we cannot help feeling that the salary to be offered does not hold out any great inducement to medical practitioners, to throw up their chance of making a practice in Christchurch or any other part of the province, for the sake of taking charge of the Asylum, where the duties will be both arduous and constant. We are at a loss too, to understand why, if a resident surgeon is to be appointed, the first of the two items we have mentioned should be considered necessary. Surely the gentlemen at present practising in Christchurch would render their services to a public institution, if their opinion or experience would aid the surgeon in charge. In some cases, no doubt, the medical officer of the Asylum would prefer to have the opinion of experienced brother practitioners, but the vast majority of cases under his charge would not call for any special consultations with other medical men, and if a man is to be entrusted with the charge of the Asylum he will probably have his own system of treatment for his patients in which case interference would not be just to him. It must be understood that in this case we are speaking of a surgeon who has carefully studied the treatment of the insane, and if possible had experience in it. In no branch of curative treatment, has more been done of late years than in the case of persons suffering from lunacy, and though there are many able and hard-working surgeons practising their profession in Christchurch at the present time, yet even with the advantage of reading all the newest and best works on the subject of lunacy, we doubt if they would not be ready to admit the superiority of p ractice to reading, and would prefer that a man with experience in one of the great English Asylums should, if it can be managed, be appointed to the post of resident surgeon at Sunnyside. But the Government can never expect to obtain the services of an officer of this class for the sum they have set down in the Supplementary Estimates, and a liberal vote in order to procure the right man for the position ought not to be grudged by the House. We do not want a resident surgeon at Snnnyside who shall make the billet he holds there merely a convenience until he can see his way to stepping into a lucrative partnership or a snug practice. What we require is, a man who, having made the treatment of lunacy his speciality in the noble profession to which he belongs, shall devote himself heart and soul to his work at Sunnyside, and bringing the newest and best both of theories and practice to bear on this work, shall give the Asylum the foremost name amongst those of the Colony. Such a m an, if he can be obtained, and we believe such good fortune is possible, is worth paying liberally, and therefore we hope that some inducement will be held out to this class of medical practitioner to apply for the position, instead of as the vote stands at present, making it look more as if the post was a refuge for an unsuccessful, though duly qualified medical man, who may have the good fortune to have friends at Court.