RESEARCH

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1927, Page 1

RESEARCH

CAUSES OF DISEASE

WELLINGTON. July 21

Dr s. A. Gibbs, of Nelson, pastpresident of the New Zealand Branch of the British Aledical Association, to America. to-'ilnv made an important statement billowing on his enquiries in the United States and Canada on :he question of medical research.

“After visiting other lands and seeing the .'interest that is being stimulated and the work that is being done in the matter of medical research, one returns t« New 'Zealand," said Dr Gibbs, “more than ever convinced oi tho necessity for our Dominion seriously undertaking investigation into thoso disorders which produce so much invalidism in our country.

“The present financial grants made hy our Government arc futile and ludicrous, for none of the foundations are present on which to construct effective work. To think that throwing a few thousand pounds to a teaching School of Aledicine can produce adequate results in the field of investigation ns to tho cause and prevention of disease is absurd, ’file first essentials of medical research demand a properly equipped laboratory, a reference library, and an efficient organisation devoted wholly to the work in hand. None of those, essentials are at present in existence in New Zealand.

“Wore the public aware of the extent to which the medical profession (always dealing with disease from the curative |K>int of view) is ignorant of tlie facts underlying tho causation of disease it would insist on steps being taken to attempt remedying the present state of affairs. The public have the idea that the medical profession is to blame, that Hie medical profession could, if it would, greatly enlighten tlie public by means of 'health lectures, notes, etc. This is quite a mistaken idea. Notwithstanding tho great progress in the art of surgery and the science of medicine during the last few decades, the profession shares with the public ignorance as to the cause and prevention of disease. “Tho amount required to efficiently organise such an institute for research is comparatively small and tlie require, merit is urgent. At present, to pursue any lino of research it is necessary for a New Zealander to spend months or years in a distant country, whereas with an efficiently organised institute and an adequate reference library, work of inestimable value could, and would bo carried on hi New Zealand.’'