ST. HELENS HOMES

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1930, Page 7

ST. HELENS HOMES

• j-miiNilNO IN OBSTETRICS. i flciLities for students. - r}‘,A ' WELLINGTON. July 31. Thp necetwity for the fullest obslettraining and experience for medical students was emphasis«tl | by a ; representative deputation froip'; women’s organisations which on the Prime Minister '-(the HBri;’ G. W. Forbes) and the Minister foF the Hon. A. J. StallwoHjiy) to-day. /Introducing the deputation, the Hon Sig' Janice Allen said it was essential ttfM-: every medical student should rea cohxplete training in maternity ca|e|, anil he had no sympathy With that tended, to curtail thiMVairiing. V ~ ; j|lF A. M. East appealed to the Govetttiju&pt .'’on humanitarian and pahrihot to hinder the admisinedical students to the homes. ■ Is^* • years since the had been established by Mr Sedddli|y>whh had : said at that time the hh<Mti[oh of the admittance of students in abCyah'ee, I f Mr hn'hrid Ibeeri alive to-day he would seen" the necessity for students gaijilhg thh fullest'experience. .if;.&lvia Chapman said that some ' SHhe'iviodicHljcourse had been butiithnd since been extehdsc 1 to six, and the students under I were those in their final were really young doctors. ■■ offered in New Zealand, go abroad for further expeflfij|ee. : It; was quite possible unless werh ih attendance at many ;pia| Hhey , would not encounter cases which were an essential part of the training of any doctor. : ' In her opinion, it was neces-sAry-fpr a doctor to attend from 800 and the : St. Helens Homes wtwf^|^e.' v dhly institutions.glint would experience. She ; did not kpdyßhf-a. single, instance. j|» -all her lom£v< experience' where confinement t ftws," flail' riot been treateci . with the TitmoftJ delicacy. •' . , DglAgiies Bennett placed Before the resolutions carried by olwtetrical societies and other jn the Dominion, arifj also several 'Unsolicited letters from* patients at : tit homes, who had expressed grafor the treatment they had received. - It had been argued that the adfnjsi|ion ;of medical would exeludavWQfnen desirous of .gaining a training ■' it). 1 midwifery, but at _ ■ the ; the ’ number of:, registered midlives iWfts ih excess of the Dominion’a requirements, /, and the number of wa3 increasing: each * year, • .1” ' . ~ ‘ , ’ 3MjC! .Stallworthy said the subject s one « he was sorry | thaV : 'i& Md. ibecome a public contro- ; verty. HpWever, if by the/grace and ' consent ; pntienti. the students were ab’.e\to get an experience that.

was absolutely necessary, he thought that the mothers would be rendering a service to New Zealand. The maternal mortality in the Dominion was higher than it should be, and it would be! a serious thiiig if any disability were , placed in'the way of young doctors gaining the fullest experience in the noblest work they would be called upon to perform. Tlie Prime Minister said that a previous deputation had claimed that it was expressing the objections of the mothers who had been patients at the homes, and while he recognised that experience was essential to all medical students, he wanted to make sure that no pressure was brought to bear on the mothers. Where there was smoke there was fire, and there must be something at the bottom of the objections raised. The wishes of the patienhs had to be recognised, but if they gave their consent voluntarily, he could not see any objection to the admission’ of students to the Homes. Dr. Agnes Bennett said the agitation’ had Ibeen started by the relatives of the late Mr Seddon, who considered that, the admission of students had not been the intention of the founder of the homes, but she maintained that had Mr Seddon seen the necessity for training in the light of present-day obstetrical knowledge he would not haye raised any objection.