COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5033, 29 September 1926, Page 4

COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

AN AUSTRALASIAN MOVE.

Australia and New Zealand are have a College of Surgeons, which will appoint fellows, advance the study of the science a,nd art of surgery, establish laboratories, museums, libraries, and journals, and elevate the practice of surgery in hospital and in private.

A convention of medical men, representing all States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand, met in Sydney recently to consider the scheme and to arrange details in readiness for the Australasian Medical Congress, which in Dunedin next year, will formerly inaugurate, the college. The delegates to the. convention included Dr. Herbert (New Zealand), Sir George Syme and Dr. Kenny (Victdria), Drs. Simpson Newland and Bronte Smeaton (Adelaide), Dr. Sandes, Professor of Anatomy a.t the University of Sydney, and Dr R. B. Wade, immediate’past president of the B.M.A. (New Sbiuth Wales), and Drs. W. N. Robertson and Gibson (Queensland), and Dr. Lines (Tasmania)', Dr. Ambrose, Western Australia’s representative, relegated his powers to Dr. Stacy, of Sydney. Members of the medical profession have felt for some; years that although the graduates of medical schools in Australia and New Zealand can hold their own with the trained men of other countries, the educatition'al institutions and the professional organisations have, because df certain limitations, been unable to use fully the facilities that exist here for the higher education and the supervision of those whd assume the responsibilities, of a surgeon. From the manner in which the- subject has been discussed in the last 18 months, states the Sydney Morning Herald, it seems that the best opinion of the profession supports the leaders of the movement.

At the moment four college of surgeons exist —the Royal Colleges of Engla.nd, Edinburgh, .and Ireland, and the American College. The propounders of the scheme to establish a fifth in th Antipodes' hop that before long it will so clearly have demonstrated its. usefulness that a Royal charter will be issued to it.

The establishment of this college has a tremendous public interest, for the desire to enable surgery better to serve the people has been the principal incentive to those whd have led the movement. Any legally qualified medical practitioner may Operate upon a patient now, but surgeons consider that modern advance,? in th e * r ar *- have more highly specialised it, making wider the division between ordinary general practice and surgery. Without specia.l. pc-’t-gradua.te; study, they contend, a man canndt attain the knowledge necessary for the most modern practice of his scheme. Commenting on the scheme, the Medical Journal of Australia says editorially : “The Australasia,n College of Surgeons will be founded with a limited number of origiina.l fellows. These practitioners will be admitted after ' careful consideration of their claims. , A high standard off surgical compe- i tence and an unquestioned record from an ethical point of view will be required not only of the original fellows but also of all subsequent applicants for admission to the college. The constitution will be based in part on the : American College of Surgeons, and.ih |i part on that of the College of Sur- i| geons in England. We understand ■■ that those measures which are deemed advisable for the standard of surgi- '| cal practice wi'l be based generally on j the regulations of the. American Col- I lege, while the educational measures ( will be borrowed largely from the I Australasian College of Surgeons will Austraasian College of Surgeons will I have a.n original constitution adapted to the conditions of practice in Australia and Ne.w Zealand. The obsolete j and autocratic government o ( f the , English College would be impossible in this, part of the. Empire. On the other hand, there are many features of the American College which wo'uhl be unsuitable to the British surgeon. ; The college promises, to a use- ! ful institution. If it, is wisely and | carefully managed it will raise the ! status off surgical practice, will fur- j ther knowledge of pathology and surgical technique, and will set a desirable e.thica.l standard which those outside will be compelled to emulate. It will stimulate fits members to engage in research work and offer the fruits of their labourite their colleagues.”