PREVENTION OF DISEASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1634, 7 November 1916, Page 4

PREVENTION OF DISEASE.

Surgical organisation in war 1 , according to Sir Alfred Keogh, who has-contributed an article on the subject to the British Journal of Surgery, falls into two great divisions—prevention of disease and collection, removal, and care of the sick and wounded. Under the latter head a high tribute is paid to our surgeons. Sir Alfred concludes a suggestive article with the following statement, to which the attention of all those interested in medical education may be drawn: —“If the logic of events has obliged us to display a tendency to specialisation of work it can only be because the necessity of some such process has been forced upon us. The truth is that without it full efficiency cannot he attained, and I am myself convinced that the more the organisation of hospitals into special departments is pursued the greater .will be the degree of efficiency reached. It would appear to he the ease that in seeking to avoid a narrow’ specialism in hospital organisation we have failed in our profession to establish sufficient differentiation of functions, and that we demand from the general surgeon a. more extensive knowledge than he

•can nowa days possess. Experience has shown and continues to show that in sneh departments research is encouraged and knowledge acquired and diffused more readily than could otherwise have been the

ease. One cannot avoid an uncomfortable feeling that if hospitals in civil life had been organised on such a plan a higher efficiency would have been manifesi ; j( the outset.’’ Finally, the all-important question is put—WiiJ the medical profession in the future “devote more consideration than it has hitherto given to its relation to the public and to public departments? For everything depends upon this.” These words are vital; they concern the public no less than the doctors. It has been found possible to prevent disease in a mighty army —hitherto the impossible —the time is come when we must demand equal efficiency in our -civil life.