Medical Etiquette.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 167, 19 July 1904, Page 4

Medical Etiquette.

WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO A DOCTOR. At the meeting of the Monmwntu Hospital Board on Thursday, the following letter was read from Dr. Monckton :—As you are aware, I was applied to last September by one of your officers to know if anything could be done for a certain girl who appeared to be dying from the combined effects of scrofula and consumption. Seeing a possible chance for her, I offered to contribute niv services if your board would contribute the cost of obtaining a certain drug from Germany. Your meeting was reported, including my letter. The Medical Council of New ZJeaJand, before asking me for any explanation, hastened <to condemn me for unprofessional conduct, and passed a motion accordingly. In spite of explanation, I have been pilloried by a partial report of their proceedings through New Zealand! and outside in the "New Zealand Medic a l Journal." Since then the Council has seen necessary to withdraw and expunge the offensive motion. Though having inflicted all the harm they could, it conveys no expression of I of regret, and as the "New Zealand j Medical Journal " is unlikely to be 1 published again for months, the I laugh would appear against me, I tbaink your board for so warmly stopping forward in my defence, and I will trust to your courtesy and the instinctive fair, play of the press, to include this in the report of your proceedings as a mere act of justice. With regard to the patient, the Government pathologist reports that now the streptococci are practically absent, and under the carimmide treatment she h a s improved so, much that it gives me hope that it will not be many months before the bad 111 become also missing. Ido not desire to advance any contention against the open-air treatment, but oxygen alone will not destroy the bacillus, while experiments s-how that carbamide can. Now as, properly used, carbamide is not injurious to the human body, I have great faith in it, and consider it entitled to a fair trial, and as (fur as I know, through the difficulty of obtaining it, this has been the first of its use in New Zealand or Australia. If medical men will give support and assistance in such cases, and exhibit a little less jealousy, it would -be better for the public as well as themselves, a nd you will no doubt feel with me that the Council might have shown alJetter example. "It Savours of persecution," remarked the chairman (Mr Luxford). He considered that the association should have obtained full explanation before running into print. Dr. Monckton had played the part of the Good Samaritan all through.