OTAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 272, 22 April 1914, Page 6

OTAGO MEDICAL SCHOOL.

To the Editor

Sir—l venture to express the \ lio.pi; that you will regard the oTfctft that is now neing made to secure sufficient funds to provide increased accommodation and better facilities for tin' teaching of pathology, bacteriology, and public health in tlie'otago Medical. School as of sufficient national importance d> warrant an expression of sympathy in your columns, and of practical support from your district. I would point out that as the Otago Medical School is the only institution of the kind in Xew Zealand, and likely to remain so for a good many years, it is of importance to the whole community of tin: Dominion that the school Mioulil be maintained in a state of the highest ; possible efficiency. Since the great majority of the future practitioners in Xew Zealand will receive their training in the Medical School, it will be seen that it is directly in the interests of those who will he the sick and ailing among the residents of the Dominion that the school should be equipped with the latest appliances in medical science whereby the iiicdie.il practitioners may bo aided in their work and the medical students may .be educated upon modern and up-to-date lines. There is no one in Xew Zealand who can tell the day when.he will require the services'of the physician or the surgeon, and when that day comes, it will be. the services of the most up-to-date and skilful practitioner he will want. I sugge-M. therefore, that it behoves the whole dominion, as far as lies in its power, to make the Medic,'.] ■School thoroughly efficient in all its branches, and that it is on behalf of suffering humanity that the present appeal is made. Every medical man who wishes to do justice to 'his patients ir more or less dependent upon the existence of an institution which will supnlv him with reliable data. In order that he may obtain these, the existence id' well-appointed pathological and bacteriological laboratories is essential. The work of the pathologist and bacteriologist renders the diagnosis of disease more certain than it.can otherwise be, and consequently renders the treatment of disealc less'empirical. In the Old Country the existence of these laboratories is regarded us indispensable, to efficient, up-to-date work on the part of the medical practitioner. The total sum required is .Clo.OUt), and provided

£7.300 can be raised liy private coiitiiImtion. the Government will subsidise die amount by .CI for .£l. Already in Dunedin a sum appi'oarhinir .UUlll) lias been contributed, so (bat additional sub M:ri|itions to tlie amcnnt of about £1" will enable the work to lie <>onc on ' '.h. In the hope that you will be intei Lid in (lie movement.- I am. rt<.lAS. IHTOiIRSuX.

Editor. Otago Daily Time