WHEN DOCTORS DIFFER.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1917, Page 2

WHEN DOCTORS DIFFER.

ATTACKS IN PARLIAMENT. , "NOT QUITE WORTHY NOR HON. ORABLE." Wellington, Friday. "Dr. Thaeker (M.P. for Christchureli J East) made some disparaging remarks the other day about the professional I qualifications of Dr. Mac Gibbon, and the rank he holds," said the Hon. Sir James Allen (Minister for Defence) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon; and he wished to make a statement in reply. Dr. Thaeker had said that Dr. Mac Gibbon "was an eye, car, nose and throat specialist and know hothing about the anatomy of the body and was unapproachable." 'But. regard"ing anatomy, he took first-class honors in Edinburgh University and held the practical anatomy medal, with 03 per cent, and 96 per cent, from Professor R. J. A. Berry, late of Edinburgh, and now of Melbourne University. For two years recently he had held the position of examiner in anatomy at the Otago University. He was a first-class honors man in most subjects at Edinburgh University, and was for three years in a good practice in Hawera and held the Government hospital besides. Ilia health forced him to give up general practice and take to his present work seven years ago. His was considered, good enough after passing, with honors, his F.R.C.S. Edinburgh, to be offered an as-sistant-surgeonship in St. Andrew's University. Regarding his military work, he had held a commission in the N.Z.M.C. I since 1908 and had been connected with . the No. 3 Field Ambulance and held eomi niand of the No. (i Mounted Field Ambu- | lance. His squad took two firsts at the I Auckland tournament held three years I ago, and he had given, owing to his consulting hours being definite, a large j amount of time to ambulance work, ] which he made his hobby, "A KNOCK-OUT." ' If, added the Defence: Minister, Dr. Thaeker desired to make the same sfcate- | ment outside the House that he had I made inside the House under the protee- | tion of the House, notice of the matter I would be taken by the. British Medical Association. Mr. E. 1> Lee (Oamani): "That is a knock-out," (Hear, hear and laughter). Dr. Thaeker said that he had been misrepresented. He had not said that Dr. Mac Gibbon knew nothing about ana,tomy. What ho had said was that Dr. Mac Gibbon knew hothing about military efficiency; that he was an eye, ear. and nose specialist, and unapproachable. Colonel Mac Gibbon—that was his title—had forced into camp Bugler Burrows and Private Elder, both of whom had broken down. Those iwere specimens of his j military work. i Sir James Allen said that such stateI ments were not quite, worthy nor hon- | orable, and lie made it his duty to 1 protect men like Colonel Mac Gibbon from such attacks. (Hear, hear). j Dr. Thaeker: "And my duty is to protect the public." (Hear, hear and laughter).