WAR DISABILITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1922, Page 5

WAR DISABILITIES.

RETURNED SOLDIERS’ POSITION. Christchurch, May 5. The attitude of the Director-General of Medical Services (Surgeon-General Sir D. MeGavin) in refusing to accept reaponaibility for returned soldiers who had broken "down in health two or "three years after their discharge was discussed fully at a meeting of the executive of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association, and several specific cases were mentioned where the men -had obtained certificates from doctors expressing the opinion that their breakdowns were due to war service. These certificates were ignored by the Defence Department. The following remit was passed for consideration at the annual district conference: ‘‘That the attention of the British Medical Association be drawn to the attitude of the Director-

General of Medical Services, in constantly ignoring the signed £tat«inent of medical men tracing the disabilities of returned soldiers to their war service. This executive considers the conviction of a doctor who has carefully examined the patients should be worthy of more consideration than is at present given. Cases have occurred where two doctors have agreed that the breakdown is directly attributable to war services, but the D.G.M.S. has stated that such opinion was valuable only insofar as it showed the soldiers’ present state of health, thus ignoring theiE opinion as to the primary cause.”