The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-12-29
GOVERNMENT TO WIPE
OUT ILLS AMONG POOR

Appalled, at the extent OF SlchileoS
and physical defects among the school
children of Australia, the labor gov
eminent of New South Wales has
practically Communicated the ser
vices of the best doctors in the nation
to wipe out illness among the rising
generation.
The effort to enlist the services OF
the doctors for the state at low rate
was met by threat from the British
Medical Association to boycott all
doctors who gave their services. This
defiance was met by the government
with a threat to revoke the license OF
every doctor who refuses to comply
with the plan of the educational de-
partment.
The success of the plan is now as
sured. though the medical profession
was never before so stirred as it is
now.
Minister for Education Griffith in
the state labor government of New
South Wales stated that during 1915
1900 school children were medically
examined. excluding those examined
bv travelling clinics and hospitals.
OF this number, $4,000 were found
to be suffering from physical defects
sufficient to justify treatment. How
ever, only 10000 received treatment
while 26.O00 failed to obtain any treat
ment whatever.
Further than this, of 4400 children
suffering from affected eyesight, 1000
received no treatment; while out OF
25OO suffering from ear defects, 1850
failed to get treatment; and 1000 suf-
fering from nose and throat diseases
out of $500 so affected did not receive
treatment.
In view of this dreadful position, the
minister has decided to send special
lists through the country to treat chill
dren in the schools and in their homes.
Even if the people could afford to go
to a local doctor, this man was not
specialist. and they would be either
butchered by an incompetent, or, if he
was an honest man, would be ordered
to a city to be fixed up at high fee.
When the government advertised
for specialists for this work some time
ago. the British Medical Association
instructed it's members not to take up
the positions, saying that they would
destroy their own chance of getting
high fees out of the people.
The members of this association
knew that if they disobeyed the man
date of this class organization they
would be ostracized,
The government is now about to
amend the medical practitioners act,
making it an offense for a doctor to
refuse to do the work of the educa-
tional department at the fees it will
set down If they refuse, they would
be struck off the rolls and not allowed
to practice in the state.
taking up this work for the state
would likewise be dealt with. No
doctor in the state would be allowed
to set the interest of his profession
above the needs of the children of the
community. Such thing, the govern
ment says, is intolerable in a demo-
cratic country
The government will refuse to have
the matter dealt with as the doctors
say they must be dealt-that is, to
leave the children at the mercy of
local and unskilled specialists, or to
have those unable to pay treated as
paupers The government will not
allow a pauper standard to be intro
duced into the state school system of
New South Wales.
AS can be well imagined, the doc
tors, who have hitherto considered the
Fleeing" of the people their especial
privilege, are up in arms against the
government. They say that if they
are to do the work OF the state at fees
set down by the government they will
not be able to get the ordinary (and
well-paid) fees they can get today out
of people who are ignorant of the
diseases from which they suffer. Like
other countries, the doctors of Aus
tralia have exclusive charge of their
own, and if the people cannot pay
they must suffer This, the govern
ment of New South Wales says, must
come to an end, and the sooner the
doctors recognize that fact, the better
it will be for themselves.
A healthy community is a valuable
asset to country-and this is fact
that the New South Wales labor party
recognizes to its fullest extent.
REV PUI.Y SUNDAY