THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
Sfe
[January 1,
1SGG.
"What but this want of
fttllw ?Mfal HaMte.
intercommunication, and consequent country, causes Government to be bewildered by the opposing opinions of medical officers on sanitary questions. They are obliged to form these opinions on their own limited personal observation, and frequently come to conclusions fatal to their own reputation, and deeply injurious to Government and its civil and military servants. Eecent instances of ill-founded suggestions would be startling if made public, and laughable too, if the subject was not one of vital importance to our fellow men. Of equal consequence also to the successful treatment of disease, is a knowledge of the experience absence of information in this
It is particularly requested that all contributions to the " Indian Medical Gazette" may be written as legibly as possible, and only on one side of each sheet of paper.
Technical expressions ought to be so distinct that no possible mistake can be made in printing them. Neglect of these simple rules causes much trouble. Communications should be forwarded as early in the month as possible, else delay must inevitably occur in their publication. Business letters to be forwarded to the Publishers; and all professional communications to the Editor, direct.
of others.
The difficulties connected with the recent appearance
typhoid fever in many parts of the country, is an example of this, which has cost life and anxiety to many. The organization of the Services in India renders a plan of ready intercommunication both simple and little expensive. If the medical officers in each division, under the superintendence of Deputy Inspectors General, were to form themselves into a medical society, the desired good would be at once initiated. Medical periodicals should be got out from home, and standard works be made available for reference, by having copies at the Sudder Station and circulated .as required. More especially, all the medical reports and cases which reach the Deputy Inspector's office, should be circulated in the division where they will be doubly interesting. Government might be asked to sanction this circulation of purely professional papers, &c., so that,' under the frank of medical officers, these should be carried free by the postoffice. The frequent removal of medical officers from one station to another, to suit the exigencies of the service, their having to accompany their regiments from Peshawur to Bhootan, and the other changes which their health or necessities require, all render it impossible for them to accumulate books of reference, magazines, or even papers. A central depot, from which books and magazines could be readily procured, would therefore be invaluable, particularly if, on leaving one division, the same advantages were met with in another. A small monthly subscription, if well managed, would soon procure the desired library, and keep up a supply of the most recent periodicals on medical subjects. Another great want that might readily be supplied, by "authority," is the deposit of medical records in the office of the Brigade Major, or Station Staff in each cantonment. It is often painful to read annual reports, in which six or eight medical men, in the same station, write at length on the topographical distribution of the barracks, the never failing latitude and lon gitude (often misquoted), and other information, which make the of
"
PROFESSIONAL
CO-OPERATION.
In
establishing a medical, or any other scientific journal, the necessarily look out for channels of supply, from which to satisfy the ever-craving appetite of the reading public. For our part, we have, in addition, the far higher necessity laid of fulfilling our earnest mission, which is to draw out on us the latent power of the Medical Services in India, and bring to the light of publication the valuable information which their daily duties so abundantly afford. Deeply and heartily do we, from personal experience, sympathize with the position of a young medical officer, on his first arrival in India. Like ourselves, he may be sent at once Editor must
do battle with disease
to
as
it occurs among
tutions, customs, diet, and prejudices He has to surmount these difficulties
strange language; and in
Bengal,
meu
are new
through
and
whose consti-
foreign
to him.
the medium of
a
without the aid of an inter-
Thus helpless, no wonder that some sink into the carelessof despair, and prefer other studies and seek for pleasure in other occupations and scenes, than in their hospitals or in re-
preter.
ness
lieving
the sick and
suffering.
Added to these
discouragements,
the young surgeon may be all alone in a station far removed from the assistance, advice, and sympathy of other medical men.
possibly no acquaintance with the medical officers of province, and, at present, has no means of knowing what their practice is in cases similar to those with which he has daily to struggle. He has no medical public, to the bar of which he can appeal for approval or condemnation of his theories or practice. He has
the
same
He suffers from the want of the often wholesome stimulus of
professional brethren, and also misses the cheering approbation of his best efforts. In the society he mixes with, he has carefully to repress the honest gladness of his heart over successful operations or practice, lest he should become a bore to his friends, who neither relish nor appreciate of his professional triumphs. any mention at least, of these difficulties and discouragements to A portion, rivalry
with
effects of their
professional
zeal and advancement is doubtless
in
our
own
hands, to mar cr to mend. "Wo can commence among ourselves a system of intercommunication, by which our professional knowledge may be generally extended. Our sympathising with each other may thus be cherished, and our information ou the progress and peculiarities of disease utilized. The service we owe to Government and India may thereby also be amplified and rendered more useful, while, as a consequence, our influence in the country will be more readily acknowledged and respected.
shelves of the office in Calcutta groan under the
reams
wasted in
some
repeating the oft-told tale, through,
in
of paper
instances, a century of annual reports. A medical officer, on arriving in a cantonment, should have an opportunity of consulting the experience of former years. He would see from the records at what seasons he is likely to have an increase of sickness?what class of surgical cases he is most likely to be supplied with from the district?what evils, in the situation of the cantonments, or nuisances have to be combated; and gain information about the sanitary condition of the neighbouring towns or districts. All this, and much more that he might learn, would give him a of the station and in the treatment of power in the management disease, such as he now has, probably, just as he leaves one sta-
begin observations in another. He priety of avoiding the hackneyed subjects,
tion to
would see the protoo often dwelt
now
January i,
1866.]
PROFESSIONAL CO-OPEEATION.
mcdical reports, and fulfil the object these reports have on in principally in view, viz., the improvement and extension of cur knowledge of disease, and its successful treatment. The Sanitary Commission would no doubt he thankful for an arrangement of the sort, and in time, might give us a printed resume of the general information thus collected. "We are not sanguine enough to suppose that we should be supplied with all the valuable information thus collected in different parts of the country. We are confident, however, of this, that the impetus such measures would give to medical observation, and literature, must certainly supply abundant grist to our mill,?-far more than is at present available. We heartily trust that Inspectors of Hospitals will lend their willing aid in encouraging this earnest appeal to the Service, to unite in giving, and receiving, the rich fruits cf personal experience, so abundantly gathered day by day in India. The people among whom we dwell would be immeasurably benefitted thereby, while the Government we serve would have its hands strengthened for good.
Sfe
[January 1,
1SGG.
"What but this want of
fttllw ?Mfal HaMte.
intercommunication, and consequent country, causes Government to be bewildered by the opposing opinions of medical officers on sanitary questions. They are obliged to form these opinions on their own limited personal observation, and frequently come to conclusions fatal to their own reputation, and deeply injurious to Government and its civil and military servants. Eecent instances of ill-founded suggestions would be startling if made public, and laughable too, if the subject was not one of vital importance to our fellow men. Of equal consequence also to the successful treatment of disease, is a knowledge of the experience absence of information in this
It is particularly requested that all contributions to the " Indian Medical Gazette" may be written as legibly as possible, and only on one side of each sheet of paper.
Technical expressions ought to be so distinct that no possible mistake can be made in printing them. Neglect of these simple rules causes much trouble. Communications should be forwarded as early in the month as possible, else delay must inevitably occur in their publication. Business letters to be forwarded to the Publishers; and all professional communications to the Editor, direct.
of others.
The difficulties connected with the recent appearance
typhoid fever in many parts of the country, is an example of this, which has cost life and anxiety to many. The organization of the Services in India renders a plan of ready intercommunication both simple and little expensive. If the medical officers in each division, under the superintendence of Deputy Inspectors General, were to form themselves into a medical society, the desired good would be at once initiated. Medical periodicals should be got out from home, and standard works be made available for reference, by having copies at the Sudder Station and circulated .as required. More especially, all the medical reports and cases which reach the Deputy Inspector's office, should be circulated in the division where they will be doubly interesting. Government might be asked to sanction this circulation of purely professional papers, &c., so that,' under the frank of medical officers, these should be carried free by the postoffice. The frequent removal of medical officers from one station to another, to suit the exigencies of the service, their having to accompany their regiments from Peshawur to Bhootan, and the other changes which their health or necessities require, all render it impossible for them to accumulate books of reference, magazines, or even papers. A central depot, from which books and magazines could be readily procured, would therefore be invaluable, particularly if, on leaving one division, the same advantages were met with in another. A small monthly subscription, if well managed, would soon procure the desired library, and keep up a supply of the most recent periodicals on medical subjects. Another great want that might readily be supplied, by "authority," is the deposit of medical records in the office of the Brigade Major, or Station Staff in each cantonment. It is often painful to read annual reports, in which six or eight medical men, in the same station, write at length on the topographical distribution of the barracks, the never failing latitude and lon gitude (often misquoted), and other information, which make the of
"
PROFESSIONAL
CO-OPERATION.
In
establishing a medical, or any other scientific journal, the necessarily look out for channels of supply, from which to satisfy the ever-craving appetite of the reading public. For our part, we have, in addition, the far higher necessity laid of fulfilling our earnest mission, which is to draw out on us the latent power of the Medical Services in India, and bring to the light of publication the valuable information which their daily duties so abundantly afford. Deeply and heartily do we, from personal experience, sympathize with the position of a young medical officer, on his first arrival in India. Like ourselves, he may be sent at once Editor must
do battle with disease
to
as
it occurs among
tutions, customs, diet, and prejudices He has to surmount these difficulties
strange language; and in
Bengal,
meu
are new
through
and
whose consti-
foreign
to him.
the medium of
a
without the aid of an inter-
Thus helpless, no wonder that some sink into the carelessof despair, and prefer other studies and seek for pleasure in other occupations and scenes, than in their hospitals or in re-
preter.
ness
lieving
the sick and
suffering.
Added to these
discouragements,
the young surgeon may be all alone in a station far removed from the assistance, advice, and sympathy of other medical men.
possibly no acquaintance with the medical officers of province, and, at present, has no means of knowing what their practice is in cases similar to those with which he has daily to struggle. He has no medical public, to the bar of which he can appeal for approval or condemnation of his theories or practice. He has
the
same
He suffers from the want of the often wholesome stimulus of
professional brethren, and also misses the cheering approbation of his best efforts. In the society he mixes with, he has carefully to repress the honest gladness of his heart over successful operations or practice, lest he should become a bore to his friends, who neither relish nor appreciate of his professional triumphs. any mention at least, of these difficulties and discouragements to A portion, rivalry
with
effects of their
professional
zeal and advancement is doubtless
in
our
own
hands, to mar cr to mend. "Wo can commence among ourselves a system of intercommunication, by which our professional knowledge may be generally extended. Our sympathising with each other may thus be cherished, and our information ou the progress and peculiarities of disease utilized. The service we owe to Government and India may thereby also be amplified and rendered more useful, while, as a consequence, our influence in the country will be more readily acknowledged and respected.
shelves of the office in Calcutta groan under the
reams
wasted in
some
repeating the oft-told tale, through,
in
of paper
instances, a century of annual reports. A medical officer, on arriving in a cantonment, should have an opportunity of consulting the experience of former years. He would see from the records at what seasons he is likely to have an increase of sickness?what class of surgical cases he is most likely to be supplied with from the district?what evils, in the situation of the cantonments, or nuisances have to be combated; and gain information about the sanitary condition of the neighbouring towns or districts. All this, and much more that he might learn, would give him a of the station and in the treatment of power in the management disease, such as he now has, probably, just as he leaves one sta-
begin observations in another. He priety of avoiding the hackneyed subjects,
tion to
would see the protoo often dwelt
now
January i,
1866.]
PROFESSIONAL CO-OPEEATION.
mcdical reports, and fulfil the object these reports have on in principally in view, viz., the improvement and extension of cur knowledge of disease, and its successful treatment. The Sanitary Commission would no doubt he thankful for an arrangement of the sort, and in time, might give us a printed resume of the general information thus collected. "We are not sanguine enough to suppose that we should be supplied with all the valuable information thus collected in different parts of the country. We are confident, however, of this, that the impetus such measures would give to medical observation, and literature, must certainly supply abundant grist to our mill,?-far more than is at present available. We heartily trust that Inspectors of Hospitals will lend their willing aid in encouraging this earnest appeal to the Service, to unite in giving, and receiving, the rich fruits cf personal experience, so abundantly gathered day by day in India. The people among whom we dwell would be immeasurably benefitted thereby, while the Government we serve would have its hands strengthened for good.
