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real enough, and popularly called rheumatism ? Salicylates are not of
much use in treatment. It is I suppose a sort of disseminated
muscular rheumatism without physical signs, and is quite common.
Some of my panel patients find it quite useful. 1 treat with occasional
purgation with sodium sulphate, attention to pyorrhoea and warm
clothing.
COMMENT.
It is clear from these replies from my brother medical men in
practice (and one was written from a sick bed), that it would benefit the
nation if these able men eould work in "teams," and to a certain extent
in consultation centres. A focussing of intellect, experience and ability
and a combination of talents, what could this fail to do for humanity ?
One hears talk of a State Medical Service, and whosoever would discuss
this must walk warily and come armed with knowledge. Hut a few
years ago, within the ken of our senior practitioners, there were no
clinics, no tuberculosis dispensaries, no welfare centres and many
infectious diseases were treated at home. A man passed through the
university and acted as a house surgeon. He bought a practice. Fever
hospitals sprang up, clinics opened, maternity homes evolved and a new
generation of semi-State medical officers came into being. The older
doctors saw their living threatened, their sphere encroached upon and
they became suspicious and afraid. The more recently qualified man
has been educated contemporaneously with the clinics era : his purchased
practice has been acquired with full knowledge. The National
Insurance Act has helped him. What, then, of the future ? Whatever
be in store, it is to be hoped that individuality will not be sidetracked,
that ability and activity will not be discouraged. The time, however,
has surely come when " team " work must prevail. It is overdue.
Look at the K.A.M.C. work in the war. I am not suggesting this as a
model but as a very useful guide. There were, say, forty doctors in a
hospital. There were one or two experts in bacteriology and pathology,
two experts in eye work, some two outstanding men in surgery and two
in medicine, two dentists, an X-ray department, visiting consultants.
Some thirty doctors formed the backbone, the first line of attack upon
disease. This organised body of knowledge was good for the patient.
Good though our peace-time service is, it would seem that the time is
ripe for development, for " team " work and consultation centres. There
is a something awanting. There should be an annual overhaul of every
citizen ; he should not wait until he is ill. Look at the doctors' replies