322 MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE NATIVES. 



Bind them by law to practice under a qualified European physician 

 and surgeon, at a suitable salary, with a commission on the fees earned. 

 Compel the District Surgeon, by the same short law, to employ as many 

 as in the opinion of the Secretary of Native Affairs and the Magistrate of 

 the district are necessary. — R.M., Ladysmith. 



The Medical Council should be allowed by Government to employ 

 and supervise the necessary number of native medical supervisors, whose 

 duty it would be to travel around and inspect the working of the various 

 native medical practioners.- — R.M . 



If possible, every month, but at least every quarter, the practitioner 

 must come to the District Surgeon and bring him a report of the work 

 done, and give a look at his books to see how the patients were treated. 

 The pharmaceutical stock might also be under the supervision of the 

 District Surgeon. — Rev. C. G. A. Kohl, Potchcfstroom. 



Employ a method similar to that in schools. The District Surgeon 

 or Magistrate (medical knowledge not being necessary) to be the grantee, 

 and another officer (with medical knowledge) to act in the place of an 

 inspector. — Rez'. C. U. Faye, Entumeni. 



(Question 5. 



Will native assistant surgeons compete with European 

 doctors in so ifar as European practice is concerned? 



This question will only affect the remoter districts where 

 medical attention of any kind is difficult to obtain. 



Much. Eair aiTiount. .\ very little. Not at all. 



Magistrates — ^3 7 14 



Missionaries — — 28 IC 



Pertinent opinions are : — 



I should say not. Cases where that might iiappcn would not be 

 those in which the District Surgeon could have any possible mterest. — 

 R.M., Nongoma. 



I think probably some low-class Europeans would — but very few ; 

 and I would suggest that the native surgeons' licences confine them to 

 practise among natives. — R.M., Ladysmith 



Yes : in cases of emergency. In other cases, scarcely. He would be 

 a poor white doctor who cannot hold his own against a native. — Rev. A. R. 

 Kemfe, Dundee. 



It seems clear that ii natives are given a proper medical education, 

 and are allowed to practise) one will have to risk their being employed by 

 ordinar.v white men in extraordinary cases, and by extraordinary \^-hite 

 men perhaps habitually. — Rev. H. J. S. Astnip. 



Conclusion. — It seems likely that the native assistant sur- 

 geons will occasionally be consulted by Europeans unless this. 



The questionnaire establishes the following general conclusion : 

 There is an undoubted need for further provision for the medical 

 needs of the natives. To meet this need it is desirable to train a 

 body of natives as medical men. These men should practise 

 among their oz<ni people under the supervision of a European 

 medical man. Slowly but surely the natives would support these 

 native doctors, zvho might also at times be consulted by Euro- 

 peans of the lozver class. 



