208 TRINIDAD. 



constituted department, organised with the object of affording 

 medical assistance to the poor in the rural districts, and securing 

 effective attendance to the indentured immigrants. It consists 

 of a surgeon-general and twenty- four Government medical 

 officers. The medical staff of the Colonial Hospital consists of 

 a resident-surgeon and three assistant-surgeons. To the San 

 Fernando Hospital there is only one resident-surgeon attached ; 

 there should be at least one assistant. There is also to each 

 hospital a consulting surgeon. 



I must say that, to my view, the present arrangement is 

 open to serious objections. In general, the house-surgeon and 

 his assistants are young men, some fresh from the medical 

 schools, more or less ignorant of the diseases of the country, an( 

 quite inexperienced in their treatment. They may be clever an( 

 willing, and good operators ; but they have not yet acquired thai 

 experience which is gained only by several years' practice. Ii 

 my opinion there should be appointed to each hospital a visiting- 

 surgeon and a visiting-physician, who have been some years ii 

 the island, and who would have the greatest share of responsi- 

 bility, and a sufficient number of resident surgeons and physi- 

 cians, who would act under the control and direction of the 

 visiting practitioners. All young men coming to the colonj 

 should, before obtaining employment under the Governmenl 

 pass through the colonial hospitals. Many appointments are 

 only temporary, and the district medical officers may be remove 

 at will. My objection to this is, that the medical officer cannot 

 take an interest in the district to which he is temporarily ap- 

 pointed, nor has he the opportunity of becoming acquainted with 

 the people he is called to serve. As a rule, all appointments 

 should be made permanent, unless the occupant asks for a change 

 in case of any vacancy. 



The district medical officers are expected to attend at certain 

 places, on regular days and hours, to prescribe for persons apply- 

 ing for medical advice — a very humane provision. 



Paupers producing a certificate of pauperism from the 

 warden or assistant-warden of the district are prescribed for 

 gratuitously, and the medicines ordered furnished free of 

 charge. 



Applicants producing a certificate of poverty, signed by a 

 burgess or a respectable ratepayer, are prescribed for on pre- 



