Natives As Medical Men
pp. 63-64 · Read in the full issue
Good Work in Polynesia
FEW publications of more fascinating interest come into this office than the journal of the Central Medical School, Suva, where are trained the native medical practitioners of Fiji and the neighbouring groups. The journal consists, for the most part, of articles written by the native medical practi tioners themselves, and edited by Dr. Hood less. One notes not only the technical skill that has been developed by these young educated native men in their four years’ training, but also the clarity with which they describe their experiments and results, and express their views.
In this issue of the “Native Medical Practitioner”, (No. 1 of Vol 3) there are articles on the following subjects:—
The best method of attacking the prob lem of tuberculosis among the native peoples of Fiji, discussed by N. M. P.
Baravilala.
Observations on the health conditions of the people of Penrhyn Island, by N.M.P. John Numa. This young practi tioner notes some curiously interesting things, based on the fact that about 30 per cent, of this population have con tracted leprosy during successive periods extending over 60 years.
The use of coconut fibres as ligatures is described by N.M.P. Okesene—a young Samoan who discovered for himself that coconut fibres, properly prepared and used for sewing up wounds, are better than catgut, insomuch that they cause less infection.
In another article, N.M.P. Tatoa Naou describes in detail a very complicated operation which he and another native
medical practitioner performed on a man in Ihe Ellice Islands, who was in a very bad way, as the result of Filariasis—or, in other words, an Elephantiasis growth.
Medical work in the villages in West ern Samoa is described by NJVI.P. Faatiga.
All this skill has been developed, and all this splendid medical work is being done among the native peoples of the South Seas, because of the existence in Suva of the Central Medical School — which is maintained partly by the Gov ernment of Fiji and partly by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.