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Dr. ATKINSON.--You see at home you have no paying wards such as we have in the Government Civil Hospital. At St. Thomas's, I believe Dr. EDMONDS, the Resident Surgeon, receives fees. At Ceylon it is the case, and I think it is in the Straits, but I am not quite sure of the latter. I do not mean that we should be allowed to visit patients in the Colony or to have a practice, but only to see those patients who come to the Hospital to consult us. There would never be more than two or three.
Mr. THURBURN.--That would be a different thing from having a private practice?
Dr. ATKINSON.--I do not think it would be advisable to allow private practice. We have had patients from the Coast Ports who, when we have refused to advise them, have come into the Hospital and paid the $4 fee for a first class patient or $2 for a second class patient. If these patients can afford to come down here, it is allowing them to get the medical advice at too low a fee. It takes one some time to gain acquaintance with tropical diseases, and if people choose to come down here to consult us why should not we be allowed to see them? I think there is quite enough work at the Hospital to prevent us from going into the town to practice.
THE PRESIDENT.-If private practice were merely confined to consultation work, it would be enough?
Dr. ATKINSON.-I do not think we could do that. We have the right at present to be called in consultation by another doctor:--the Colonial Surgeon and the Superin- tendent of the Civil Hospital.
Mr. MCCONACHIE.-Are you of opinion that the Medical Officer of Health for the Port should have private practice?
Dr. ATKINSON.--If you are to have only five medical officers in the Medical Depart- ment, I do not think it would be advisable.
THE PRESIDENT.-It is usual for the Health Officer of a port to have private practice amongst the shipping?
Dr. ATKINSON.-That is a large order here, because there is such a large amount of shipping.
THE PRESIDENT.-We were told by the Health Officer for the Port that it was not so large as it was twenty years ago, because all the large ships have their own officers?
Dr. ATKINSON.It might be considered by the Colonial Surgeon, and if it took up too much time it might be pointed out to the Government. If he had to do his own duties and those of the Gaol he might say that he had no time to do any other duties he might be called upon to perform.
Mr. THURBURN.-I think it would interfere with his general duties if he had a private practice, if he was wanted to do other work, say, to act as Assistant or Super- intendent of the Civil Hospital..
Dr. ATKINSON.----Quite so. He might say he had no time to take up the extra duty. If they found that it took up too much of his time the Government would have to indent for a new Medical Officer for the Department—that would mean having six men instead of five. The scheme I laid down was on the supposition that nearly all the time of the five officers would be devoted to Government work. What I have mentioned as an exception at the Hospital would not take up more than a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes a day. The Medical Officer affected is resident at the Hospital, the patients would go there, and it would not interfere with the discharge of his duties. Mr. MCCONACHIE.When I spoke of the Medical Officer of the Port, I meant the floating part of his duties; I mean being doctor to the different ships he visits. I did not mean the present Medical Officer of the Port who has a large private practice.