Intergovernmental conference of Far-Eastern countries on rural hygiene : preparatory papers : national reports : report of Siam.

Date:
1937
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Intergovernmental conference of Far-Eastern countries on rural hygiene : preparatory papers : national reports : report of Siam. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ae TO work done. Vaccination is, for example, quite effectively done in rural districts at very low cost to the country by means of these commune officers. The principle of division of labour as applied to preventive and curative medicine has proved to be sound in this age of specialisation and mass production. But sucha principle assumes that there are adequate competent services in both branches of work, that the public fully appreciates the benefits from those services and that there is an active demand for them. In Siam, modern medicine 1s little known in rural areas and the people are still sceptical of its benefits, even when these are demonstrated to them. The expense of modern curative medicine is also an obstacle to its extensive appreciation by people of a low economic standard, such as are usually found in rural areas. Thus it will be seen that, not only is the demand for modern medicine lacking, but that such demand as exists is ineffective. With this background, public health education is faced with a great obstacle. The science of public health can only advance by the art of curative medicine. It is therefore considered that, in this country, both preventive and curative medicine should go hand in hand and be under a single central control. Although the public health officers may aim at health work as the more important part of their duty, they can drive home public health doctrines effectively only by demonstration of the superior etficacy of modern medicine in comparison with the usual cures locally offered. The people are in need of medical service, so by promoting curative medicine the advance of public health will be greatly facilitated. In order to draw up definite plans as part of a national programme of public health work, the Government has appointed a committee for studying schemes of health and medical service. The members of this committee consist of public health and medical experts, together with representatives of the Red Cross, the Army Medical Service, the Ministry of Public Instruction and the Department of Public and Municipal Works. Amongst the many schemes under deliberation there is a report on rural hygiene, which has received the approval of the Government. As this programme will illustrate the ultimate aim of health
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