Page 2 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y June, 1962

E D I T O R I A L
O U R  VISITORS

The importance o f bringing specialist physio­
therapy teachers to this country had been realized 
for sometime; in particular som eone w ho was an 
expert in Proprioceptive Neuro-muscular Facilita­
tion. So it was that a small voice on a dark N ovem ­
ber evening in London in 1960 led to Miss D ena 
Gardiner com ing to South Africa under the aus­
pices o f the South African Society o f Physiotherapy.

A lso from London is Miss Doreen Allen who is 
in Pretoria for six months.

The visit o f  these two experts is a wonderful 
opportunity for this country. Seldom do we have 
the benefit and stimulation o f visitors o f  this 
calibre and we extend to them both a m ost sincere 
welcome.

M iss Dena. Gardiner, F.C.S.P., a teacher o f  
physiotherapy and author o f  a standard textbook, 
used by students in this country, “ resigned” last 
year to specialize in Proprioceptive N euro­
muscular Facilitation. She has had great experi­
ence in Rehabilitation and has recently spent two 
long periods in the U .S .A . studying the technique 
o f P .N .F ., and we are now  more than fortunate, in 
having her with us conducting courses throughout 
the country. Her delightful personality has made 
friends for her wherever she goes, and as an 
ambassador for physiotherapy she is doing great 
work.

M iss D oreen Allen, S .R .N ., M .C.S.P. is Physio- 
therapist-in-charge o f  the Cerebral Palsy U nit, St. 
T hom as’ Hospital, London, During her six months 
appointment at the Pretoria Cerebral Palsy School, 
we are again m ost fortunate in having her with us, 
as she has kindly consented to give various lectures 
and a post-graduate course on her methods o f  
treating cerebral palsy. She embraces various 
various techniques such as the Bobarth M ethod,

P .N .F . and the Delorm e M ethod o f  resistance 
exercises in her work.

G one are the days when members o f  our pro­
fession were expected to give massage and a little 
heat when treating any case sent to them. N o w  a 
physiotherapist must have a working knowledge o f 
many techniques and the use o f a variety o f 
machines and apparatus. The concept o f  physio­
therapy is changing and each field is narrowing 
down making specialization vitally important. After 
a good all-round basic training in school and then/* 
in general practice at a hospital or private practice^ 
we find physiotherapists settling down to their 
chosen branch o f  the profession and specializing 
in one particular branch.

Here we now have two experts in our midst, who 
have vast experience, and are willing and pre­
pared to share their knowledge with us.

T o maintain the standard in South Africa it is so 
essential that we, as practising physiotherapists have 
the opportunity o f seeing and hearing what is 
going on in other countries. Techniques and 
methods are being developed, experience is being 
gained in many spheres overseas, and to help us to 
keep apace we must make very effort to bring to 
our country, experts in their own fields in a variety 
o f branches o f  our profession. By inviting experi­
enced physiotherapists to South Africa, we can 
introduce new ideas to the whole country, giving 
all members o f  our profession the chance o f 
learning first hand for themselves what is otherwise 
only available second-hand or at great personal 
expense by visits abroad. ^

M ay Miss D ena Gardiner and M iss Doreen 
Allen prove to be the advance guard o f  many 
future visiting specialist physiotherapists whom  we 
will be privileged to have in South Africa.

Cont ent s
Page

The Psychological Approach to Patients—Ingeborg S c h r o e d I ............................................................................  3
The Introduction and Establishment of Physical Therapy S e r v i c e s ................................................................ 6
General . .  ®
Branch News .......................................  .......................................
Students’ Column .......................................  ...........................  .......................................
Book Review ........................... ................................................................  ...........................  ^
Vacancies ........................... ......................................................................................... ^

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