March, 1960 P H Y S I G i n c i \ « r i r a g e j A Foundation Member’s recollections of the Earliest Days of our Society By A N N E H O D G E S . WH E N E V E R a tte n d in g a m eeting, I am im pressed by th e size a n d im p o rta n c e th a t has been a tta in e d b y th e S o u th A frica n Society o f P h y sio th e rap y . H a v in g helped to lay d ow n the fo u n d a tio n , m ay I be allow ed to express p rid e in having tak e n a h a n d in the b u ilding o f th is fine o rg a n isatio n . T h e re is a te d io u s ten d en cy fo r pioneers to becom e rem iniscent, b u t 1 am h o p in g th a t m em bers will be interested in re ad in g so m e th in g o f th e S ociety’s first days. I shall to u c h o n ly on those activities w ith w hich I w as so closely associated. W h en m y c a re e r began, th ere w as no Society in S o u th A frica a tte n d in g to the interests o f o u r p rofession. I t was f u r t h e r fru stra tin g , w h en in try in g to c rea te a pra ctic e , to find o n e se lf c o n sta n tly in c o m p e titio n w ith p e o p le w h o had n o recognised q u a lifications. E ventually, I lea rn t to accept these co n d itio n s as n a tu ra l h a za rd s. P e rh a p s [ w as to o y o u n g a t th e tim e, a n d c ertain ly to o unw ise to know th a t th ere w as an y th in g th a t co u ld be d o n e a b o u t it. F o r the tim e being, if e n o u g h w o rk w as fo rth co m in g , th a t w as all th a t m attere d . T h e n , “ o u t o f the b lu e " , [ h ad a call fro m M iss Jennings. She h e rse lf was in pra ctic e in C a p e T ow n, b ut u n til then, I had n o t m et her. W ith very g reat urgency, she drew m y a tte n tio n t o the fact th a t unless a n o rg a n isa tio n was fo rm ed w hich co u ld ta k e a ctive m easures im m ediately, the M edical Bill w ould m a k e its passage th ro u g h P a rlia m en t w ith o u t a n y reference w h a tso e v er to o u r p rofession. She p o in te d o u t also, th a t if this w ere to h a p p en , it w ould b e very m any y e ars b e fo re w e w o uld be a b le to afford to c arry a n y such m ea su re ourselves. H o w rig h t sh e was. T h is Bill w as designed to ensure th e p ro p e r s ta tu s o f the M edical, D e n tal, P h a rm a c y a n d N u rs in g professions. T h e p e rio d w as som etim e in th e 1920’s. W e th e n m ad e c o n ta c ts w ith p ro p e rly tra in e d persons. A Society w as p ro m p tly c rea te d a n d a C o n stitu tio n d ra fte d . F irs t th in g s first, a n d th e m a in o b je c t w as in clu sio n in th e M edical Bill. T h in k in g back, I w o n d e r how we d a re d to be so o p tim istic. O u r difficulties w ere endless. T h e g reatest p e rh a p s o u r tin y m em b ersh ip , a lso th a t o u r p ro fessio n was n o t very generally u n d e rsto o d . B ut w e w ere n o t lacking in Je term in atio n a n d c o u ra g e . A fte r m uch re b u ff a n d som e triu m p h , we a t last reach ed the first stage o f o u r goal w hen on th a t (to us) e x citing day, A d v o c a te A lexander, M .P. a ddressed P a rlia m e n t o n o u r behalf. A t a b o u t this tim e, th is newly form ed Society h eard th a t a sim ila r one h a d been fo rm ed in Jo h a n n e s b u rg a nd h ad re cru ite d m em bers in N a ta l as well as som e in C a p e T ow n. F o r a n a lre a d y sm all b o d y o f people, this p o sitio n seem ed indeed u n fo rtu n a te . P h y s io th e ra p y in its tru e form w as ra th e r new on the S o u th A frican scene a n d obviously, th e re h ad n o t yet been th e c h an c e fo r its p ra c titio n e rs to g et to g eth e r to form a pro fessio n al society. N ew s o f the M edical Bill p re cip ita te d this, to the e xtent th a t tw o societies u n k n o w n to each o th e r, w ere fo rm ed . T h e re w as n e ith e r tim e n o r o p p o rtu n ity to sy nchronise th e in d ividual efforts o f b o th bodies, w h o a lth o u g h w ith different a p p ro ac h es, h ad th e sam e objectives. In fact, it to o k a su rprisingly long tim e to a m a lg a m a te these tw o societies, th e re being w h a t seem ed, u n su rm o u n ta b le obstacles. W h a te v e r th e re aso n , it w as the Society form ed a t the C a p e, th a t A u th o rity c h o se to invite to P a rlia m e n t a n d to be h eard in Select C o m m itte e . M iss Jennings, M iss W erge a n d m yself (then M iss D re e b in ) had the h o n o u r to re present o u r Society a n d given the o p p o rtu n ity to sta te o u r case. O u r aim was C o m p u ls o ry R e g istra tio n . W e fo u n d ourselves u p a g ain st stiff o p p o sitio n because o f sy m p a th y fo r “ Vested In te re sts” . W e discovered th is to be a term a p p lie d to those p e ople w h o a lth o u g h w ith o u t recognised qu a lifica tio n s, had been recognised fo r m an y y ears as “ M a sseu rs” a n d w hose livelihood c o u ld su d d e n ly be denied them . T h e o th e r p rofessions c o n ce rn ed in the M edical Bill, being old ones a n d a lre a d y largely pro tec te d by a fo rm er M edical Bill, w ere q u ite differently situ ate d . B ut we o b ta in e d O p tional R e g istra tio n , a s ta rt o n w hich w e h oped a t som e la te r stage, progress w o uld b e m ade. I have d e alt o nly very fleetingly w ith o u r o b session— T h e M edical Bill— b u t even a fte r all these y e ars, I can s:ill vividly recall th o se interview s w ith th e H ig h -u p s (the h e art p a lp ita tio n s a n d d isa p p o in tm e n ts e ntailed), the P a rlia m e n ta ry lobbying, etc., a ll very h a rassin g to o u r h a n d fu l o f w orkers so u tte rly u n u se d to such dealings. T h e a m a lg a m a tio n o f th e tw o societies becam e an e stablished fact. T h ere w ere the fu n d a m e n ta l a n d varied th ings to do. I t w as still a very sm all a sso c iatio n a n d it was vital to g ain a solid fo o th o ld in th e m edical w orld. A m o n g st o th e r things, a jo u rn a l w as co n sid ere d a necessity a n d w as discussed very fu lly a t a C onference. E v eryone th o u g h t it a splendid b u t e x tra v a g a n t idea. W here w as the m a in te n a n c e m oney c o m in g fro m ? W ho h a d tim e to u n d e rta k e th e e d ito rs h ip ? By now , I h a d given u p practice, so p re su m ab ly h a d the tim e and w as th ere fo r th e n a tu ra l selection. R a th e r th a n let th e p roject fall th ro u g h , I agreed to a ccep t this d u ty k n o w in g full well th a t I w ould fall very s h o rt o f w h a t a d e sirab le e d ito r s h o u ld be, since w riting is n o t m y fa v o u rite o c c u p a tio n . A lso, a lth o u g h I did have the tim e, it w as n o t the rig h t s o rt o f tim e , fo r m y new w ay o f life m ea n t m uch travelling b o th a t hom e an$l a b ro a d . L ike a p a p e r chase, p rin te rs’ copies follow ed m e all over th e place. Betw een his m a n y business duties, m y h u sb a n d acted as p r o o f reader. F u n d ra isin g fo r th e u p -keep o f th e J o u rn a l w as th e biggest pro b lem . O u r m em b e rsh ip being still p a th e tic ally sm all, we c o uld n o t a ttr a c t local ad v ertisers to a n y extent a n d a n y h o w , th e re w ere n o t m an y su ita b le o nes in existence th e n in th is c o u n try . W ith such a sm all m em b ersh ip , the s o c iety ’s incom e w as n a tu ra lly a ls o sm all. T h e allow ance fro m h e a d q u a rte rs to the J o u r n a l’s coffers c o u ld only be b u t m eagre. M iss H e n d e rs o n , a T ra n sv a a l m em b e r, m ad e a gen ero u s d o n a tio n . B ut o f course, we needed m uch m ore m oney. H a v in g a tte m p te d o n e h u rd le to w a rd s th e M edical Bill, I w as in fine form fo r a tte m p tin g a n o th e r in th e effort to e stablish a J o u rn a l. M y y o u n g b r o th e r m ost o p p o rtu n e ly h a d decided to tak e a n ad v ertisin g a p p ren tic e sh ip in L o n d o n . A fte r som e sisterly p e rsu asio n , he called on v a rio u s m edical- electrical firm s th ere o n o u r behalf. T h e re su lt w as so successful th a t w e w ere a b le w ith th e to ta l fu n d s (which included sm all m o n e ta ry gifts to th e J o u rn a l fro m the bra n ch e s), to k eep going fo r fo u r years. D u rin g th e w hole o f this tim e, I acted as e d ito r a n d in fact, did all th e chores in c o n n e c tio n w ith the J o u rn a l, fo r d u rin g th a t tim e th e re was n o c o m m itte e . A fte r th at, regretfully, I h a d to resign from th is office, w hich I h ad c om e to re g ard very a ffectio n ately as well as all m y o th e r activities fo r the Society. T h e a m o u n t o f trav e llin g involved, m a d e it q u ite im possible fo r m e to c o n tin u e this w ork. H ow ever, it is p lea sa n t to relate th a t these trav els had u n w ittin g ly served som e little useful p u rp o s e to th e Society, in th a t it en ab led m e to call on m em b e rs then so w idely sc a tte re d , t o o b ta in a n d give new s. A lso, I co u ld call on p o ten tial m em bers a n d in th is w ay, a few m uch needed ones w ere a d d e d . A t th a t tim e, th e Society h a d o n ly th ree (continued on page U ). R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) March, 1960 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y STUDENTS COLUMN Page 11 W IT W A T E R S R A N D U N IV E R S IT Y . F in a l E xam ination B .Sc. Physiotherapy, 1959. M iss L. M . B jo rk m a n , M iss D . J. D u n s d o n , M iss P. H . D w yer, M iss M . A . H ow ie, M iss Y . R . H u d d le , M iss J. M . Jeffrey, M iss B. A . J. L iebenberg, M iss H . F . Lyle, M iss H . J. Steens. F inal E xam ination D iplom a o f Physiotherapy E ducation. M iss V. C o c h ra n e ; M iss C rew e-B row n. W ith e r W its. W e w ould like to c o n g ra tu la te the successful g ra d u a te s w ho passed the final B.Sc. P h y s io th e ra p y e x a m in a tio n in N o v e m b er, J959. N ew s o f these girls is th a t L ena B jo rk m a n we h e a r is engaged to be m arried a n d plan s her w edding in th e n e ar fu tu re . She is a t present on th e sta ff o f the B o k sb u rg - B enoni H o sp ita l. D elyse D u n s d o n a nd J o a n Jeffrey have po sts at th e G en eral H o s p ita l, J o h a n n e sb u rg a n d P a t D w y er a nd Y v o n n e H u d d le a re a t B a ra g w a n a th . M a rg a re t H o w ie w as m arried a t the end o f J a n u a ry and we u n d e rsta n d is to jo in the “ V a u g h an G a v in P e tte rs o n ” firm in Jo h a n n e sb u rg . H e len Steens now engaged has g one to th e C a p e a n d is w o rking a t th e C a rl B re m m e r H o s p ita l. J o y L iebenberg h a s re tu rn e d to her h o m e to w n B ulaw ayo and H elen Lyle has a n a p p o in tm e n t on th e sta ff a t th e F a r E ast R a n d H o sp ita l. “ W its” w ishes th em all goo d lu ck fo r th e fu tu re. S tudent News: W e sta rt the new y ear w ith 16 stu d e n ts in F in a l Y e ar a nd 20 stu d e n ts in T h ird Y ear. O u r first F in a l E x a m in a tio n s fo r the te a c h e r’s c o u rse is being held early in F e b ru a ry , 1960. T he W its S taff h a d a su rp rise visit fro m M o y ra K e m p (O dgers J953). She w as on a six weeks visit to J o h a n n e sb u rg in co m p a n y w ith her h u sb a n d . She to ld us she is w o rking fulJ-tim e a t th e P a rk R oyal In firm a ry in C ardiff. She had news fo r M rs. T a y lo r o f a ll h e r old frien d s on th e teaching sta ff there. She a lso gave us the news o f the a rriv a l o f C h risto p h e r, son o f M a rily n D a v ie s (nee H o w e) w ho is a n ear n eig h b o u r o f M o y ra ’s in C ardiff. Virginia A sh b u ry w rites to tell us she is no w in C a n a d a gaining valu a b le experience a n d sends goo d w ishes to all her frien d s a n d colleagues in the U n io n . W e send o u r greetings to th o se g ra d u a te s (nam ely) iP a m D enny, M a u re e n P u rv is a n d R o se m ary M c R a e w ho fare sh o rtly to visit E u ro p e a n d wish them “ G o o d L u ck ” . (C ontinued fr o m P age 3) bra n ch e s: T ra n sv a a l, C a p e a n d N a ta l. T h e O ra n g e F re e S ta te was o nce num erica lly to o sm all to fo rm a B ran ch and m em bers th ere o nce classified as e x -te rrito rial. H o w w o n d e r­ ful a nd a lm ost u n b elievable to m e it seems, th a t now ad ay s there a re so m any b ranches. H o w g ratifying th a t P h y sio ­ th era p y h as gained its d ue recognition. W o rk in g fo r th e Society m ea n t fo r m e, an asso c iatio n with the boundlessly e n th u sia stic, the late A lec K irstein. A lso w ith the late M iss G la d y s T ro u g h to n , w ith o u t whose immense perso n ality , I som etim es felt th a t the A sso c ia tio n might n o t have m ad e th e g ra d e in the sp lendid m an n e r 11 did. T hey w ere tw o u n fo rg e tta b le p e ople a nd m y life was all th e richer fo r k n o w ing them . T h ey w orked fo r th e society fro m its in ce p tio n u n til th e end o f th eir days. T h e re were other s to u t h e arted pe rso n alitie s w ho gave inv alu a b le service and with w hom it has been m y privilege to be associated. In conclusion, I w ould like to c o n g ra tu la te you on the new look y ou have given to th e old Society a n d fro m the Dottom o f m y h e art, I h ope th a t it m ay c o n tin u e from strength to strength. S ta ff New s: T he stu d e n ts a n d sta ff are all h a p p y to w elcom e M rs C a ro l C u n n in g h a m b a ck in th eir m idst. S h e has agreed to help us o u t tw ice a w eek a n d is back a s u sual on the w ards. P R E T O R IA H O S P IT A L S C H O O L O F P H Y S IO T H E R A P Y . School News. E xam ination R esults: I.s7 Year. F ifteen stu d e n ts w ere successful in the 1st y e a r D ip lo m a E x am in atio n s, fo u r gained distin c tio n s in A n a to m y ; K een, B. G .; K n o x , N . L . ; M aneschw itz, A .; S c h u len b u rg ’ E. M ., a n d seven d istin c tio n s in P h y sio lo g y : C a m p b e ll, J.-’ de K le rk , M . W .; F e rre ira , M . J. M .; K een, B. G .; K n o x ’ N . L .; M itchell, M. J. S .; S c hulenburg, E. M . 2 nd Year. Sixteen stu d e n ts were successful in the 2nd y e a r D ip lo m a E x am in atio n s. O ne gained a d istin c tio n in K in e sio lo g y : C oetzee, J. A .; a n d th re e gained d istin c tio n s in P ath o lo g y , R o b e rts , E. J. R .; Schw eickerdt, M . M .; T e n s in g , E . D . F inal Year. N in e te en stu d e n ts w ere successful in th e 3rd y ear F in a l D ip lo m a E xam inations. M iss J. E. L aw ra n c e a n d M iss M . R . C o u sin s gained a second class pass a n d M iss J. E . L aw rance a d istin c tio n in P ath o lo g y . Second C lass (in o rd e r o f m erit) : L aw ra n c e, J. E .; C o u sin s, M . R . T hird C lass (in a lp h a b etica l o rd e r) : B lake, P. F .; B o o m k a m p , M .; D o u g la s, C . E .; du Preez G .; E llw ood, M . A .; G ib b s, D . A .; G lick , T .; G ro b le r’ E. H . ; H a lla m , B. M . ; H u m p h ris, N . M . ; M u ld e r, H . B ■ P ie n aa r, E .; S lo m an , R . R .; v a n W yk, M . J .; W elsh ’ J. M .; W o o d , J. R .; W ulfes, M . D .; R e d m a n , W.’ T h e p re se n ta tio n o f D ip lo m a C ertificates will tak e place in th e S chool H a ll a t 2 p.m . on F rid a y , F e b ru a ry 19th, 1960. D r. H . J. H u g o , D ire c to r o f H o s p ita l Services will tak e the c h a ir a n d the G u e st S p e a k er will be M iss J. B lair, M .C .S .P ., S enior L ecturer, P h y sio th e ra p y D e p a rtm e n t’ W itw a tersra n d U niversity. All old stu d e n ts o f th e P re to ria H o s p ita l School o f P h y sio th e rap y a re welcome. S taff: T he School is delighted to w elcom e b a ck on the staff, M iss B. W inter, M .C .S .P ., w ho has re cently re tu rn e d from E ngland, w here she h as been w o rk in g a t St. T h o m a s ’ H o sp ita l, L ondon. W e offer her o u r c o n g ra tu la tio n s on gain in g the T e a c h e r’s C ertificate o f th e C h a rte re d Society o f P h y sio th e ra p y o f G re a t B rita in . T he S chool is m issing th e help o f M iss E. M . M eredith M .C .S .P ., w ho left a t the end o f th e year a nd is re tu rn in g to E n gland in M a rc h , we wish her ‘Bon V oyage’. M iss M . R oper, M .C .S .P .: T h e S chool w as very pleased to w elcom e M iss R o p e r the P rin c ip a l o f th e S chool o f P h y sio th e rap y , C a p e Town! w hen she w as u p here fo r the N o v e m b e r e x am in atio n s. She very k indly gave a sh o rt ta lk to th e second year stu d e n ts a n d e n c o u ra g ed th em to w o rk h a rd d u rin g their years o f training. O ld S tudents: M iss B o d o a n o , Principal o f th e P h y sio th e rap y School w ould be g rateful if all old stu d e n ts w ould send in their nam es a n d p resent addresses so th a t a n ‘O ld S tu d e n ts’ A sso c ia tio n c a n be form ed. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )