December, 1958. P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y Page 3 C ^ o n t e n t i : Editorial ....................................................................................................................................................... ...Page 3 The role o f the Physiotherapist in the Treatment o f Trauma ........................................................Page 4 World Confederation for Physical Therapy .............................................................................................Page 8 “Time Marches on” (to be continued) .............................................................................................Page 10 General ...................................................................................................... ...........................................Page 12 Branch News ........................................................................................................................................... ...Page 14 Book Reviews ........................................................................................................................................... ...Page 16 Vacancies ....................................................................................................................................................... ...Back Cover E D IT O R IA L ELSEW HERE in this issue will be found the new Transvaal Hospitals scale o f salaries for both male and female physiotherapists. In these modern days, when wom en and men are working together on the same projects in more and more fields, it seems strange that physiothera­ pists have to be shown discrimination. Equal pay for equal work! M ale physiotherapists, whether they have a wife and six children to keep, or live comfortably as bachelors, are apparently worth more to the Province. The cost o f living, at one time granted to these fortunate beings, has now been taken away; instead a substantial basic rise has been granted. What o f the widowed physiotherapists with a small family to support? W hat has she done to deserve kthis treatment, and why hasn’t her case been 'considered ? In many walks o f life a man can demand a higher salary than a woman, but surely in pro­ fessional spheres where exactly the same work is expected, one can expect the same pay. On the other hand, comparing the local salary scale with that o f an overseas society, we can appreciate how fortunate we are, whether male or female. The Transvaal Hospitals scale starts the junior physiotherapist at the same level, but rises fairly rapidly to heights undreamed o f by their seniors overseas. Nevertheless, these physiothera­ pists are worth the same to their employers, who make no discrimination between sexes. People who trained twenty years ago were grateful to work for half the salary o f a present day newly qualified physiotherapist. M any o f them returned to their home towns, to face an uphill battle to find employment or recognition from their local doctors. N o w the demand is greater than the supply; and what very varied work presents itself for everyone. The year 1958 is drawing to a close and we are all looking to 1959 and what may be in store for us in the forthcoming months. In September 1959, the International Congress o f the World Confederation is to be held in Paris. This is an important and wonderful event. Founded in 1951 the World Confederation o f Physical Therapists has already w on world recog­ nition and physiotherapists, through this C on­ federation, are represented on many world-wide organisations. The International Society for the Welfare o f Cripples is one o f these; also World Health Organisation (W .H .O .), reference to which is made under extracts from Bulletin N o. 14 o f W .C.P.T. in this Journal. Through W .C.P.T. we gain many advantages, material and otherwise. Guidance is offered for training, registration requirements, working con ­ ditions, etc., in other countries, also through congresses where physiotherapists from all over the world get together to discuss each others ideas and thus widen each others outlook. Over and above all this is the fact that physiotherapy the world over has been recognised as an important link in many organisations dealing with inter­ nationally important health problems. The Editorial Committee w ould like to take this opportunity o f wishing all their many colleagues here in South Africa and overseas the compliments o f the season. G O O D L U C K TO Y O U A L L IN 1959! 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. )