januarŷ J951 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y Page One The Future o f Physiotherapy in South Africa. A c c o r d in g to inform ation we have received, during the last few m onths Dr. E. B. W oolf has im ported between tw enty and thirty masseuses from Germany. e term masseuses is used because we understand they are not qualified in Electro-therapy. But since arriving in this country they have had a few w eeks’ training in Electrical treatments and som e of them have already been posted to hospitals in sole charge of departments where there are no Registered Physio­ th e r a p ists to supervise the physiotherapy treatments they have to carry out. As it was pointed out in the last journal the short­ age of Physiotherapists is largely due to the inade­ quate salaries paid by the Provincial Administration. Now it is not on ly this problem w hich.causes a lack of attraction for students to train as Physiotherapists but also the knowledge that the Provincial Adminis­ tration are em ploying inadequately qualified people. This is a very serious deterrent to our profession and w ould not be allowed in any other profession. If it is considered b y the Physical M edicine Special­ ists w ho have trained these Germans in Electro­ therapy, that they are com petent to treat patients, then they should take their Electro-therapy examina­ tions in the same w ay as th ey would have to in Britain and elsewhere. Even after four years’ training no student is allowed to practise until she has passed all her examinations but these people w ho require prelim inary training in Electro-therapy are given re­ sponsible posts after on ly a few w eeks’ tuition. It is inevitable that if these people are allowed to practise without the necessary qualifications that the standard of Physiotherapy is going to be lowered. OBITUARY CAROLINE GLADYS TROUGHTON IT was with a feeling o f profound regret that we learnt of the death on 4th December, 1950, of a revered friend and co-w orker — Caroline Gladys Troughton. Born in Estcourt, Natal, she qualified as a teacher in Medical Gymnastics and Medical Elec­ tricity at the Swedish Institute, London. On com ple­ tion of her studies she was appointed to the teaching staff of the Institute. During the 1914-1918 W ar, she gained valuable ex­ perience at the Leatherhead Military Hospital before taking up an appointm ent at Guy’s Hospital, London. Here she m et Dr. F. P. Fouche, of Johannesburg, an orthopaedic surgeon w ho was so greatly impressed by the quality o f her w ork that he asked her to work with him should she ever return to South Africa. Miss Troughton was one of the first physiotherapists to be appointed to the newly-opened Transvaal Memorial Hospital for Children, a position she re­ linquished when Dr. Fouche returned to establish a practice in Johannesburg. Each outstanding in their respective spheres, these tw o remarkable people worked together for the next thirty years. During this long period she found tim e to develop a keen interest in the administrative aspects of her profession, and took an active part in the negotiations which culminated in the form ation of the South African Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics. From the outset she proved herself to be an indefatig­ able worker, her constant aims being to maintain the standard of physiotherapy as she knew it and to im ­ prove the lot of physiotherapists. As Honorary General Secretary (1928-1932), Vice- President (1942-1947) and President (1947-1950) she fought hard to have the Society recognised b y the medical profession as the only bod y of people ade­ quately trained to carry out physiotherapeutic proce­ dures, and her efforts to prom ote com pulsory registra­ tion for all persons undertaking such w ork are too well known t o require reiteration. W hen the South African Medical ana Dental Council opened a voluntary register in 1930, she was one of the first to realise that such a register w as com pletely useless unless organised physiotherapy was given som e say in the control of registration. Good sense prevailed and it is pleasing to record that— for som e years prior to her death— Miss Troughton represented her Society as a co-opted m em ­ ber of the Auxiliaries Committee of the Medical Coun­ cil. As such, she was in a position to help and advise that bod y on all matters pertaining to physiotherapy. Through the Society she w orked for the establish­ ment of a physiotherapy training school in this coun ­ try, and when this w as started by the University of the W itwatersrand (w ithout the services of a quali­ fied teacher) she consented — despite m any other duties— to act as Lecturer in the interim. Such an action was typical of the w om an; unswerving in her loyalties and com pletely selfless in her actions, she was ever ready to step into the breach. A m ore recent example occurred during the recent Conference when, at very short notice, she delivered a lecture and dem onstration although it must have been apparent to all that she was far from well. She displayed a com m endable sense of duty to her country when war broke out in 1939. Offering herself for enlistment she was turned down as being under the “ official” weight. Nothing daunted she presented herself for re-exam ination with a few leaden weights concealed in her person. W hether she fooled the Medical Board or not is a m oot point, but the fact remains that she was finally accepted for Arm y ser­ vice. The end of the war found her as physiotherapist in charge of the Orthopaedic Section at the Chamber of Mines Hospital under the direct control o f her old friend, Dr. Fouche. It would require a volum e if we wereCto attempt to say all we could about this brave and courageous lady— nevertheless— her last fight was a short one. After only three days in bed, a second attack of coronary throm bosis proved to be even m ore than she could withstand and she passed away. W e mourn her loss greatly and, on behalf of all her co-workers, extend our deepest sympathy to her family. 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. )