Page 10 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y December, 1961 BRANCH NEWS S O U T H E R N T R A N S V A A L L ectures and M eetings T h e S o u th e rn T ra n s v a a l B ra n c h w ere invited to a sym ­ p o siu m “ A S treet A c c id e n t” , held by th e C o u n c il o f A llied M edical P ro fe ssio n s. It w as e xtrem ely well a tte n d e d , and th e au d ie n ce w ere m o st stim u la te d by th e discussions, w hich follow ed th e m o re fo rm al p a r t o f th e sym posium . M eetings were held to discuss C o u n c il re so lu tio n s, and elect delegates a n d th e follow ing delegates w ere e le c te d : M rs. V. L. B onnell, M r. W . E . G . V a u g h a n , M iss R . F o x , M r. A . R o th b e rg , M iss E. B o ttin g . P ro x y votes w ere c a rrie d fo r M iss H . B aines, M r. C. S ro k a , M iss M . H inz. T h e C o u n cil d e lib e ra tio n s w ere m o st successfully c o n ­ d u c te d , in a very h a p p y a n d h o sp ita b le a tm o sp h e re , a n d th e S o u th e rn T ra n s v a a l de le g atio n w ish to e x te n d th e ir h e a rty th a n k s a n d c o n g ra tu la tio n s to all th e h a rd -w o rk in g m em b e rs o f th e W este rn P ro v in c e B ra n c h fo r th e ir excellent o rg a n is a tio n a n d w a rm -h e a rte d hosp itality . O u r th a n k s go to o , to th e o u tg o in g C e n tra l E xecutive co m m itte e, a n d o u r c o n g ra tu la tio n s to th e new ly -ap p o in te d C .E .C . W e w ish especially to c o n g ra tu la te o u r C h a irm a n , M r. W . E . G . V a u g h a n o n his e lectio n to th e C .E .C . M ay th ey h ave every success d u rin g th e c o m in g m o m e n to u s year. A u g u st: A lecture o n “ T h e P sy c h o -P ro p h y la c tic P re p a ra ­ tio n fo r Painless C h ild b irth ” w as given to th e B ranch by M rs. P incus. A film o n G lo sso -p h ary n g e al b re a th in g w as also sh o w n to th e B ranch. O ctober: M iss M . H u m p h re y gave a m o s t in structive ta lk a n d d e m o n s tra tio n o n “ T h e A rtificial M uscle” a nd v a rio u s A rm P ro s th e tic s in use a t th e p re se n t tim e. T h is w as follow ed by tw o excellent films o n R e h a b ilia tio n . N O R T H E R N T R A N S V A A L R ecent L ectures and M e e tin g s: T uesday 22nd A u g u st: A G e n e ra l M e eting w as held a t th e P h y s io th e ra p y School to fra m e re so lu tio n s fo r C o u n c il a n d elect th e C ouncil M em bers. W ednesday 20th S ep tem b e r: A G a m e s E vening, o rg a n ised by M iss E. M . Jennings, ra is e d R 5 fo r th e b ra n c h fund fo r T h e P ro p a g a tio n o f P ro ­ fessional K n ow ledge. T uesday 26th S e ptem ber: A G e n e ra l M e eting w as h eld a t th e P h y s io th e ra p y School to discuss th e C o u n c il A g e n d a. M iss M . E m slie raised R 20 fo r th e b ra n c h fu n d by m eans o f a W h ite E le p h a n t Stall p re ce d in g th e m eeting. S a tu rd a y 7th O c to b e r: M iss S im pson o rg a n ise d a Ju m b le Sale w hich raised R28.93 fo r th e b ra n c h funds. T uesday 24th O c to b e r: A le c tu re -d e m o n s tra tio n w as held in th e O rth o p a e d ic D e p a rtm e n t o f P h y s io th e ra p y by th e B ra n c h P resident, D r . Jo h . d u T o it. T h re e types o f o rth o p a e d ic cases were d e m o n s tra te d , in c lu d in g th e la te st o p e ra tio n s fo r hallux valgus a n d lu m b a r disc lesions. T o a d d to th e in te rest o f th e lecture D r. du T o it show ed som e excellent X -ra y s as well as a film o n a n te r io r spinal fusion. T h e g o o d re su lts o f th is o p e ra tio n w ere e v id e n t fro m th e p a tie n ts sh o w n a t the d e m o n s tra tio n . P e rso n a l News M rs. T ru u s M a n d e rs lo o t h as re tu rn e d fro m a th ree m o n th s’ visit to H o lla n d . M rs. M . Blom (nee V enter) o p e n ed a p riv a te p ra c tic e in K le rk s d o rp in S e p tem b e r 1961. M rs. P . Sw illing (nee E m a n u el) now h a s tw o sons. M rs. D ix o n (nee L in to n ) is no w living in M anzini. M rs. G . Steyn (nee F e lte n ) is p h y sio th e ra p ist in c harge o f th e d e p a rtm e n t a t th e P rincess A lice H o m e , R e tre a t, C ape. M iss M . M illar is p h y sio th e ra p ist in c h arg e o f th e C A R S m obile u n it (Q u in te b ra n c h ) in C a n a d a . B irths R o u x . T o Ju d y a n d P ieter, a d a u g h te r, O c to b e r 12 1961, E ast L o n d o n . M r. a n d M rs. R . A le x an d e r, a so n in Ju n e , in J o h a n ­ nesburg. T o H elen W iggle (nee Bax), a d a u g h te r, in S e p tem b e r. Letters to the Editor S a lisb u ry , R h o d e sia , O ctober 1961 D e a r M a d a m , I w as in te restin g to re ad th e re p o rt o n A b d o m in a l D e c o m ­ pression in la b o u r in th e S e p tem b e r issue o f y o u r J o u rn a l. W h a t in essence d oes th is a p p ro a c h m e a n ? It seem s to me yet a n o th e r b u t m o re refined w ay o f acc ep tin g t h a t la b o u r m u st be p a in fu l a n d th a t so m e th in g m u st be done to th e p o o r suffering fem ale. A n a esth etic s, surgery, heavy se d a tio n are som e o f th e m eth o d s a p p lie d in n o rm a l la b o u rs , w hich reflect this ph ilo so p h y . D u rin g th e last 20 m o n th s , it has been m y privilege to learn a n d pra ctic e th e P s y c h o p ro p h y la c tic te c h n iq u e s fo r child b irth . T h is a p p ro a c h recognises th a t it is w ith in th e ab ility o f th e w o m a n h e rself to c o n tro l h e r la b o u r a n d p ro d u c e p a inless c h ild b irth . T h e in ev itability o f p a in fu l la b o u r c o n tra c tio n s is n o t a ccepted. T h ese m eth o d s respect th e value a n d im p o rta n c e o f th e w om an h e rse lf in h e r ow n in trin sic psycho-physical experience. T h e d a n g ers o f th e D e co m p re ssio n su it a re n o t m en tio n ed in th e re p o rt. O n e w o n d e rs a b o u t p re c ip ita te b irth s, d isc o m ­ fo rt as a signal fo r a b n o rm a lity , th e need fo r e x a m in a tio n o f th e w o m a n w ith th e inev itab le d isc o m fo rt a n d p a in w hen ta k e n o u t o f th e S u it fo r this e x a m in a tio n . T h is c o n tra s t m u st co n v in c e th e w o m a n t h a t th e S u it is th e “ on ly w a y ” | sh e c o u ld b e ar th e “ p a in s ” a n d h e r dependency o n this a rtificial a id m ust be overw helm ing. C o m m e n ts by p a tie n ts given by L am aze, V ellay, B o n ste in a n d o th e rs p ra c tisin g P s y c h o p ro p h y la x is a re as a p p re c ia tiv e as th o se sta te d re g a rd in g a b d o m in a l D e co m p re ssio n . A scientific c o m p a ris o n o f resu lts w o u ld be interesting. H ow ever, w h a tev e r m eth o d s a re e stab lish e d as th e s u p e rio r o nes th ey will never e lim in a te th e need to k eep w om en e d u ca te d a b o u t c h ild b irth a n d it will be im possible to ig n o re th e p sy c h o so m a tic n a tu re o f th is fu n c tio n . S o p h ie L evitt. D e a r E d ito r, T h is will be ju s t a s h o r t a c c o u n t o f m y p e rso n al experiences in tw o v astly different P hysical T h e ra p y D e p a rtm e n ts in th e U n ite d S ta te s o f A m e ric a. A lso sh o rtly , h o w o n e h as to go a b o u t g e ttin g a p o st o f even a V isum , allo w in g a S o u th A fric a n P hysical T h e ra p is t to w o rk in th e S tates. B eing a registered P hysical T h e ra p is t a n d affiliated w ith th e C h a rte re d Society o f P hysical T h e ra p y in B rita in , I w ro te to M iss B lair, E xec u tiv e D ir e c to r o f th e A m e ric a n P hysical T h e ra p y A sso c ia tio n (A .P .T .A .), 1790 B ro a d w ay , N ew Y o rk 19, N .Y ., s ta tin g m y in te n tio n s to visit th e S tates 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. ) December, 1961 P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y Page 11 a n d expressing a desire to lea rn m ore a b o u t their ow n m eth o d s a n d D e p a rtm e n ts a n d m en tio n in g th e length o f my p ro p o se d visit. All th e d o c u m e n ts in co n n ec tio n w ith Physical T h era p y w ere re q u ire d fo r p erusal, before I was given pe rm issio n to ap p ly fo r a n E x change V isitor Visa on receipt o f th e p ro m ise o f a p o st in C a lifo rn ia , in a d e p a rt­ m ent a p p ro v e d by th e A .P .T .A . M iss B lair w as very helpful in se nding m e th e n am es a n d a d d resses o f su itab le d e p a rt­ m ents to w hich I co u ld ap p ly fo r a p ost. C o n sequently I o b ta in e d a p o st in a sm all general h o sp ital in C a lifo rn ia. H ere the w o rk w as m ainly o rth o p a e d ic in n a tu re , w ith a large p e rce n ta g e o f w h iplash neck injuries, very typical o f th e fast-driving, h a rd -h ittin g C a lifo rn ia n m o to rist. M any o f th e p a tie n ts w ere busy w ith law suits fo r injuries received __a gain a p o p u la r w ay o f p a y in g fo r h o sp ital expenses while ge tting th e full benefit o f h o sp ita l c are . T h is ra th e r a sto u n d e d me, as th e re a re relatively few such cases in my h o m e d e p a rtm e n t. A fte r this, we m oved to Id a h o , w here I w orked in a R e h a b ilita tio n C e n tre w here th e w o rk w as vastly different a n d satisfying. A g a in th e C e n tre w as sm all b u t very widely k n o w n in th e N o rth -W e st. A p p ro x im ately 30 in-p atien ts a n d a v a rying n u m b e r o f o u t-p a tie n ts received tre a tm e n t, w ith every class (as e ach tre a tm e n t) w as c alled, lasting 30 m inutes, a n d e ach Physical T h e ra p is t a n d p a tie n t getting to th e class p ro m p tly . T h e re w as close c o -o p e ra tio n betw een P .T ., O .T ., Speech T h e ra p y , a n d D o c to r, w ith a sh o rt c o n ­ ference o n every p a tie n t every w eek w ith all co n cern ed p re sen t a n d re p o rtin g o n th e p ro g ress m ade. T h is w ay an a ll-ro u n d c heck w as k ept o n every a spect o f the p a tie n t’s tre a tm e n t. T h e m ajo rity o f cases w ere p a raplegics, hemiplegics, q u a d s., a m p u te es, p o lio s a n d different p o lineuritises, w ith a few o rth o p a e d ic a n d m iscellaneous c o n d itio n s. Every p a tie n t need in g a w h eelchair w as fitted w ith o n e to suit his ow n special needs w ith re g ard to h e ight o f back, d e p th o f seat, w id th o f c h a ir, sw ining fo o trests, re m ovable arm rests, brak es a n d so o n , a n d e ach p a tie n t le a rn t all w heelchair activities a n d p re c a u tio n s as a m a tte r o f ro u tin e . P a tie n ts w ere p u t o n th e m ax im u m schedule th eir c o n d itio n w o uld allow , g oing fro m m a t class, to w h eelchair activities, ex er­ cises to H u b b a rd T a n k , O c c u p a tio n a l T h e ra p y to H y d ro ­ th era p y , w ith ju s t e n o u g h rest p e rio d to relax b u t n o t m ak e th em lazy. T h e m o st w o n d e rfu l p a r t a b o u t all these full days w as th a t e ac h p a tie n t felt th a t so m e th in g w as being d o n e for him a n d t h a t he w as p e rso n ally d oing his best to help him self— all m ak in g for a c o n te n te d a n d h a p p y a tm o sp h e re. T o w a rd s th e e n d o f m y stay in Id a h o , th e icepack tech­ nique fo r b o th a c u te a n d c h ro n ic ally p a in fu l a rea s w as being used w ith m o re success in m any cases th a n in fra-re d o r ste am p ac k s h a d p ro d u c e d . A lso th e very new te c h n iq u e o f b ru sh in g a n d icing ov er th e belly o f a w eak m uscle o r over th e o rig in o f th e p e rip h e ra l nerve su pply o f th e muscle, w as ju s t c au sin g m uch c o m m e n t. F o r e xam ple, o ne 26-year- old hem iplegic o f tw o years s ta n d in g w ho h a d h a d no m ovem ents in his rig h t a rm , a n d h a d received c o n v en tio n al tre a tm e n t d u rin g th a t w hole p e rio d , su ddenly sta rte d g e tting re tu rn o f sh o u ld e r a n d elbow , flexors a n d e x te n so rs a fte r th is te c h n iq u e w as used o n him . A fte r fo u r m o n th s , he h a d a u sa b le a rm w ith slight finger m o v em en ts a n d every confidence o f g e ttin g m ore re tu rn . O f c o u rse h e m ig h t well have h a d ju s t a very slow recovery, b u t all w ho knew him w ere im pressed w ith his p ro g ress a n d th is m eth o d . A ll-in-all th e e xperience o f w o rk in g in these d e p a rtm e n ts w as well w o rth w hile a n d lucra tiv e , as th e A m e ric an salaries a re m uch h ig h er th a n th o se in S o u th A frica. O f co u rse, the E x ch a n g e V isito r is n o t e n title d to receive a full salary, m erely a stip en d as it is called, e n titlin g him to le a rn a n d g ain experience w hile w o rk in g as well. H ow ever, it is e n o u g h to live re aso n a b ly well o n . I m ight a d d th a t ju s t the ex­ perience o f g e ttin g to k n o w these gen ero u s a n d easy-going p eople, m akes such a trip a v e n tu re well w o rth trying. Joey B esselaar, D ip lo m a o f Phys. (P re to ria School o f P hys., 1956). This hygienic P h y s io th e ra p is t Uniform has so many good points! Sa nfo rise d, M e rce rise d w h ite tw ill A d ju sta b le neckline — to the specification o f the U n iv e rs it y P h y sio th e ra p y Section Breast p o c k e t-* ' " ' L o n g sleeves - De tachab le belt • T w o hip pockets, o n e w ith concealed inside p o c k e t . . . B u tto n fro n t .. DELILAH GARMENT OF QUALITY AND STYLE by THE HOUSE OF ENSIGN M anufactured by The AFRICAN CLOTHING FACTORY Ltd. P.O. B O X 1098 CAPE T O W N a nd obtainable fro m good clothing stores everywhere 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. )