AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF 162 TRACTOR ACCIDENTS IN AUSTRALIA, 1964 TO 1966

Savrng's, if any, are swallowed by the high cost uf living. If he and his wife have schoolchildren, the latter may be at risk waiting for the now working wife to return home. If these are preschool children, their emotional security and development are both likely to be in jeopardy. And the relief of this situation has almost nothing to do with the gap between Fund and the bill. That is a gap which, in theory, the Government could close at any time. Of course, increased taxation might be needed; but then, a high standard ~ medical and hospital care costs money-more than does a low standard. And, as the cost of real estate and wages, etc., rise, 80 too will all the costs of treatment. The lot ~ the ill and injured on low wage--even relatively low-is unalterable until these gaps in community resources are filled: (i) much better, cheaper housing; (ii) more widespread, better trained, emergency housekeepers; (iii) better, cheaper, more reliable baby minding; (iv) much improved education for children and parents in personal and community health; (v) a larger social security benefit for the bread winner temporarily totally unemployable through illness (nervous and physical) and injury; (vi) the appointmentas a trial---of a salaried area medical officer of health, experienced clinically and in social medicine, to supervise and coordinate a key group of allied medical workers (this group would aid a general practitioner, so that the patient can make the most, promptly, of all the very varied, and at times little known, existing resources); (vii) better finance for postgraduate and undergraduate medical education.