Heilbrigðisskýrslur - 01.12.1938, Qupperneq 173

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culosis, have to study abroad, as there is a shortage in Iceland of
special hospitals for the various other branches of medicine.
Icelandic doctors make írequent journeys abroad and some have even
gone as far afield as the U. S. A. in order to keep as well as possible in
touch with new developments in their science. We mav safely say
that as a class the Icelandic medical profession can stand comparison
vvith the medical professions of other civilised countries as regards
nredical work for general practice.
The Study of Pharmaceutical Chemistry.
The first part of the final'examination in pharmaceutical chemistry
niay be taken in Iceland on completion of three years’ work and study
with a pharmaceutical chemist. After that the students have to attend
the Pharmaceutical School in Copenhagen where they can graduate
after two years there. An agreement has been made with the Danes
that two Icelanders who have passed the part one examination shall be
admitted to each of the School’s curricula. A few Icelandic pharmaceuti-
cal chemists have been to Germany for their training.
There are no schools for dental surgeons and veterinarv surgeons in
Iceland and those who want to study these subjects have to go abroad,
which explains to some extent why there is a shortage of dentists and
veterinary surgeons in the country. An agreement has been made with
Henmark that one Icelandie student shall be received into the Copen-
hagen School of Dentistry, hut otherwise the Icelanders go to German
schools of dentistry for their training.
Schools for Midwives and Nurses.
There is a school for midwives and nurses in connection with the
State Hospital, the teaching being done by the doctors, head-midwife
and nurses of the hospital. The courses are of course hoth theoretical
and practical.
The courses for the midwives last one year and during the whole of
that period they carx-y on the daily duties in the hospital’s maternity
department. The courses are free of charge, preference being granted
to such of them as have bound themselves to take chai’ge of a district
on completion of the courses. The probationers do not, however, re-
ceive any salary. No midwives may be appointed in charge of a niunici-
pal district unless they, on completion of their period of probation,
have acted as assistant midwives in the maternity department of the
State Hospital for one or more years, or enjoyed further training of
no lower standard.
The curriculum for nurses coxnprises three years. During their first
and third year they work in the State Hospital receiving at the same time
theoretical training. During the second year they are sent to work in the
various hospitals of the country during which time they pursue no set
theoretical studies. ’l’he number of nurses qualifying evei’y year is
about ten. The training of nurses is not only free of cost to them, but
they are paid small wag'es, increasing from kr. 30.00 a month to kr. 50.00.
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