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is being used, for example, for clinicopathological dis-cussions and demonstrations which bring together variousteaching departments in instructive debate. Patientscan readily be brought to these gatherings under coverfrom the wards, which are only a few yards away, andthere is a little side-room where they can wait if need be(much better than waiting in a corridor, which is whathappens to too many patients on such occasions).On the ground floor a clinical laboratory has been

provided for students, which they may use whenever theyhave an opportunity (it will be open in the evenings).Here a " wall newspaper " points out items of particular’interest in the medical journals ; and a demonstration ofpathological and other material is set out every weekfor students to study when they can. In its other roomsthe new building’ offers first-class opportunities forresearch, which the two departments are seizing withenthusiasm ; and there is a lot of space and splendidequipment for investigators who had formerly been evenmore cramped than seems to be the custom for research-workers. Professor Jepson’s team are particularly con-cerned with the peripheral circulation and the choice ofmaterials for arterial grafting. Among other things, theyhave a constant-temperature room to aid them in

plethysmography and other observations on the peripheralvasculature. In Professor Wilson’s department the

emphasis is on radioactive isotopes and the increasingnumber of applications that are being found for them ininvestigation, treatment, and research. There is a mas-

, sive scintillation counter for -external counting, and otherelectronic pieces, which perhaps look less forbidding thanusual when they are seen in the " contemporary

"

settingthat the architects have devised. Not everyone enthusesabout contemporary decor, but there is no doubt thatin its less flamboyant form (as here) it is cheerful andefficient. Those who have been working for some timein the new building speak warmly of it, and very fewsecond thoughts have been voiced about the design-anotable tribute to the skill of those responsible.

THE REMUNERATION CLAIM

ON Nov. 28 the Negotiating Committee met at B.M.A.House to consider the letter from the permanent secretaryof the Ministry of Health which we published last week.Dr. A. B. Davies, acting chairman of the General MedicalServices Committee, occupied the chair.

It appeared to the committee that Sir John Hawton’sletter was based on a complete misconception of thenature of the case which had been made out in the com-mittee’s supplementary memorandum. The committeehad never alleged that the overriding contractural

obligation of the Government to the two branches ofthe profession was an obligation which could be enforcedby legal proceedings in the ordinary way. In the opinionof the committee, what was vital to the profession’scase was that the contractual obligation existed, whetheror not it was enforceable by such legal proceedings.Implicit in the contractual obligation was the moralobligation of both parties to the bargain to honour theirpromises, and the moral obligation might well be themore cogent by reason of difficulties of legal procedure.The position of the profession was, quite simply, that theGovernment was under both a contractual and a moralobligation to implement the promises which were madeto the profession when they entered the National HealthService ; and, in the view of the committee, observationsas to the difficulty of enforcing this obligation were besidethe point and could only tend to confuse the real issue.The committee decided to reply to the Ministers in

this sense, explaining that it could not accept Sir JohnHawton’s letter as a satisfactory explanation of theMinisters’ position and stating that it would wish to seekan early meeting with the Ministers after receiving--a fullanswer from theni. - -

’.’

GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL

SESSION NOV. 27-29

Sir DAVID CAMPBELL, whose address at the openingof the council’s 193rd session we summarised last week

(p. 1151), was re-elected president in the course of thesession.

CERTIFICATES FOR FULL REGISTRATION

The council examined at some length the question ofthe provisionally registered practitioner who might findhimself at the end of his period of internship refuseda certificate of satisfactory service, possibly because of aclash of personalities. The PRESIDENT explained thatthis was not a matter for the council, and Dr. G. A.CLARK intimated that the Ministry of Health could notbe expected to do more than it had done.- A letter to the council from the British MedicalAssociation stated that under the existing procedure theresponsibility for the issue of the certificate rested

nominally with the hospital management committee.In practice, however, it was given or withheld on theevidence of one person-the consultant or specialistunder whom the practitioner worked. There was noappeal against this individual’s decision. The associationsuggested that, where the consultant felt unable to

certify that the service was satisfactory, the matter shouldbe referred for inquiry to the hospital medical staffcommittee, and where this body endorsed the con-

sultant’s decision a full statement should be sent to thelicensing body, which should then have discretion whetheror not to issue a certificate of proof of experience. Theletter recalled that the Ministry in 1952 recommendedthat if, during the period of employment, the hospitalauthority felt that there was any possibility that it

might not feel able, unless the person showed some

improvement, to furnish a certificate of satisfactoryservice, it was important that he should be given earlywarning of this possibility so that he could take stepsto improve the service given. This warning, however,might not be given.The PRESIDENT said that it seemed to him that there

was a misapprehension. This was a matter for thelicensing bodies. All the council had done was to decidethat the certificate should declare that the service hadbeen certified as satisfactory by a consultant or S.H.M.O.Only one case had arisen in which the individual had beenrefused a certificate. The B.M.A. wanted the council todo something about it. All the council could do was todraw the attention of the Ministry of Health to therecommendation made-namely, that the bodies con-

cerned should give notice to a person that he was indanger of not getting a certificate.

Dr. 1. D. GRANT said that under the present arrange-ment it was quite possible for a chief who took a disliketo a house-surgeon or house-physician to refuse him acertificate. The association felt that these youngpractitioners should not be at the mercy of the particularchief under whom they were serving.

Dr. CLARK said that the Ministry had informed hospitalauthorities that an individual should be told at theearliest moment if his service was not satisfactory.There had been one case of refusal since the Medical Actof 1950 had come into force. He saw no reason for

setting up elaborate machinery. This was something forindividuals, not committees, to deal with by discussion.

Dr. 0. C. CARTER complained that there was no appealagainst an individual’s decision. One could well imaginethat there might be cases where characters clashed andthe man did not get on with his chief, although.his workwas satisfactory. Prof. A. P. THOMSON replied that thepractitioner could appeal to his licensing body.

Dr. J. A. BROWN asked whether the young doctor wasaware of his rights in this respect Is not every

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intelligent student, going to go- to his dean for help andassurance " replied Dr. -CLARK. ’

Mr. R. A. STONEY reported that in Ireland the viewwas taken that if a man was allowed to complete hisappointment, his service must be satisfactory.The PRESIDENT proposed that the correspondence

should be sent to the Ministry of Health and the Depart-ment of Health for Scotland, and Dr. GRANT -said thatthe B.M.A. would be happy -if this step was taken.But Dr. CLARK maintained that the Ministry had alreadytaken action. He failed to see what more they coulddo and asked for further evidence. The PRESIDENT saidthat the B.M.A. had been asked for further evidence, butthe Secretary had replied that he was hot in a positionto give it. Dr. CLARK : Then there is nothing we can doabout it. -The council agreed nonetheless to refer the corre-

spondence to the Ministry.

STANDING ORDERS

A number of items were set out in the programme to beconsidered in camera ; but the PRESIDENT declined totake them in camera, saying that he wanted to take asmuch as possible coram publico. On the first suchitem, the revision of standing orders, he commented :"I do not see any reason for taking this in camera."The alterations include certain increased fees, such asfor the alteration in the Register of the name of a

practitioner, and a recommendation that a person whosename has been removed from the Register and notrestored should not be admitted to the examination forany qualification which is registrable in’ either theMedical Register or the Dentists’ Register withoutprevious reference to the council. The new standingorders will come into operation on Jan. 1.

ANOMALIES OF THE 1950 ACT

Another item which the President thought should betaken in public was a suggestion from the Ministry ofHealth that the Medical Act, 1950, sections 1 and 2should be amended in the light of anomalies which hadarisen.

" ’

A practitioner holding a medical qualification grantedoverseas who had held a number of hospital posts, andwho subsequently obtained a registrable qualificationgranted in the British Isles, could not obtain full

registration until he had rendered satisfactory service fortwelve months in a resident medical capacity in an

approved hospital, however extensive his experiencebefore passing the examination for his registrablequalification. The position was the more anomalousbecause if he had gone to a Commonwealth countryand obtained the registrable qualification there he couldsubmit evidence of his hospital experience and be acceptedfor full registration.Another anomaly arose in regard to practitioners who

qualified in the British Isles before Jan. 1, 1953, butdid not apply for registration. A woman doctor with aScottish qualification did not register in Britain. After

practising in South Africa for many years she wantedto come back to Britain and be registered. Accordingto the Act she had to do her year’s hospital posts.The executive committee felt that it was desirable,

and would be possible if facilities for legislation weremade available, to mitigate the anomalies. The councilagreed.

THE CURRICULUM

The PRESIDENT announced that the curriculum com-mittee, which has circulated draft recommendations forrevision of the curriculum, will make a final report nextMay, when the whole matter of the future of medicaleducation,will be discussed by the council.

Medical’Disciplinary Committee. The committee began its session on Nov. 28, under

the chairmanship of the President.

APPLICATIONS FOR RESTORATION .

Archibald Luke Basham successfully applied for the restora-tion of his name to the Register. Mr. G. J. K. Widgery,solicitor -to the council, said that Dr. Basham’s name waserased in 1954 as a result of a conviction for conspiracy todefraud an executive council. His previous application forrestoration a year ago had been refused.

Mr. Widgery told the committee that the name of Basil ’

Arthur Furniss had been erased in 1955 following a convictionfor abortion. - This was the first possible date on which hecould apply for restoration, it being eleven months since hisname was erased. Mr. E. B. McLellan, counsel, instructed byMessrs. Le Brasseur and Oakley, solicitors to the MedicalProtection Society, said that it was never suggested that whatMr. Furniss had done was part of a regular course of conductor was done for gain. Mr. McLellan read testimonials,including one signed by the twenty-four members of theBournemouth local medical committee. The committee didnot direct the Registrar to restore the name of Basil ArthurFurniss.

Sumatapalage Reginald Gunewardene made his fourthapplication for restoration. Mr. Widgery recalled that Mr.Gunewardene’s name had been removed from the Registerin June, 1952, following a conviction for manslaughter. Hehad been released from prison on his signed undertaking togo to Ceylon and not come back to this country.. The HomeOffice had never relieved him of this undertaking, so he wasunder a moral obligation to fulfil it. Mr. R. G. Page, solicitor,pointed out that the conviction was six years ago. Was thisundertaking to last for ever ? Sir Claude Corea, High Com-missioner for Ceylon, gave evidence that the authorities inCeylon would like it very much if Mr. Gunewardene returnedto practise in Ceylon. Mr. Page stated that his name couldnot be restored to the Medical Register in Ceylon,until it wasrestored in Britain. The committee did not direct the Registrarto restore Mr. Gunewardene’s name to the register.

-

Also refused was the application of Robert Vivian Storer ofMelbourne, whose name was erased in 1935 for advertising.He had made four previous applications, which, had beenrefused. _The committee restored the name of Arthur W-right Scott

Webster,- who was represented by Mr. McLellan on the instruc-tions of R. A. Young and Pearce, solicitors. Mr. Widgerysaid that his name was erased in July, 1954, following a com-plaint of adultery with a married woman patient.

SATISFACTORY TESTIMONIALS

John Kelvin, registered as of 1446, Dumbarton Road,Glasgow, W.4, L.R.C.P.E. (1925), M.B. Leeds (1926), who hadhad judgnient postponed for two years in November, 1955,made an interim appearance as then directed. He had beenfound to have been associated with an organisation known asAkers’ Hair and Scalp Clinics which had systematicallyprocured or sanctioned the publication of reports and adver-tisements drawing attention to Dr. Kelvin’s professional skillin various United States newspapers, and to have held a pressconference in Chicago. The President said that Dr. Kelvin’stestimonials appeared to be satisfactory.

-

CANVASSING ADMITTED ,

- Clarence Jarnes John Silveira, registered as of 34, HodgkinPark Crescent, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, 5, M.B. Durh.(1944), was charged with infamous conduct in a professionalrespect in canvassing residents at Fawdon, Newcastle uponTyne, for the purpose of obtaining patients and promoting hisown professional advantage. Mr. McLellan, instructed byMessrs. Le Brasseur and Oakley, solicitors to the MedicalProtection Society, appeared on behalf of the complainant;and Mr. P. Baylis, solicitor, of Messrs. Hempsons, as solicitorsto the Medical Defence Union, appeared for Dr. Silveira.Mr. Baylis admitted the facts, which the committee there-

upon found proved to their satisfaction. -

In evidence Dr. Silveira said that it was quite true that onthe morning of Feb. 8, 1956, he visited the houses of a numberof persons resident in Fawdon and canvassed these patients.Asked what caused him to do this, he replied that last year

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his father and he opened a branch surgery in a private propertyon the fringe of a new council estate. After a couple of monthsof waiting and waiting, hardly anyone came. He becamealarmed. Instead of waiting he determined to go round. Hecalled on people purely with the intention of introducinghimself. The last thing he wanted to do was to persuade thepatients of the complainant or any other local doctor to cometo him. His surgery was tucked away in a not very prominentposition, and he was convinced that the reason why patientsdid not come was that they did not really know where it was.What he did was done on the spur of the moment.

Mr. Baylis described his client’s admission as one of thefrankest put before the committee in such a case. Dr. Silveirawent round, knocked at doors, asked whether the peoplehad changed doctors, said that he was Dr. Silveira, and thathis surgery was at such-and-such an address and it was justround the corner. Not until too late did he realise what a graveand disastrous breach of conduct he had committed. Dr.Silveira behaved so foolishly on this day that it showed he wasnot acting like a knave. There were a number of testimonials,including some from senior general practitioners in the areain which he practised. Mr. Baylis asked for leniency for this"

thoughtless, foolish, and absurd act which he did on thespur of the moment and which has placed him in the gravestj eopardy."

After deliberation in camera the President announced thatthe committee regarded with grave concern the facts provedagainst Dr. Silveira. The facts were abundantly capable ofsupporting a finding of infamous conduct in a professionalrespect. The committee were unable to accept the statementsmade on his behalf as excusing him, but, to give him anopportunity of implementing the assurances given, they haddetermined to postpone judgment until their session inNovember, 1957.

CANVASSING DENIED

Sarill Sugandham Lazarus, registered as of 660, QueslettRoad, Great Barr, Birmingham, M.R.C.S. (1950), appearedon a charge of infamous conduct in a professional respectwhich alleged that in July, 1955, he canvassed Mrs. SusanAnnie Mary Vaughan with a view to inducing her and othermembers of her family to become his patients, and that inOctober, 1955, he similarly canvassed Mrs. Marjorie Turner.After hearing evidence the committee considered the case

in camera. The President announced that the committeehad determined that the facts alleged against Dr. Lazarushad not been proved to their satisfaction and they hadaccordingly found him not guilty of infamous conduct in aprofessional respect.

’

NAME NOT ERASED

George Ralph Spencer Jackson, registered as of 1, PenistoneRoad, Sheffield 6, L.M.S.S.A. Lond. (1943), had had judgmentpostponed for one year in November 1955, following con-victions in 1953 and 1955 of being in charge of and of drivinga motor-car while under the influence of drink. He was

represented by Mr. Baylis, on behalf of the Medical DefenceUnion. The President announced that in view of satisfactoryinformation concerning Dr. Jackson’s conduct the committeehad determined that the Registrar should not be directed toerase his name from the Register.

INTERIM APPEARANCE

When judgment against Alexander Winchester St. Clair

Greig, registered as of 26, Kersland Street, Glasgow, W.2,M.B. Glasg. (1935), was postponed for two years in November,1955, he was instructed to appear again at the present session.There had been convictions for driving a motor-car whileunder the influence of drink in 1937, 1950, and 1955. ThePresident announced that the committee had noted the termsof the evidence submitted. They would await Dr. Greig’sfurther appearance before them in November, 1957.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE : ERASURE

Patrick Laurence Lyons, registered as c/o District BankLtd., 55, King Street, Manchester, L.A.H. Dubl. (1948), admittedconvictions a,t Ystrad magistrates’ court, Glamorgan, on

Aug. 28 of being in charge of a motor-car when under theinfluence of drink on June 10 and again on Aug. 24. On thefirst charge he had been fined E30 and ordered to pay E8 8s.costs and on the second 50 and E8 8s. costs. His licence wassuspended for five years. ,

Mr. Widgery said that Dr. Lyons had appeared before thecommittee on two previous occasions. The first was in May,1953, following two convictions in respect of driving or beingin charge of a motor-car when under the influence of drink.The committee postponed judgment for a year and at the endof that period his name was not erased. The second timethat he appeared was in November, 1954, after a convictionfor being drunk and disorderly. Judgment was postponedfor a year. Last November Dr. Lyons was informed that hisname would not be erased. There were thus five charges ofdrunkenness since 1951.

By reason of the convictions, the’ committee directed theRegistrar to erase from the Register the name of PatrickLaurence Lyons. This decision is subject to appeal withintwenty-eight days.

JUDGMENT POSTPONED

William George Cowan, registered as of 11, AbercornTerrace, Joppa, Edinburgh, M.B. Glasg. (1932), was chargedwith two convictions, which he admitted. The first was atthe Sheriff Court, Edinburgh, in 1952, when he was finedf30 for driving a motor-car when under the influence ofdrink or a drug, with the alternative of ten days’ imprison-ment, and his licence was suspended for eighteen months.The second was in September last, at the same court, whenfor a similar offence he was find E60, with an alternative ofthirty days’ imprisonment, and his licence was suspended forfive years.

Mr. Widgery said that after the first conviction Dr. Cowanwas sent warning letter no. 2. The President explainedthat this was a letter sent by the penal cases committee to anindividual convicted of his first offence warning the individualthat if it was repeated he might be summoned to appearbefore the committee.

The disciplinary committee found that the conviction indi-cated habits which not only were discreditable to Dr. Cowanand his profession, but might well be a potential danger to hispatients. In order to give him an opportunity of overcoming histendency to drink to excess, they postponed judgment for ayear.

SATISFACTORY TESTIMONIALS

Four convictions involving drink, the earliest in 1931,caused the committee in November, 1955, to postpone fortwo years judgment in the case of Joseph While O’Brien,registered as c/o W. H. Winder-Woodhouse, solicitors,23, Sun Street, Lancaster, M.B. N.U.I. (1914). He was orderedto appear at the present session. Mr. Widgery stated thatthe testimonials appeared to be satisfactory.The President announced that the committee had noted

with satisfaction the terms of the evidence which had beensubmitted in regard to Dr. O’Brien’s habits and conduct.

They would await his further appearance.

ERASURE

George William Franklin, registered as of 79, Harley Street,London, W.1, L.R.C.P.I. (1935), was charged with havingbeen convicted in 1954 of three charges of obtaining creditwithout disclosing that he was an undischarged bankrupt,when he was fined f15 on each charge, with an alternative ofone month’s imprisonment on each, to run consecutively,four similar cases being taken into consideration; with beingconvicted at Ealing magistrates’ court on July 19, 1956,of stealing a gold brooch and other articles of jewellery valuedat jE35, when he was sentenced to three months’ imprison-ment, and of obtaining credit by fraud, for which he wassentenced to a month’s imprisonment to run concurrently;and with being convicted at London sessions on Aug. 3,1956, of stealing two gold bracelets and other articles valuedat f5 in respect of which he had been placed on probationon Nov. 18, 1954, for two years, and for which he was sentencedto six months’ imprisonment, consecutive to the sentenceof three months’ imposed at Ealing. Dr. Franklin was notpresent.

Mr. Widgery said that Dr. Franklin had been informedthat he could apply to be present at the hearing. He reada letter written by Dr. Franklin in prison.

After deliberating in camera the committee decided to

proceed with the case in the absence of the practitioner.They found the convictions proved and directed the Registrarto erase the name of George William Franklin. This is subjectto notice of appeal being lodged within twenty-eight days.

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Conferences and Congresses

DISEASES OF THE LIVERFROM A CORRESPONDENT

-

Hepatitis Frontiers ·

AN international symposium on hepatitis was held inDetroit on Oct. 25-27, under the auspices of the HenryFord Hospital.Discussing the geographical pathology of the disease,

K. R. HILL and G. BRAS (Jamaica) emphasised thatinfective hepatitis was particularly evident in Germanyand the Mediterranean littoral and that the incidence ofserum hepatitis was proportional to the sophistication ofmedical practice. Veno-occlusive disease, the disease inchildren with obstruction of minute hepatic venous

radicles, was encountered not only in Jamaica but alsoin Egypt, India, and South Africa. This disease wasprobably a

" toxic " one, related to the ingestion of bushteas, senecio, or crotolaria. H. F. SMETANA (Washingtonand Delhi) spoke of the diagnostic importance in hepatitisof lipofuscin deposits in aggregates of Kupffer cells in theliver and the appearance of acidophilic bodies whichultimately disappear. He also traced the progression ofthe acute hepatitic lesion to cirrhosis. A. H. BAGGENSTOSS(Mayo Clinic) reported that in most children with cirrhosisseen at the Mayo Clinic there was a history of jaundice,and the liver showed bizarre regenerative nodules ofvariable size. Portal hypertension was related to thesenodules impinging on veins rather than to the extent ofhepatic fibrosis. He had found increased numbers ofdilated and often hypertrophied lymphatic channels inthe hepatoduodenal ligaments in both acute hepatitis andpost-hepatitic cirrhosis, but he could not relate these tothe presence of ascites.The elusive agent of acute hepatitis still evades accurate

identification. 1. W. McLEAN (Detroit) described cyto-pathogenic effects of infected material on a human

epithelial-cell line (Detroit 6) grown in human serum.Only this cell type and only certain human sera weresuitable for culture. Positive results were obtained withsera from carriers and during the incubation period andearly convalescence. Serum taken in the icteric and laterconvalescence stages were negative. Unfortunately therehas been difficulty in repeating these results and theycould not be confirmed by workers in London, NewHaven, and Philadelphia. J. STOKES, jun. (Philadelphia),noted that the possibility of infective-hepatitis or serum-hepatitis virus passing the placenta to produce neonatalhepatitis was not proved. Virus hepatitis in the newbornwas probably due to a multitude of agents of which onewas the cytomegalic inclusion virus described by T. H.WELLER (Boston).

J. L. MELNICK (New Haven) described a remarkableoutbreak of hepatitis in 1955 in Delhi. This epidemicfollowed floods and the diversion of a river, so that thecity’s water-supply was heavily contaminated with sewage.The risk was realised and chlorination of the waterincreased, but this failed to influence the hepatitis virusand, although there was no increase in enteric infections,35,000 cases of hepatitis were reported. As in the NorthAfrican epidemic of the late war, officers (45 per 1000)suffered more than troops (20 per 1000) and more thansweepers (10 per 1000). This may be related to rates ofprevious exposure but it certainly did not suggest thatthe hepatitis virus particularly attacked the mal-nourished. P. GYORGY (Philadelphia) believed that therewas no positive evidence that the resistance to virushepatitis was influenced by malnutrition, although thismay increase the incidence in under-privileged countries.The detection of possible hepatitis carriers among

blood-donors can be very difficult. S. T. GIBSON

(Washington) said that if all persons with a history ofhepatitis or exposure to it within six months wereexcluded, the transfusion centres would lose 14-6% oftheir donors. R. F. NORRIS (Philadelphia) had foundthat liver-function tests, especially thymol turbidity andserum-transaminase, would often detect blood carriersand that hepatomegaly was a common physical sign inthese carriers.

R. B. PENNELL (Boston) believed that no plasma-protein fraction could be definitely exonerated as free ofhepatitis virus, although cold-ethanol-prepared gamma-globulin was usually harmless. In the hands of H. D.ANDERSON (Lansing, Michigan) dried fibrinogen hadusually proved free of infection. G. ALLEN (Chicago)had never seen serum hepatitis in recipients of plasmakept in liquid form at 31-6°C for up to six months. Thismethod of sterilising blood products cannot, of course,be applied to whole blood. Ultraviolet irradiation is nota safe method of ridding blood products of the virus,although G. A. LOGRIPPO and F. W. HARTMAN (Detroit)found that in combination with beta-propriolactone itwas usually effective.

F. WROBLEWSKI (New York) reported that increasedserum levels of glutamic - oxaloacetic - aminopherase(transaminase) were useful in the early diagnosis of

hepatitis and that these paralleled the clinical course.Serum-glutamic-pyruvic-transaminase was an even moresensitive index of liver damage. N. F. MACLAGAN

(London) discussed the possible presence of an inhibitoryfactor preventing thymol turbidity in seruln from patientswith obstructive jaundice. He showed that the additionof mucoprotein, which is known to be increased in theserum from some forms of jaundice, would diminishthymol turbidity. The Takata-Ara test had been stand-ardised and proved strongly positive in patients withcirrhosis, although this was of little value in differentialdiagnosis. G. ViOLLiER (Basle) noticed the developmentof an H globulin between the beta and gamma componentsin patients with severe hepatitis, and the serum-albuminand beta-globulins were reduced in the severe disease,as compared with the mild attack.On the basis of observations made on the United States

forces in Korea, T. C. CHALMERS (Boston) reiterated theview that once the patient felt better, strict rest in bedwas not essential. Other speakers refused to accept thisview as generally satisfactory for civilian use. Chalmersfound that high-protein feeding assisted recovery,whereas R. MURRAY (Bethesda) reported adverse effectsfrom a 200 g. protein diet given to volunteers contractingserum hepatitis from infected plasma. This difference

might be due to the fact that Murray treated patientsin the more acute early stages whereas many of Chalmers’spatients were seen later in the disease. C. S. DAVIDSON(Boston) emphasised that protein was certainly harmfulin hepatic coma and this was confirmed by S. SHERLOCK(London). Cortisone given in very large doses (1000 mg.daily) resulted in recovery in 5 of 10 patients in comadue to acute hepatitis treated by H. Ducci (Santiago,Chile). Although of possible value in such cases, cortisoneshould not be given routinely to the average hepatitispatient. The relapse-rate was increased, and althoughjaundice was diminished, A. S. EvANS (Madison) remarkedthat this was mainly " a white-washing effect," the totalduration of the disease being unchanged.

Chronic sequele were discussed at a round-table meet-ing at which M. Bj6RNFBOF, (Copenhagen) noted theincrease in post-necrotic cirrhosis in Denmark after thehepatitis epidemic of 1942. This increase, however, wasseen only in women. C. J. WATSON (Minneapolis) didnot believe that a positive thymol test after clinical

recovery was of significance, but a persistently positivecephalin cholesterol test often indicated permanent liverdamage.