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KING EDWARD’S HOSPITAL FUND FORLONDON.

A MEETING of the General Council of King Edward’sHospital Fund for London, for the purpose of grantingawards, was held on Dec. 14th at St. James’s Palace,under the presidency of the PRINCE OF WALES.Lord REVELSTOKE (Honorary Treasurer) said that the

amount received for general purposes for the periodfrom Jan. lst to Dec. 4th, after deducting expenses,amounted to ;S156,880 5s. 5d. The original estimate forthe whole year was .8183,283. Since the date on whichthis estimate was framed they had received the verygenerous offer of King George’s Fund for Sailors to con-tribute an amount equal to the grant made to the"Dreadnought "Hospital—viz.,4000. This last itemwould, therefore, have the effect of increasing thetotal of net estimated receipts to 187,283. Thislatter figure did not include a further .B3794 from theWernher legacy, left to capital; or a further sum ofj618,000 from the Lewis estate, sums received fromwhich had always been treated as capital. A gift of65710 from Mr. Guggenheim, of New York, part of anengagement present from him upon the announcementof Miss Guggenheim’s engagement to Viscount Stuart,and made at her request, had also been received. Thiswould increase the total to almost exactly 193,000.In order to make the distribution of 200,000 they

were still compelled to deplete the reserves to the extentof another .87000. Including the 46,000 withdrawn inDecember last, mainly in order to assist to deal withdeferred renewals and repairs, and more especially, ofcourse, the ;&bgr;250,000 paid as an emergency distributionin July last, there had been a reduction in the reservesof .6303,000 resulting in a decrease of nearly ;E20,000 inthe annual income of the Fund. The Finance Com-mittee recognised that these sacrifices had beenrendered necessary by the urgent needs of the hospitalsat the present time. But it was very evident that theycould not continue to deplete the reserves’ and, at thesame time, to maintain the annual distribution at itsrecent level. He was glad, therefore, to be given tounderstand that a committee on the whole question ofthe position of the voluntary hospitals was about to beappointed by the Government.

Sir WILLIAM COLLINS, on behalf of the League ofMercy, said that the League would be in a position tohand over ;S16,000 to King Edward’s Fund this year.

Sir JOHN TWEEDY (chairman of the DistributionCommittee) presented the report of that -committee,which stated that the present distribution was thethird made by the Fund during the year, the first beingthe emergency distribution of ;S250,000 in June and thesecond, a similar sum (a month later), which wasgiven by the British Red Cross Society and the Orderof St. John. -

List of Awards.The Distribution Committee desire to draw attention

to the fact that it must not be assumed that thereduction or absence of a grant implies dissatisfaction.The amount of the emergency grant made in July

last, and taken into account at the present distribution,is given in parentheses.Acton Hospital (.6100), .6350, of Canning Town Women’s Settle-which .S250 to extension, in ment Hospital (.6500), 1::600, ofaccordance with the scheme which X100 to reduce debt.submitted to the Fund. Central London Ophthalmic

Alexandra Hospital for Crippled Hospital (.6300), .6350.Children (.6100), aeIOO. Central London Throat and Ear

Beckenham Cottage Hospital Hospital (.6100), .6100.(.625), ;6300, of which X250 to Charing Cross Hospital (.62100),extension, in accordance with .65000, of which X250 to im-the scheme submitted to the provements.Fund. Chelsea Hospital for Women

Belgrave Hospital for Children ( £ 500). £ 1500, of which £ 1000 to(.6600), .61000.. new nurses’ home, in accord-

Blackheath and Charlton Hos- ance with the scheme sub-pital (.6100), .6150. mitted to the Fund.

Bolingbroke Hospital (.61500), Cheyne Hospital for Hospital.B750. (.6?.00B 150.

British Hospital for Mothers and City of London Hospital forBabies, Woolwich (6120)..61650, Diseases of the Chest, Victoriaof which zCI500 towards the Park ( £ 3000), ae3000, of whichbuilding of the amalgamated X500 to proposed sanitary im-hospital, in accordance with provements in accordance withthe scheme submitted to the the scheme submitted to theFund. Fund.

City of London Maternity Hos-pital (.6700), .6600.

Clapham Maternity Hospital(.6450), .6400.

Dreadnought Hospital (Sea-men’s) (61000), &4000, theamount of the ordinary grantto this hospital this year isbeing generously given byKing George’s Fund forSailors, as a temporarymeasure, earmarked for theSeamen’s Dreadnought Hos-pital.

East End Mothers’ Lying-inHome (.6450), .6450. :

East Ham Hospital (.6150), .6600,of which £500 to rebuildingand extension as a generalhospital, in accordance withscheme to be submitted to theFund.

East London Hospital forChildren (£3000), .61500.

Elizabeth Garrett AndersonHospital (B1250), .61000.

Eltham and Mottingham CottageHospital (£50), .6100.

Finchley Cottage Hospital (.650),.6600, of which £500 to exten-sion, in accordance with thescheme submitted to theFund.

Florence Nightingale Hospitalfor Gentlewomen (£300), £300,of which £100 to reduce debt.

French Hospital (.6100), .6200. ofwhich £100 to improvements,in accordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

General Lying-in Hospital (£500),&1400, of which £1000 to re-

building on new site, inaccordance with scheme to besubmitted to the Fund.

German Hospital, -.Great Northern Central Hospital

(£12,000), £6000, of which X2000to new nurses’ home, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Grosvenor Hospital for Women(£400), £600.

Guy’s Hospital (£7000), £12,000, ofwhich £1000 to improvementsin nursing accommodation, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Hampstead General and North-West London Hospital (£2000),£2600, of which £1000 to reducedebt, and £100 to improve-ments.

Hendon Cottage Hospital (£25),.6300, of which X100 towardsnew operating theatre, X rayand nurses’ home improve-ments, in accordance with thescheme submitted to theFund.

Hornsey Cottage Hospital (£25),.6600, of which £500 to exten-sion, in accordance with thescheme submitted to theFund.

Hospital for Consumption,Brompton (including Sana-torium at Frimley) (£3000),£5000.

Hospital for Diseases of theThroat (.650), £650, of whichX500 towards loss incurred bypostponement of buildingscheme through the war.

Hospital for Epilepsy and Para-lysis (£1200), .62000. of whichX500 to new out-patient depart-ment, in accordance withthe scheme submitted to theFund.

Hospital for Sick Children(£8000), £2650, of which X150 tofire staircase.

Hospital for Women (Soho-square) (£2000), £2000, of which

! C500 to reduce debt.Hospital of St. John and St.Elizabeth (.6100), £500.

Infants’ Hospital (.6700), £800, ofwhich X250 to reduce debt.

Italian Hospital (.6400), .6200.Kensington and Fulham GeneralHospital (£25). £25.

Kensington Dispensary andChildren’s Hospital (=625), .625.

King Edward Memorial Hospital(Ealing) (.6750), £700, of whichotso to fire-escape staircase.

King’s College Hospital (.617,500).£7000, of which X2000 to reduc-tion of debt on removal toSouth London, making .679.100in all contributed by the Fundto this purpose.

London Fever Hospital (X500),.6250.

London Homceopathic Hospital(.83500), .61500.

London Hospital (.635.000),.613,000, of which X1000 todeficit on new nurses’ home,in accordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

London Lock Hospital (.81000),.61100, of which X1000 to main-tenance of Harrow-road Hos-pital and £100 to maintenanceof Dean-street Hospital.

London Temperance Hospital,(.63500), .62000. of which .61000 tonew nurses’ home, in accord-ance with the scheme sub-mitted to the Fund.

Maternity -Charity and DistrictNurses’ Home, Plaistow (;B250), £1300, of which £1000 to re-building and extension, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Memorial Hospital, MildmayPark (.6200), £200.

Metropolitan Hospital (£11,000),;62000.

Middlesex Hospital (.610,000)..65000.

Middlesex Hospital CancerCharity (£500), .6500.

Mildmay Mission Hospital (.6600),£550.

Miller General Hospital forSouth-East London (.64000),£4000, of which X1500 to exten-sion, in accordance withscheme to be submitted to theFund.

Mothers’ Hospital of the Salva-tion Army (.6250), £850, of whichX450 to new nurses’ accommo-dation, in accordance with thescheme submitted to the Fund.

National Hospital for Diseasesof the Heart (.6200), £700, ofwhich t200 to extension of out-patient department, in accord-ance with the scheme sub-mitted to the Fand.

National Hospital for theParalysed and Epileptic(£8000), £3000, of which .61000 toreduce debt.

Nelson Hospital (late SouthWimbledon. &c.) (£300), £1000,of which C500 to extension, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Northcourt Hospital and Homefor Sick Children, Hampstead(.6100), .650, in consideration ofthe fact that curable cases areadmitted.

Norwood Cottage Hospital (iJ22S),£450, of which X50 to X ray andother improvements.

Paddington Green Children’sHospital (£250), £750, of whichX250 to scheme.

Passmore Edwards Hospital forWood Green, &c. (£150), .675.

Poplar Hospital for Accidents(£250), .61100, of which iJl000 tonew casualty department, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Prince of Wales’s General Hos-pital (.67000), iJSOoo, of whichX1000 to reduce general funddebt, and X2000 to extension,in accordance with scheme tobe submitted to the Fund.

Queen Charlotte’s Lying-in Hos-pital (.62000), £1600, of whichX850 to improved out-patientdepartment, nurses’ quarters,&c., in accordance with thescheme submitted to the Fund.

Queen Mary’s Hospital for theEast End, incorporating WestHam and Eastern GeneralHospital (£6000), £6000, of whichX1500 to new maternity block,in accordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund, and£1000 to new nurses’ home andoperating theatre, in accord-ance with schemes to be sub-mitted.

Queen’s Hospital for Children(X6500), X1500.

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Royal Chest Hospital, City-road(.61000), £1000.

Royal Dental Hospital of London(£500), £250.

Royal Eye Hospital (£500), £500. ’

Royal Free Hospital (.66000), j£4500, of which £1000 to newnurses’ accommodation, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

Royal Hospital, Richmond(£500)> £400.

Royal London Ophthalmic Hos-pital (£3000), £2500, of whichX500 to reduce debt.

Royal National Orthopædic Hos-pital (.62000), .62500, of which fX1000 to extension of out-patient department, in accord- 1ance with the scheme sub- mitted to the Fund.

Royal Waterloo Hospital forChildren and Women (;62000),£3000, of which £1000 to .newnurses’ accommodation, isola-tion wards, and extension of 1out-patient department, inaccordance with the scheme Isubmitted to the Fund.

Royal Westminster OphthalmicHospital (£200), .6350, of which£50 to recent improvements innurses’ quarters.

St. Andrew’s Hospital (DollisHill) (£50), £150, of which X50to improvements.

St. Columba’s Hospital (.6200),250, of which X50 to provisionof shelter to top balcony.

St. George’s Hospital (£8500),£7000.

St. John’s Hospital, Lewisham(£350), .6750, of which X250 to

new out-patient department,in accordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund

St. John’s Hospital for Diseasesof the Skin (.6100), .6250, ofwhich £50 to new nurses’accommodation, in accordancewith the scheme submitted tothe Fund.

St Luke’s Hospital for AdvancedCasses (£100), .6200.

St. Mark’s Hospital (.6225), .6450.of which £50 to improvementsin nursing accommodation.

St. Mary’s Hospital (£2000), £7000.St. Mary’s Hospital for Womenand Children, Plaistow (£1500),£1700, of which £500 to therebuilding of the nurses’ and

servants’ quarters and out-patient department, in accord-ance with the scheme sub-mitted to the Fund.

St. Monica’s Home Hospital(.6100), .6150.

St. Peter’s Hospital for Stone(£300), £300.

St. Saviour’s Hospital for Ladiesof Limited Means (Osnaburgh-street) (.6100), .6200.

St. Thomas’s Hospital (.612,000),£11,250, of which C250 to lifts,and ;62000 to enlargement ofnurses’ dining-room, in 6,ccord-ance with the scheme sub-mitted to the Fund.

Samaritan Free Hospital forWomen (£1500), .61300.

Santa Claus Home (.630), £50.South - Eastern Hospital forChildren, Sydenham (.6200),.6550, of which £250 to enlargedout-patient department, inaccordance with the schemesubmitted to the Fund.

South London Hospital forWomen (.6500), £1000.

Stoke Newington Home Hospitalfor Women (.675), .675.

University College Hospital(.610.000), x6000.

Victoria Hospital for Children(£1500), £1250.

Walthamstow, Wanstead, andLeyton Children’s and GeneralHospital (£350), £600.

West End Hospital for NervousDiseases (.6750), .6750.

Western Ophthalmic Hospital(xlOO), £400.

West London Hospital (.E95CO),.62000.

Westminster Hospital (£9500),£2800, of which C300 annualgrant to acquisition of newsite as agreed.

Willesden Hospital (.61000),.61850. of which S1500 to extension as general hospital, inaccordance with scheme to besubmitted to the Fund.

Wimbledon Hospital (£50), £400,of which t250 to new nurses’home, in accordance with thescheme submitted to theFund.

Winifred House InvalidChildren’s Convalescent Hos-pital Home, .625.

Woolwich and Plumstead Cot-tage Hospital .625 (see specialgrant below).

Special Grant.-Woolwich and District uar Memorial HospitalBuilding Fund,.B3000, to provision of general hospital, in accord-ance with scheme to be submitted to the King’s Fund.

Summary.Grants ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... £187,000Special Grant .................................... 3,000

Total grants to hospitals at ordinary distribution,Dee.l4th.l920 ........................... 190,000

Total grants at emergency distribution, July 5th,1920 250,000

Total grants to hospitals for the year 1920... £440,000

Apart from a further £250,000 distributed on July 23rd, 1920, onbehalf of the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John ofJerusalem, in aid of schemes of extension or improvement athospitals able and willing to treat ex-Service men.

Sir WILLIAM H. BENNETT, chairman of the Con-valescent Homes Committee, presented the report ofthat Committee, which showed that the sum availablefor distribution amongst convalescent homes and con-sumption sanatoriums was £10,000, as against £12,000in 1919. The number of applications eligible for con-sideration amounted to 51 from convalescent homes and11 from consumption sanatoriums, as against 49 and 9respectively last year. The convalescent homes whichwere reopened after the war during the course of 1919had now been doing their normal work for a wholeyear. The amount allotted to these institutions hadtherefore to be further increased. This fact, combinedwith the diminution in the total placed at the disposalof the Committee, had reduced the amount availablefor distribution to consumption sanatoriums in con-

sideration of the reservation of beds for the use of

patients in London hospitals, and as the cost of main-taining beds had continued to increase, the Committeehad been compelled to make a substantial reduction

in the number of beds so reserved. The accommo-dation secured this year amounted to 44 beds at sixsanatoriums.Mr. JOHN G. GRIFFITHS, honorary secretary, pre-

sented the list of awards as follows. The ConvalescentHomes Committee desire to draw attention to the factthat it must not be assumed that the reduction orabsence of a grant implies dissatisfaction.

A.-Cons2cmption Sanatoriums.Children’s Sanatorium, Holt, Norfolk, .6880, of which X780 in con-sideration of the reservation of ten children’s beds during 1921for the use of certain London hospitals.

Daneswood Sanatorium (Jewish), Woburn Sands..6270, in con-

sideration of the reservation of two beds during 1921 for the useof certain London hospitals.

Devon and Cornwall Sanatorium, Didworthy, South Brent, .611.50,of which X1080 in consideration of the reservation of eight bedsduring 1921 for the use of certain London hospitals.

Eversfield Chest Hospital, St. Leonards, £50.

Fairlight Sanatorium, Hastings, £100.Firs Home, Bournemouth, -.Kelling Sanatorium, Holt, Norfolk, £690, of which £50 to new dis-infector and X540 in consideration of the reservation of four bedsduring 1921 for the use of certain London hospitals.

Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, £100.National Association for the Establishment and Maintenance ofSanatoria for Workers, Benenden, Kent, £1870, of which X1620 inconsideration of the reservation of 12 beds during 1921 for theuse of certain London hospitals.

Northamptonshire Sanatorium, Creaton, Northampton, £1130, ofwhich X1080 in consideration of the reservation of eight bedsduring 1921 for the use of certain London hospitals.

Royal National Hospital for Consumption, Ventnor, .62 . .B.-Convalescent Homes.

The names of convalescent homes receiving no grantare not published.All Saints’ Convalescent Home, St. Leonards, ;625.Beau Site Convalescent Home, Hastings, £50.Brentwood Convalescent Home for London Children, Brentwood,

£50. ’

Brooklands Home (Invalid Children’s Aid Association), Worthing,.625.

Bushey and Bushey Heath Children’s Convalescent Home, Bushey,.650.

Chelsea Hospital for Women, St. Leonards, .675, with a view toencouraging the admission of patients direct from the hospital.

Children’s Convalescent Home, Beaconsneld..625.Children’s Cottage Hospital, Cold Ash, Newbury, £25, in considera-tion of convalescent cases.

Children’s Home Hospital, Barnet, .625, in consideration of con-

valescent cases. ’

Clevedon Sanatorium (Invalid Children’s Aid Association), Broad-stairs, .625.

Convalescent Home for Poor Children, St. Leonards, .6150.Convalescent Police Seaside Home, Hove, £80.E. G. Anderson Hospital (Home of Recovery), Barnet, .6250, of which

.650 to reduce debt.East London Hospital for Children, Bognor, £50.Florence Emma Home (Invalid Children’s Aid Association), Dover,

£25.Friendly Societies’ Convalescent Homes, Dover and Herne Bay,

£100.Great Northern Central Hospital, Clacton, £125.Great Northern Central Hospital, East Finchley, .6150.Highgate Convalescent Home for Children, Highgate, .650.Jewish Convalescent Home (Children), Brighton, .675.King’s College Hospital, Hemel Hempstead, £150. The grant ismade on condition that patients are admitted direct from thehospital.

London and Brighton Female Convalescent Home, Brighton, .625.Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, Bexhill, £50.Metropolitan Convalescent Institution (Children), Broadstairs, £100.Metropolitan Convalescent Institution, Walton, .6150.Middlesex Hospital, Clacton-on-Sea, £250.Miller Hospital Convalescent Home, Bexhill, £100.National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, East Finchley,

£125.Paddington Green Children’s Hospital, Slough, £100.Poplar Hospital, Walton-on-Naze, £50.Queen Charlotte’s Lying-in Hospital, Kilburn, .675.Queen’s Hospital for Children, Bexhill, £100.Royal Waterloo Hospital for Children and Women, Whippingham,

.675.St. Andrew’s Convalescent Home, Folkestone, £100.St. Andrew’s Convalescent Hospital, Clewer, .625.St. George’s Hospital, Wimbledon, £100.St. Luke’s Home (Children), Woodley, Reading, £25, in considera-tion of convalescent cases.

St. Mary’s Convalescent Home, Birchington, .625.St. Mary’s Home for Children, Broadstairs, .675, in consideration ofconvalescent cases.

St. Michael’s, Westgate, £25.St. Peter’s Holiday House, St. Leonards, .625.Samaritan Free Hospital, Amersham, £50.Seaside, Seaford, £50.Sunday School Union, Bournemouth, .625.Sunshine Home, Hurstpierpoint, £50.Surgical Home for Boys, Banstead, ;S25, in consideration of con-valescent cases.Tilford Convalescent Home for Children, Farnham, .625.

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Victoria Home for Invalid Children, Margate, .i’25. in considerationof convalescent cases.

Victoria Hospital for Children, Broadstairs, 1!150.

Summary.Grants to Consumption Sanatoriums ...... £6,420Grants to Convalescent Homes.................. 3,580

Total grants for the year 1920 ...... £10,000

Adoption of the Report.The PRINCE OF WALES, in moving the adoption of the

report and awards, read a letter from the King, inwhich His Majesty expressed his appreciation of thework of the Fund during the year, and his pleasure inthe result of the London school collection of over£22,000.The total amount distributed by the King’s Fund this

year, he said, was £700,000, the largest amount in anyprevious year being .6230,000 in 1919. This includedthe distributions of £250,000 on two occasions earlier inthe year. The present distribution was f:200,OOO. Thetotal amount given to maintenance this year was£414,000, as against .6186,000 in 1919. The exceptionaldifficulties of the hospitals required this special effort.The King’s Fund was founded to help to maintain theLondon voluntary hospitals. It was not responsible fortheir maintenance, but could only assist. The emergencydistribution in July did not itself provide a cure andwas intended to give time for remedies to be devised.The Ministry of Health had announced that a special

committee would be appointed to inquire into the

position of voluntary hospitals, and in the meantimethe Executive Committee of the Fund had been con-sidering all suggestions that seemed likely to be at onceuseful, consistent with the maintenance of the voluntarysystem, and acceptable to the hospitals. When sendingout the emergency grants in July, the Fund had askedall the hospitals to consider certain methods alreadyadopted by some hospitals; for example, payment bypatients able to pay, and systematic collections fromemployers and employed. The Executive Committeewas’ now commending to the hospitals, through theBritish Hospitals Association, the suggestion that publicauthorities should pay the full cost of the hospitaltreatment of patients for whom those authorities hadaccepted responsibility. They had also appointed asubcommittee, with Sir Walter Trower as chairman,to consider the suggestion that contributions by donorsmight, subject to all necessary precautions andlimitations, be exempted from income-tax.The Fund welcomed the decision of the National

Relief Fund to distribute £700,000 amongst the hospitalsto relieve deficits caused by the war. The motion wasseconded by Lord IVEAGH and carried unanimously.Among the resolutions relating to arrangements for

next year which were passed was one proposed by LordBURNHAM, seconded by the Bishop of LONDON, andsupported by Lord STAMFORDHAM and Lord SOMER-LEYTON, to the effect that it be an instruction to theExecutive Committee to consider and report to theGeneral Council what principles of policy should berecommended to His Majesty’s Government for thepreservation of the voluntary system of hospitalmanagement and control, and that a special meeting ofthe General Council be held to consider such report onthe earliest day’possible.

’

A vote of thanks to the Prince of Wales for presiding,proposed by the SPEAKER of the House of Commons,terminated the proceedings.

THE first number of the Review of Reviewsunder the new editorship of Sir Philip Gibbs will appear onJan. 15th, and is to contain articles on the vital problems ofthe age. Lord Robert Cecil, Mr. Augustine Birrell, Mr.Robert Bridges, Mr. G. K. Chesterton, Dean Inge, Sir HarryJohnston, Admiral Mark Kerr, Professor Gilbert Murray,Mr. John Masefield, General Gough, Mr. Alec Waugh, andMr. H. G. Wells are contributing to this issue. The objectof the Iieuiew is stated to be "to search out the truth-tellersin all classes and countries, to encourage the spirit of youth,and to support all movements and ideas which make forhuman progress and peace, without methods of violence anddestruction."

CONTROL OF VENEREAL DISEASE.

Facilities for Individual Treatment.

THE Honorary Medical Secretary of the N.C.C.V.D.to the M.O.H. of -.

As you are doubtless aware, the National Council forCombating Venereal Diseases is carrying on a considerablepropaganda by newspaper advertisements. As a result theyreceive a large number of letters from sufferers asking fordetails with regard to their obtaining treatment.In a considerable proportion of these cases no clinic is

available in their neighbourhood and in many cases thepatient is particularly anxious to receive the name of asuitable private doctor. In order to be in a position to givethe most suitable information in these cases the Council iscompiling a list of private practitioners throughout thecountry who are able and willing to undertake the treat-ment of venereal diseases.The compilation of such a list would be greatly facilitated

if you would be kind enough to let us have a list of practi-tioners in your area who have applied to you for supplies ofsalvarsan or other drugs, indicating that they are in thehabit of treating these diseases.

I may add that in all such cases the permission of thedoctor will be obtained before his or her name is placed onour list.

The M.O.H. of - to the Honorary Medical Secretaryof the N.C.C.V.D.In reply to your letter, I have to inform you that I cannot

supply you with a list of medical men in this area who areable and willing to undertake the treatment of venerealdiseases."The proposal that your Council or any other society

should recommend certain medical practitioners to membersof the public is, to my mind, very wrong, and any medicalofficers of health who, for this purpose, sent you the namesof selected medical practitioners would lay themselves opento severe criticism.

The correspondence of which the above is a digestinvolves principles of great importance to the medicalprofession and the public. The National Council for

Combating Venereal Disease, in addition to its otherspheres of activity, possesses a medical departmentwhose function it is to reply to the thousands of lettersreceived each year from applicants desirous of advicein relation to venereal diseases. In many instancesthe Council is asked to recommend a practitioner,living in the district of the applicant, who is com-petent to deal with these diseases. Prompt informa-tion might evidently benefit the individual inquirerand be the means of materially reducing thespread of infection. Hence the desire of the medicaldepartment of the Council to compile a list of medicalpractitioners throughout the country willing and ableto undertake the treatment, and hence the issue of theletter, quoted above, to medical officers of health.The opposition of the health officer is based upon thereasoned conclusion that the materialisation of such aplan would act injuriously to the interests of both

patient and practitioner. A medical officer of health,as such, has no means of determining the therapeuticability with regard to venereal diseases of the medicalmen practising in the area under his official super-vision. A certificate of fitness to give an intravenousinjection gives no pledge of a practitioner’s diagnosticability or of his clinical judgment; and these are amatter of great importance at a time when there is atendency to adopt a mechanical treatment of syphilisbased upon laboratory data. There is another venerealdisease vastly more frequent than syphilis, and theability to administer salvarsan gives no clue to capabilityin administering treatment for gonorrhoea. We doubt,moreover, whether it would be politic or judiciousto constitute the medical officer of health arbiter insuch a matter, even if he were acquainted with theexperience and judgment of local practitioners in thetreatment of all forms of venereal disease.But while we regard the proposal of the N.C.C.V.D.

as unworkable, we frankly admit the altruistic motiveof this proposal and the urgency of the need which pro-voked it. To meet this need we would rather suggestthat in country districts and in towns of insufficient size