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Notes and News

THE CASE FOR A MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES

THE Minister of Health, divested of responsibility for

housing, is no longer a member of the Cabinet; and earlierthis year we suggested 1 that it was unlikely that the remodelledMinistry, now small, isolated, and junior, would have muchbargaining strength either at the level of Cabinet committeedecisions or in its relations with the Treasury. The argumentfor appointing, or identifying, a member of the Cabinet

responsible for the health and other social services has latelybeen expressed by Mr. Aneurin Bevan, erstwhile Minister ofHealth and subsequently Minister of Labour. Such a member,he reasons,2 should be at least as influential as the Chancellorof the Exchequer: " some way must be found to protect thesocial services from annual raids by the Chancellor of theExchequer, whoever he may be. It is all the more necessaryto do this because a modern Chancellor must take in reviewthe whole field of social income and expenditure in order toassess the deflationary or inflationary influences at work....The expenditure on the social services is a standing invitationto a harassed Chancellor in search of reduced expenditure, orincreased revenue, or both."

CHANGES IN THE POISONS LIST

THE following changes are made in the poisons list andrules under the Poisons List (Amendment) Order, 1951

(s.i. 1951 no. 721), and the Poisons Rules, 1951 (s.i. 1951no. 722), which come into operation on June 1 :

Part 1 of the poisons list(a) The item anti-histamine substances is amended to include

chlorcyclizine and promethazine.(b) The following substances are added : gallamine, organic

compounds of mercury which contain a methyl (CHs) group directlylinked to the mercury atom, and paramethadione.Part 2 of the poisons listThe entry " organic compounds of mercury " is amended to read

organic compounds of mercury except compounds which containa methyl (CH.) group directly linked to the mercury atom."First schedule to the principal rules

(a) The item anti-histamine substances is amended to includechlorcyclizine and promethazine.

(b) The following substances are added : gallamine and para-methadione.

(c) At the end of the item commencing with the word " Amino-alcohols " the following words are added: " and except procainewhen contained in any preparation of which a substance to whichthe Penicillin Act, 1947, applies is an ingredient or part."Group 2 of the third schedule to the principal rules

(a) In the first column, to the item commencing " anti-histamine

substances," there is added chlorcyclizine and promethazine.(b) To the second column of the item Phenols" there is added

para-tertiary amyl phenol."Fourth schedule to the principal rules

(a) The item anti-histamine substances is amended to includechlorcyclizine and promethazine.

(b) The following substances are added : gallamine and para-methadione.

,

Ninth schedule to the principal rulesIn the note to this schedule after the words " organic compounds

of mercury " there are added the words " except compounds whichcontain a methyl (CH3) group directly linked to the mercury atom."

SCULPTURE AT MENTAL HOSPITAL

THE value of art in the therapeutic programme of a hospitalfor nervous and mental disorders is now widely recognised.Two recent books, Art versus Illness, by Adrian Hill, andArt and Regeneration, by Maria Petrie, have helped to explainand popularise the principles involved. Most hospitals haveconcentrated on the graphic arts, and many have availedthemselves of the services of the Council for Music in Hospitals.Sculpture has had less attention, and the exhibition at theBasingstoke Museum, by patients from Park Prewett Hospital,will therefore be of interest. This exhibition was opened onMay 24 by Dr. W. S. Maclay, senior commissioner of the Boardof Control, and will remain open until June 9. Park Prewettwas fortunate in obtaining the services, as instructor, ofEric Benfield, F.R.S.A., author of Purbeck Shop and a sculptorof some distinction himself. He has not forced his own ideason patients, but has encouraged them to express their ownfancies and imaginations, and he is always ready to adviseon technique. None of the exhibitors had had any previousexperience in sculpture, and it was a pleasant surprise todiscover the latent talent. The 42 exhibits, in Bath stone,by sixteen patients, display a variety of subjects-some ratherconventional, others, such as

" Snake woman " and " Tree of

1. Leading article, Lancet, March 3, 1951, p. 513.2. Tribune, May 18, 1951, p. 5.

Life," original and imaginative. The bizarre is less in evidencethan is usual in exhibitions of graphic work from mental hos-pitals, but there is something of the " primitive " in many’ofthe exhibits. As is true of graphic creations, the schizo-

phrenic group of patients are the most generous contributors:of the sixteen, twelve are classified amongst the schizo-

phrenias-be it active or latent, or schizoid personality.HEALTH SERVICE ESTIMATES 1951-52

IN our correspondence columns on April 21 (p. 912) Dr.Harold Leeson asked what was the " other staff " whose wagesand salaries, according to the hospital estimates, came to£21,144,000. In a written answer in the House of Commons onMay 11 the Minister of Health explained that this entryrelates to " a great variety of staff who cannot be classified ina small number of groups but about one-half of the amount isfor ’ domestic staff ’ and another quarter for porters’ usingthose terms in a broad sense."

ROYAL CANCER HOSPITAL CENTENARYTHE centenary of the Royal Cancer Hospital, London,

was celebrated last week by a reception at the hospital anddemonstrations in the Chester Beatty Research Institute.At the centenary dinner on May 17, Sir Edward Cripps,

the chairman, read a message from the King congratulatingthe hospital on its great work during the 100 years of itsexistence and wishing it continued success. Sir Henry Dale,o.M., F.R.S., recalled how Dr. William Marsden founded thehospital at Hollywood Road, West Brompton, after his wifedied from cancer. The hospital, which later moved to its

present site in Fulham Road, was the first to receive patientswithout letters of recommendation from subscribers and alsothe first to deal solely with cancer. Its founders had littleencouragement from others, who did not altogether approveof a charitable hospital for one disease ; but they did whatthey could with courageous enterprise, and their efforts werereflected in the magnificent record of the hospital in the

years that followed. Sir Henry thought it apt that thecentenary should fall at the time when, in the Festival,-thecountry was holding a public audit of its achievements duringthe last century. Unhappily we had not seen that peacefulcooperation which the exhibition of 1851 was meant to

inaugurate, and many of the scientific discoveries since madehad been used for destruction, but it was comforting toreflect that many of the scientific advances made during theurgency of war had been adapted for humane use. The

Royal Cancer Hospital, he concluded, had much to be proudof in the past and great hopes for the future. Lord Horder,consulting physician to the hospital, said that he spoke asthe oldest member of the staff of the hospital, and he recalledsome of the personalities with whom he had been associatedduring his work there. The special hospitals had madeimmense contributions to medical knowledge despite the factthat their foundation had been discouraged. He went onto ask for a change in the hospital’s name, and suggestedthat it be called the " Royal Chelsea Hospital," with thesubtitle " for the treatment of cancer and allied diseases."Proposing The Guests, Mr. Oliver Lyttelton, president ofthe hospital, paid tribute to the work of the medical profession.He was glad, he said, that research institutions had not comeunder the control of the National Health Service, for it wasessential that research should be completely independent ofGovernment control. With departmental control there wasa tendency to uniformity, and with uniformity often camemediocrity : in no profession was uniformity more inappro-priate than in medicine. Mr. Hilary Marquand, the Ministerof Health, said that the Royal Cancer Hospital was aninstitution of which the country and Commonwealth couldbe proud. The change of ownership that came with theNational Health Service had brought no change in the purposeof the hospital’s work. He was glad to hear that, a film wasbeing prepared which would bring to the attention of thepublic the dangers of cancer : the purpose of this film wasnot to terrify but to reassure and enable early diagnosis tobe made. Cancer was the deadliest of foes and a challengeto all those concerned in fighting it, and the hospital couldbe proud of its 100 years spent in attempting to overcomethe disease.At the Chester Beatty Research Institute the demonstra-

tions illustrated the contributions of the various sciencesto cancer research. In cytology the effect of radiationand various chemicals on cell structure was shown, andmethods of cell study by means of ultraviolet micrographyand microspectrography, phase-contrast microscopy and

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einemicrography, and electron micrography were exhibited.Other demonstrations included the preservation of chicken-tumour viruses by freeze-drying, electrophoretic diffusion

studies, the biochemistry of tumours and of carcinogenic andradiomimetic substances, cytogenetic studies of chemical

mutagens, spectroscopy of biologically important substancesand the application of spectroscopy to cancer research, andmethods of separation of commercial dyestuffs into fractionsfor chemical identification and biological testing in relationto occupational bladder tumours. A selection of specimensillustrated the earlier history of experimental carcinogenesis,and, in the institute library a selection of original papersfrom the institute was shown.

ONE OF THE BETTER EXHIBITIONS

A NEAT’pictorial epitome of progress in public -health maynow be seen at the London School of Hygiene and TropicalMedicine. One of the study groups which are formed by thestudents in the D.P.H. course has collected perhaps a couple ofhundred photographs, drawings, and other exhibits, andhas arranged them cleverly to show how past evils havebeen tackled and what has still to be done. From cheeringillustrations of improvement in the physical environmentof children, we pass to a review of housing and town-planning,an exposition of the Five Freedoms, portraits of the foundersof moderm hygiene, and sections on tropical medicine andnutrition, including some telling facts and pictures from theGambia, where Prof. B. S. Platt’s department has a field unitat work. Small but of a high standard, this exhibition is afitting contribution by the school to the Festival of Britain.The students responsible are Dr. C. G. Burgess, Dr. A. G.Farr, Dr. E. H. Lamb, and Dr. D. H. Mackay-helped occasion-ally, one suspects, by Prof. James Mackintosh and othermembers of the school council, in whose name Dr. AndrewTopping, the dean, last week welcomed Mr. Hilary Marquand,the Minister of Health, as the first visitor.

NATIONAL MORBIDITY INQUIRY .

IN 1948 the Ministry of Health arranged for the collectionof data about inpatients from selected hospitals for centralanalysis in accordance with the 1948 International List ofDiseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death. From this limitedtrial it is clear, according to the Ministry, that wider collectionof data would yield results of value for the compilation ofnational morbidity statistics, the development of research,and the general planning of the National Health Service.For these purposes it is not necessary to collect informationon all hospital patients ; and the Minister is therefore con-sidering the introduction of a system of sampling. The

Ministry states (R.H.B.45) that it will shortly ask hospitalsthat have been taking part in the limited trial to comment onthe transcription form now in use. The aim is to introduce arevised form at the beginning of 1952, and to ask all hospitalsto complete this form in respect of a sample of their patients.Meanwhile, hospitals taking part in the trial are asked tocontinue to do so on the present basis.

RUSSIAN LONGEVITY

OLD comrades never die-to judge by a recent Russiansurvey on longevity 1 which showed that there are more than30,000 people in the Soviet Union who are more than 100years old. Neither do they fade away ; for Vassily SergeivichTishkin, now in his 145th year, worked 256 days on hiscollective farm last year, and on election day this winterwalked to the voting booth himself ; while Makhmud Eivazovwho is 142, is a deputy of his local soviet, works on a collectivefarm, and regularly bathes in a mountain stream. Whereasin capitalist countries there are few examples of such per-sistence, conditions in the Soviet Union are stated to favourlong life, and the Kharkov Institute of Biology is to publisha book called " U.S.S.R.-Country of Longevity." Whichdraws from the New York Times 2 the rejoinder that length oflife in the Soviet Union is apt to be governed by capriciouslaws.

Eiochenaica e Terapia Sperimentale and Patologia Com-parata della Tuberculosi are now being published as a singlejournal entitled Notiziario dell’Istituto Vaccinogeno Anti-tubercolare, of which the first issue is dated January-March,1951.

1. New York Times, April 27, 1951, p. 4.2. Ibid, April 28, 1951, p. 6.

University of CambridgeIn a congregation on May 12, the degree of bachelor of

medicine and surgery was conferred on B. E. L. Thompson.

University of LondonProf. P. B. Medawar, D.SC., F.R.S., has been appointed to the

Jodrell chair of zoology and comparative anatomy at Univer-sity College from Oct 1. Dr. Medawar has held the Masonchair of zoology in the University of Birmingham since 1947.

University of SheffieldDr. H. E. Harding, senior lecturer in pathology, has been

appointed reader in pathology.

University of ManchesterDr. C. Fraser Brockington has been appointed professor of

social and preventive medicine in succession to Dr. AndrewTopping. Dr. Brockington will take up his duties in Manchesterin August. ’

Dr. Brockington studied medicine at Cambridge and Guy’s,qualifying in 1927. In 1928, he obtained the D.P.H. and two yearslater the degree of M.D. After holding resident appointments at theHospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, and at BrightonInfectious Diseases Hospital and Sanatorium, in 1930 he becameassistant county medical officer for Worcestershire. After someyears in private practice he returned to a public-health appointmentin West Sussex in 1936, going to Warwickshire as deputy medicalofficer of health in 1938 and becoming county M.O.H. in 1942. In1946 he received his present appointment as county M.O.H. for theWest Riding of Yorkshire, and he has been lecturer in preventivemedicine in the University of Leeds since 1948. He has publishedpapers on epidemiology, nutrition, and social medicine.

Royal College of Surgeons of EnglandAt a meeting of the council on May 10, with Sir Cecil Wakeley,

the president, in the chair, Mr. R. L. Holt and Mr. G. Qvistwere admitted to the court of examiners. Mr. A. H. Harkness,(London Skin Hospital), Mr. 1. W. Magill (Westminster),Mr. A. 0. Parker (Cardiff), Surgeon Captain R. W. Higgins, R.N.,and Prof. T. Nicol (King’s College) were admitted to the

fellowship. The Walker prize was presented to Prof.Alexander Haddow (Chester Beatty Research Institute), andthe Begley prize to, Mr. G. L. Howe (Middlesex).Diplomas of membership were granted to those named in

our report of the comitia of the Royal College of Physicians(Lancet, May 5, 1951, p. 1023). The D.C.H. was also granted toA. J. Watson, and the D.1-.H. to H. L. Wolfe.

Royal College of Surgeons of EdinburghAt a meeting on May 17, with Mr. W. Quarry Wood, the

president, in the chair, the following were admitted fellows :- H. A. Beagley, Anwar El Masry, W. T. Gibbs, R. R. Gilfillan,P. D. Goatcher, J. M. D. Hay, T. A. H. Hurrell, R. M. Jackson,W. H. McGillivray, I. M. Maciver, Murarimohan Mukherji, T J.Noonan, Gurdial Singh, D. B. Skewes, R. G. Townsend, L. W. vanBlerck, J. A. M. White.

West London Medico-chirurgical Society .

This society’s annual banquet is to be held on Wednesday,June 6, at the Royal College of Surgeons, at 8 P.M.

Lebanon Hospital for Mental and Nervous DisordersAddressing last Monday the annual meeting, in London, of

the Lebanon Hospital for Mental and Nervous Disorders,Asfuriyeh, the Earl of Feversham, the president, said thatthe hospital had done good work in a country where theneed was great. He welcomed the matron of the hospital,Miss Mary Morrissey, who had just arrived from the Lebanon ;and finally he proposed that Sir William Houstoun-Boswall,formerly British Minister in Beirut, be elected a vice-president.Mr. H. Lyn Harris, chairman of the London committee,said that 1950 had been a year of great progress. The hospitalhad been partly rebuilt, new sanitary and medical equipmenthad been installed, and many improvements for the welfareof patients and staff had been made. The chairman went onto speak of the energy and enthusiasm that Dr. W. M.Ford Robertson, the medical director, had put into his worksince taking up his post in February, 1950. The report ofthe medical director was read by Dr. J. C. Sawle Thomas,chairman of the medical committee, who said that advances hadbeen made in the medical teaching at the hospital underthe new director, who held the post of associate professor.of psychiatry at the American University of Beirut. It was

hoped to start a neurosis centre at the Lebanon Hospitalas soon as possible ; and other schemes included the provisionof scholarships to enable the best student nurses to come to-Great Britain for further training.

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Royal Sanitary InstituteMr. G. R. Oake, chairman of the Interdepartmental Com-

mittee on the Inspection of Meat, will discuss this committee’sreport in the Benjamin Ward Richardson lecture, to bedelivered at the institute on Wednesday, June 20, at 2.30 P.M.

West London Hospital Medical SchoolDr. Leonard Colebrook, F.R.S., will deliver the fourth

Alex Simpson Smith lecture on Tuesday, June 12, at 8.30 r.M.,at 11, Chandos Street, W.I. Dr. Colebrook is to speak onOutstanding Problems of Burns and Scalds. Application fortickets should be made to the dean of the school, London, W.6.

French Congress of StomatologyThis congress will be held in Paris at the Fondation Eastman

from Oct. 8 to 13 under the chairmanship of Dr. Rene Vincent.The organisers would especially welcome papers from Britishdoctors who are interested in dental problems. Further

particulars may be had from Dr. Friez, secretary-general ofthe congress, 42, rue Notre-Dame des Champs, Paris, 6e.

Charges for Dentures and SpectaclesThese charges, under the National Health Service Act, 1951,

came into force last Monday, May 21 (see Lancet, April 28,1951, p. 967). The charges are not applicable to patientswho on that date were already undergoing dental treatmentinvolving dentures, or to those for whom glasses were alreadyon order.

Medicine and the FestivalThe Festival scientific meetings organised jointly by the

British Medical Association and the Royal Society of Medicinewill be opened on Monday, June 4. at the Royal Society ofMedicine, 1, Wimpole Street, London, W.I. The openingceremony will be performed by the Earl of Athlone, chancellorof the University of London, accompanied by Princess Alice,chancellor of the University of the West Indies.

Conference on Electron MicroscopyThe electron microscopy group of the Institute of Physics

is holding a conference at St. Andrews on June 19 and 20. Thespeakers will include Dr. M. S. C. Birkbeck of the Chester

Beatty Research Institute, Mr. C. E. Challice, and Dr. A. S.McFarlane of the National Institute for Medical Research.Further particulars may be had from the hon. secretary ofthe group, Mr. F. W. Cuckow, M.SC., F.INST.P., Chester BeattyResearch Institute, Royal Cancer Hospital, London, S.W.3.

Award of George MedalThe George Medal has been awarded to Squadron-Leader

T. C. L. Brown, M.B.On the night of Dec. 20, 1950, Squadron-Leader Brown was

travelling as a passenger on a training flight from Singapore when apropeller blade broke loose. The blade cut through the fuselageand seriously injured the co-pilot ; and within a few seconds thefaulty engine fell out of the aircraft. Without regard to his ownsafety Squadron-Leader Brown administered medical aid to theinjured man, with whom he stayed until the aircraft crashed. Hehimself was seriously injured ; and " there is no doubt," says thecitation, " that he consciously risked his life in order to save thatof the irijured officer."

British Cardiac SocietyThe thirtieth annual meeting of this society was held in

Glasgow on May 10, under the chairmanship of Dr. J. H.Wright. A discussion on heart disorders of pulmonary originwas opened by Prof. J. McMichael, Dr. A. J. Thomas, andDr. Paul Wood. Short communications, arranged by thesecretary, Dr. K. Shirley Smith, included papers on vectorcardiography, clinical and cardiographic aspects of cardiacinfarction, and electrokymography ; colour,films illustratingmovements of the valves of the heart and diaphragmaticGutter were shown.

Donor EyesThe Southern Ophthalmological Society visited the

corneo-plastic unit at the Queen Victoria Hospital, EastGrinstead, on May 5, for a demonstration by Mr. B. W.Rycroft of the operative technique of lamellar corneal graftingand dacryocystorhinostomy. He also showed cases illus-

trating optical, therapeutic, and cosmetic grafts, and he

emphasised the urgent need for donor eyes. He invited thecooperation of the society, and of all ophthalmic surgeons,in the provision of donor material. A box for transport of the- 9ye under suitable conditions would be sent in time for anycase if notification were received by the unit in advance.

Societe Nationale Française de Gastro-enterologieThe dates of this society’s next meeting have been changed

from June 16 and 17 to June 15 and 16.

Malaya’s Need for DoctorsAt the request of the Colonial Office, the Ministry of.Health

has notified hospitals of the need for more doctors in. Malaya.The Ministry’s circular (B.H.B.[51]44) remarks: " TheGovernment regard as an essential step in the re-establishmentof law and order there, that full civil administration and socialservices should be introduced in each area as it becomes ready."

The 1949-50 issue of the collected papers of the Middlesex

Hospital Medical School has now been published.The title of the U.S. Public Health Service’s monthly

journal, hitherto known as the Industrial Hygiene Newsletter,has been changed to Industrial Health Monthly.

CORRIGENDUM : Plasmosan in the Prevention and Treat-ment of Shock.-The qualifications of Dr. F. J. R. Stoneham,joint author of’ this article last week, are L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S.,D.A.

Diary of the Week

MAY 27 TO JUNE 2 Monday, 28th

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UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, UniversityStrdet, W.C.1

5.30 P.M. Prof. A. Foiling (Oslo) : Oligophrenia Phenylpyrouvica.(First of two lectures.)

ROYAL EYE HOSPITAL, St. George’s Circus, S.E.15 P.M. Dr. T. Rowland Hill : Ocular Palsies.

Tuesday, 29thROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, W.C.2

5 P.M. Mr. J. B. Iiinruonth : Surgical Physiology of Large Arteries,with Particular Reference to Traumatic Spasm. (Arris andGale lecture.)

UNIVERSITY OF LONDONo.30 P.M. (Westminster Medical School, Horseferry Road, S.W.l.)

Prof. Warren H. Cole (U.S.A.): Surgery of the BiliarySystem. (Last of two lectures.)

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL5.30 P.M. Professor Folling : Oligophrenia Phenylpyrouvica.

(Last of two lectures.)WRIGHT-FLEMING INSTITUTE OF MICROBIOLOGY, St. Mary’s Hospital

Medical School, W.25 P.-Ni. Dr. G. Bousfield : Avoidance of Post-injection Paralyses.

(Almroth Wright lecture.)INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY, St. John’s Hospital, Lisle Street,

W.C.2 t5 P.M. Dr. H. J. Wallace: Erythemato-squamous Eruptions.

INSTITUTE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, Judd Street, W.C.15.30 P.M. Mr. H. H. Skeoch : Hormone Therapy in Ophthalmology

with Cortisone and A.c.T.H.EUGENICS SOCIETY

5.30 P.M. (Burlington House, Piccadilly, W.I.) Prof. P. E. Vernon,PH.D.: Investigations of Intelligence and its Measurement.

WEST END HOSPITAL FOR NERVOUS DISEASES, 73, Welbeck Street,W.I

2.30 P.M. Mr. Joseph Minton : Ocular Manifestations of NervousDisease.

Wednesday, 30thINSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY .

5 P.M. Dr. R. W. Riddell: Medical Mycology—SuperficialMycotic Infections.

INSTITUTE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY5.30 P.M. Mr. J. D. Magor Cardell: Burns of the Eye.

ROYAL EYE HOSPITAL5.30 P.M. Mr. L. H. Savin : Common Plastic Operations and

Orbital Surgery.

Thursday, 31 stST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, Hyde Park Corner, S.W.1

5.30 P.M. Dr. M. A. Partridge : Psychiatry lecture-demonstration.INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY

5 P.M. Dr. J. L. Franklin: Seborrhoeic Dermatoses.INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, S.E.5

3 P.M. Dr. Jacques Le Beau (Paris) : Neurosurgical Difficultiesin Performing Limited Prefrontal Operations.

HONYMAN GILLESPIE LECTURE5 P.M. (University New Buildings, Teviot Place, Edinburgh.)

Mr. A. J. Slessor: Peripheral Nerve Injuries.UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS

J P.M. (Medical School, Small’s Wynd, Dundee.) Prof. W. Mercer:Surgery of the Chronic Hip.

’

Friday, 1 stROYAL EYE HOSPITAL

5.30 P.M. Dr. C. A. Keele : Advances in Pharmacology of theEye.

Saturday, 2ndBRITISH SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON AGEING

3 P.m. (Middlesex Hospital Medical School, W.1.) AnnualConference.