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Institution of the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. He took theD.O.M.S. in 1928 and was elected F.R.F.P.S.G. in 1936.

In 1941 he was appointed to the Tennent chair of ophthal-mology in the University of Glasgow, a post he occupied withdistinction until his retirement in 1964. One of his first taskswas to undertake important work in conjunction with the Uni-versities of Oxford and Edinburgh on the effects of war gaseson the eye and how these could be mitigated; his chief interest,however, was in heredity and in colour vision. As might befitan academic, he had a great feeling for the written word, andhe established a comprehensive ophthalmological library in hisdepartment, which was graced by many early ophthalmicworks, including some notable first editions.

In later years his interests became more and more directedto the teaching of his subject and the training of young oph-thalmologists, and there are many internationally recognisedophthalmologists who owe their introduction to the subjectand their early training to his help and guidance. In additionto his clinical activities, including meticulously performed sur-gery, his interest in teaching led to his taking on the responsi-bilities of dean and adviser of students in the faculty of medi-cine. He was active in university affairs and held manyimportant offices within the university, in addition to servingon the councils of most of the ophthalmic professional associ-ations in varying capacities, from ordinary member to presi-dent.

Professor Riddell was always a stickler for accuracy, andmany of the books in the departmental library carry correc-tions and annotations in his hand. At meetings he was intol-erant of humbug and took delight in rapidly extracting a

grain of truth when it was in danger of being lost in ’verbiage.To some he was a little forbidding, but to those who knew himhis underlying sense of humour and humanity are what theywill remember and miss.He is survived by his wife, Anna, and by a son and

daughter.W.S.F.

Notes and News

MENTALLY RETARDED IN THE COMMUNITY

"Casting the mentally handicapped adrift in the cities withouthelp is more destructive than putting them away." This is oneconclusion from a set of information exchanges sponsored bythe National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children.’One major reservation is that we do not hear enough fromparents. As Miss D. jefferee (Hester Adrian Centre, Manches-ter University) points out, after ten years of research into men-tal handicap, many parents know more about bringing up thementally handicapped in the home than the professionals do.However, this is a readable, practical summary of the knowl-edge of professionals concerned with social rehabilitation ofthe retarded.

New Consultants’ Association

A meeting to discuss the formation of a new association forconsultants is being held at 2.30 P.M. on Friday, Feb. 27, inthe Marsden Room, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, LondonNW3 2QG. The aim is to draw together those consultants who,believing in a whole-time commitment to the National HealthService and in the need to save and improve the N.H.S., do notfeel that they are adequately represented by existing organisa-tions and will therefore wish to give collective evidence on theN.H.S. to the Royal Commission.

1. New Prospects for Retarded Citizens. Edited by E. R. TUDOR DAVIES. Lon-don: National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children. £4.

University of LondonDr J. M. Grange has been appointed to the readership in

microbiology at the Cardiothoracic Institute. The title ofreader in physiology has been confered on Dr M. K. S.Hathorn in respect of his post at the London Hospital MedicalCollege.

CorrigendumDermatitis Herpetiformis-Dr J. O’D. Alexander’s book (reviewed

Feb. 14, p. 343) is in the series Major Problems in Dermatology.

Diary of the Week

FEB. 29 TO MARCH 6

Monday, 1st

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON5 P.M. (St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, Lambeth Palace Road, SEt.)

Prof. C. A. Wagenvoort (Amsterdam): Pathology of PulmonaryHypertension.

Wednesday, 3rd

BRITISH POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL FEDERATION1.15 P.M. (Channel 7, I.L.E.A. Closed Circuit Television System.) Dr D.G. G.

Gibson: Echocardiography. (Repeated at 6.30 P.M. on Wednesday,12.15 P.M. on Thursday, and 1.15 P.M. on Friday.)

INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGY, National Hospital, Queen Square, London WCIN3BG

6 P.M. Dr J. S. Porterfield: Virology and Multiple Sclerosis.7 P.M. Dr L. A. Liversedge: The Status of "Treatment" in Multiple Sclerosis.

(Sandoz Foundation lectures.)INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, de Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5

5.30 P.M. Dr M. M. Feldman: On the Nature of Reassurance.NORTHWICK PARK HOSPITAL, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA13UJ

1 P.M. Dr D. C. White: Relief of Pain.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Pond Street, Hampstead, London NW3 2QG

5 P.M. Prof. G. M. Besser: Hypothalamic Regulatory Hormones.MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH

8 P.M. (Pfizer Foundation.) Dr J. D. Cash: Developments in Blood-transfu-sion.

Thursday, 4th

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON, 11 St. Andrew’s Place, Regent’sPark, NW1 4LE

5 P.M. Dr John Pemberton: Some Failures of Modern Medicine. (Milroy lec-ture.)

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A3PN

5.30 P.M. Dr V. Goodhill: Tympanoplastic Surgery-Heterodox Techniques.ROYAL SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, Manson House, 26 Port-

land Place, London WIN 4EY6 P.M. Prof. Scot Halstead: Dengue Hmmorrhagic Fever-A Case of Immuno-

logic Double Jeopardy?

Friday, Sth .

ROYAL POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL, Hammersmith Hospital, LondonW12OHS

3 P.M. Mr J. R. Silver: Surgical Problems in Paraplegia.

Appointments

Gwent Health Authority:

CALCRAFT, B. J., M.B. Wales, M.R.C.P.: consultant physician.GOLDING, R. H., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.O.G., F.R.C.S.E. : consultant obstetrician and

gynaecologist.GoNSnt.ves, IDA, M.B. Madras: consultant in mental handicap.GREEN, M. F., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.E. : consultant plastic surgeon.HODGE, R. C., M.B. Brist., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.E., F.R.C.S.).: consultant traumatic

and orthopaedic surgeon.LLOYD, H. J., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.P. : consultant physician.PRICE-THOMAS, J. M., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant general surgeon.SYKES, P. J., M.B. Cantab., F.R.C.S. : consultant plastic surgeon.