111

tells the disappointed reader that the details he is seekingcan be obtained on request from the General RegisterOffice. To compensate for this loss, table 21 has beenenlarged: hitherto, this table has given a geographicalanalysis, of the causes of death according to the Supple-mentary Abridged List, but with no classification byage-groups and no division of the administrative countiesinto urban and rural districts. This year, table 21 usesbth the Abridged List and the Supplementary List, butit does not give the figures for each age-group. Someresearch-workers may miss this information, for it comesin handy in many different investigations ; and the

Registrar-General may be surprised by the number ofpeople who ask him for table 20.

-

Some of the figures given in the tables have alreadybeen mentioned in the chief medical officer’s report,which we summarised last month. 9 More than half thefatal accidents, other than road accidents, happened athome. During the year, there were 954 fatal accidentsinvolving children under 15 in the home : the maincauses were accidental suffocation by food or in bed(500), burns (147), poisonings (58), scalds (57), andfalls (57). ).The Registrar-General has also published a supple-

ment’"to his review of 1949, dealing with generalmorbidity, cancer, and mental health. This useful newfeature of the review contains statistics from three

sources: the general Survey of Sickness, based on

monthly interviews of a representative sample of theadult population of England and Wales ; the registrationof cancer cases by hospitals ; and records kept in mentalhospitals and mental-deficiency hospitals. In the surveyof general morbidity, the tables for 1949 show the agesof the sick people, where they lived, what work theydid, how much they earned, and what illnesses they had.

Statistics from Certificates

The Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance haveturned their formidable experience of medical certificatesto good account by publishing a digest of statistics ofincapacity, based on certificates sent to the Ministry insupport of claims to sickness or injury benefit. Thefigures they have collected provide information nothitherto available about sickness in the working popu-lation. The first collection of statistics deals with theyear 1950, and it is being sent to medical officers of healthof counties, county boroughs, and large burghs, and toother people who have shown an interest in the Ministry’srecords. Other copies are available for those who wouldlike them. The Ministry observes rather ruefully that,in making these analyses, they are dependent upon thediagnoses entered on the certificates by the doctors, who,they hope, will appreciate the importance of stating thecause of incapacity as accurately as possible.

9. See Lancet, 19a3, ii, 1306.10. The Registrar-General’s Statistical Review of England and

Wales for the Year 1949. Supplement on General Morbidity,Cancer and Mental Health. H.M. Stationery Office. Pp. 186.7s. 6d.

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Infectious Diseases in England and Wales

*Not including late returns.

Notes and News

DISTRIBUTION OF VIOMYCIN

THE Ministry of Health reports that viomycin sulphate isbeing made available at the antibiotic distribution centresfor use in suitable cases of tuberculous infection in N.H.S.hospitals. Viomycin is a streptomyces antibiotic, whoseantituberculous activity was described in 1951.1 A memo-randum prepared by the Medical Research Council statesthat the main indication for its use is in selected cases oftuberculosis where the administration of all, or all but one,of the usual antituberculous drugs is impracticable. Eventhen viomycin should usually be withheld if chemotherapyis not clearly indicated and alternative methods of treatmentare feasible (for example, in cases of minimal tuberculosis) ;nor is the use of this drug usually justified in the treatmentof advanced and extensive lesions that are unlikely to respondto chemotherapy. Impairment of renal function and non-tuberculous renal disease are contra-indications.A recommended regimen is intramuscular viomycin 2 g., in two

doses of 1 g. on the same day, twice weekly. This is best combinedwith intramuscular streptomycin 1 g. twice weekly on the samedays as the viomycin, or more often ; or with oral sodiump-aminosalicylate 15-20 g. daily : or with isoniazid 200 mg. daily.The recommended duration of this treatment is three months.The patient should be in hospital, under close clinical observationand laboratory control.

The effects, though generally favourable, are less distinctthan those from equal doses of streptomycin.

THERMOMETERSTHE description of a clinical thermometer as "½ min.,"

" 1 min.," or " 2 min." may mislead some people into believing

that a dependable reading is obtainable in these times.2 Bythe revised British standard for clinical maximum thermo-meters (B.s. 691/53) these times are not to be used on thermo-meters : instead the words quick," " medium," or " stubby ’’are to be marked on them ; and an explanatory slip withwording laid down in the standard is to be packed with eachthermometer at the time of sale. " The inclusion of this slip,"says the British Standards Institution, " should help in

avoiding incorrect use of the thermometers, and this attemptat education has the backing of the manufacturers and themedical profession." Copies of the standard (price 2s.) areobtainable from the sales branch of the institution, 2, ParkStreet, London, W.l.

Fellowships in Clinical ResearchThe Medical Research Council invites applications for

fellowships, tenable at centres in the United Kingdom during1954-55, from medical graduates who wish to prepare them-selves for a career in clinical research.The awards will be made for one year in the first instance and

will be renewable annually to a maximum of three years in all.Stipend will be at the rate of £850- £75- £1000 per annum, withsuperannuation. Applications must be sponsored by the head of theappropriate department in the candidate’s university or medicalschool, and an undertaking will be required that a suitable academicpost in a clinical department will be available to the candidate inthat institution on satisfactory completion of the period of studyunder the fellowship. Forms of application may be had from thesecretary of the council, 38, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1,to whom they must be returned not later than March 1.

Nuffield Dental FellowshipsOne of the aims of these fellowships is to enable graduates

in medicine and science to qualify themselves to undertaketeaching and research on dental health and disease. Theannual value of a fellowship is between z500 and;E800 a year.Further particulars will be found in our advertisementcolumns.

Shortage of House-officersImpressed by the difficulty of obtaining house-officers,

Wrexham Hospital Management Committee has decided,subject to approval by the Welsh Board of Health, to waivethe normal salary for house-officers in order to get " locums

"

to take the postS.3 The committee proposes to offer 12 guineasa week plus board and lodging ; the usual salary is ;E8 a weekless board and lodging. Mr. William Jones, the committee’ssecretary, said that of the 8 posts for housemen in the twoWrexham hospitals only 4 were filled.1. See Lancet, 1951, i, 952.2. Ibid, 1952, ii, 525.3. Liverpool Daily Post. Dec. 8, 1953 ; Wrexham Leader, Dec. 11.

112

Employment of DisabledThe National Advisory Council on the Employment of the

Disabled has been reconstituted by the Minister of Labourand National Service for a further three years. The chair-man is Sir Brunel Cohen, and the new members include SirHarry Platt and Dr. R. R. Trail. The following medicalmembers were re-elected : Dr. J. J. R. Duthie, Dr. MaxwellJones, and Dr. Donald Stewart.A New Medical School at SheffieldThe board of United Sheffield Hospitals have announced

(Manchester Guardian, Jan. 5) that by arrangement with theUniversity of Sheffield a medical teaching school is to be builtin the grounds of the Sheffield Royal Infirmary. The costof the scheme is to be met by the university from a grantmade by the University Grants Committee. The new buildingwill include the professorial departments of surgery and

therapeutics, laboratories, and a large lecture hall.

Training of District NursesThe Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for

Scotland have appointed a working party" To consider what training it is desirable that registered nurses

and enrolled assistant nurses, respectively, should undertake priorto their employment on home nursing duties, and the means bywhich such training should be provided."Mr. I. F. Armer, deputy secretary of the ministry, is to act

as chairman. ________

CORRIGENDUM : Simpson Smith Lecture,.-In publishingSir Clement Price Thomas’s lecture last week we said that itwas delivered before the West London Medico-ChirurgicalSociety. This was incorrect. The Alex Simpson Smithmemorial trust is administered by the governing body ofthe West London Hospital Medical School. The school, notthe society, is responsible for the lecture.

Diary of the WeekJAN 10 TO 16

Monday, llthP.OYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, Pall Mall East, S.W.1

5 P.M. Dr. J. T. Ingram: Significance and Management ofPsoriasis. (Watson Smith lecture.)

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, 11, Chandos Street, W.18.30 P.M. Dr. Richard A-sher, Dr. T. A. Munro : Physical Basis of

Mental Illness.

Tuesday, 12thROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE, 1, Wimpole Street, W.1

8 P.M. Section of Psychiatry. Prof. Alexander Kennedy, Dr.Maxwell Jones, Dr. Edward Glover : Psychopathy.

ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCIIOOL, Paddington, W.25 P.M. Prof. Dugald Baird : Impact of Social Conditions on

Labour.INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY, St. John’s Hospital, Lisle Street,

W.C.25.30 P.M. Dr. R. G. Cochrane : Leprosy.

CHELSEA CLINICAL SOCIETY8.30 P.M. (South Kensington Hotel, 41, Queen’s Gate Terrace,

S.W.7.) Sir Francis Walshe, F.R.S., Dr. Denis Williams :Sleep.

MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY8 P.M. (Medical School, University of Manchester.) Section of

Surgery. Mr. Frank Nicholson : Surgical Treatment ofPulmonary Tuberculosis.

Wednesday, 13thROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, W.C.2

5.30 P.M. Mr. R. Charles Evans, Dr. Michael Ward : Ascent ofMount Everest-Medical Studies. (Hunterian lecture.)

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE4.30 P.M. Section of Physical Medicine. Prof. W. C. W. NTixon:

Psychosomatic Approach to Childbirth. Dr. DonaldWilson : Exercises in Antenatal and Postnatal Manage-ment.

ST. MARY’8 HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL5 P.M. Dr. D. F. O’Neill: Psychiatry lecture-demonstration.

INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY5.30 P.M. Dr. R. W. RIDDELL : Histopathology of Fungous

Infections. -

MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY4.30 P.M. Sections of Medicine and Pathology. Dr. G. M. Barrett,

Dr. A. G. Rickards : Brucellosis.MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH

8.30 P.M. (Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson Street.) Dr.A. Rae Gilchrist, Dr. R. M. Marquis : Assessment ofPatients for Cardiac Surgery.

ROYAL FACULTY OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF GLASGOW,242, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, C.2

5 P.M. Prof. L. J. Witts : Anaemia and the Alimentary Tract.(Finlayson lecture.)

Thursday, 14thROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

5 P.M. Prof. R. Milnes W’alker : Place of Venous Shunts inTreatment of Portal Hypertension. (Hunterian lecture.)

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON5 P.M. (Middlesex Hospital Medical School, Mortimer Street,

W.1.) Prof. J. Pasteels (Brussels) : Present Views onEmbryonal Induction.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, Gower Street, W.C.14.45 P.M. Prof. Jean Brachet (Brussels): Role of Ribonucleie

Acid in Morphogenesis. ,

BRITISH POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL FEDERATION ’

5.30 P.M. (London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineKeppel Street, W.C.I.) Dr. E. A. Carmichael: Hemis.pherectomy and Localisation of Function. v

’

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL COLLEGE, Millbank, -S.W.15 P.M. Dr. W. C. Cockburn : Early Field Investigations of

Typhoid Vaccines.BRITISH INSTITUTE OF RADIOLOGY, 32, Welbeck Street, W.1

8 P.M. Dr. J. Blair Hartley : Significance of Placental- Calcification.INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH, The Hospital for Sick Children, Great

Ormond Street, W.C.15.30 P.M. Dr. H. Davy : Behaviour in.Epilepsy.

INSTITUTE OF LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY, 330, Gray’s Inn Road,W.C.I

5 P.M. Prof. F. C. Ormerod : Use of Antibiotics and Chemo-therapy.

ALFRED ADLER MEDICAL SOCIETY -

8 P.M. (11, Chandos Street, W.I.) Mr. R. W. Raven : Psycho.logical Reactions to Surgical Disease. ’

SURREY INTER-HOSPITAL PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, West ParkHospital, Epsom -’

7.30 P.M. Clinical meeting.LIVERPOOL MEDICAL INSTITUTION, 114, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, 3

3 P.M. and 8 P.M. Mr. Charles Evans : Everest, 1953.UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS ’

5 P.M. (Medical School, Small’s Wynd, Dundee.) Professor Witts:Anaemia and the Alimentary Tract.

Friday, 15thUNIVERSITY COLLEGE

5.30 P.M. Prof. Werner Koll (G6ttingen) : Experimental Studieson Analgesics-Tooth Stimulation and other Methods.

POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF LONDON, Ducane Road, W.122 P.M. Professor Milnes Walker : Lesions of the Small Intestine.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE4.30 P.M. Section of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine.

Dr. H. J. Parish, Miss M. Barr, Dr. J. Ungar, Dr. N. R.Butler : Combined Immunisation.

8.15 P.M. Section of Radiologb. Dr. B. Strickland: Cushing’sSyndrome. Dr. W. Copland : Bone Changes in Diabetes.Dr. J. Shea,ch : Enuresis.

8 P.M. Section of Pathology. Brigadier J. S. K. Boyd, F.R.S..Dr. E. McCloy, Dr. B. A. D. Stocker, Mr. W. R. Maxted,Dr. R. E. 0. Williams, Dr. L. F. Hewitt : Phage Actionon Bacteria.

FACULTY OF RADIOLOGISTS2.15 P.M. Radiodiagnosis Section. (Royal College of Surgeons,

Lincoln’s Inn Fields, W.C.2.) Dr. P. G. Keatps : Physical,Physiological, and Hormonal Aspects of Hydronephrosis.Dr.-Conway Don : Bronchography in Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY5.30 P.M. Dr. Cochrane : Leprosy.

OSLER CLUB OF LONDON7.45 P.M. (11, Chandos Street, W.1.) Prof. J. M. R. Cormack,

M.A.: Black Magic.

Saturday, 16thBIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY

11 A.M. (Postgraduate Medical School of London, Ducane Road,W.12.) Scientific Papers.

AppointmentsBOYD. WILLIAM, M.D. Edin. : senior registrar in mental deficiency

and child psychiatry, Little Plumstead Hospital. ’

DAViES, G. L., M.R.C.S., -D.P.M. : asst. psychiatrist, Ipswich childpsychiatry clinic.

HEATON-WARD, W. A., M.B. Brist., D.P.M.: superintendent, StokePark Colony Group, Bristol.

VINCENT, C. T., M.B. : asat. clinical pathologist, North Gloucester-shire clinical area.

Newcastle Regional Hospital Board:LEAMINQ, H. L., M.R.C.S., D.A. : consultant anaesthetist. Tees-side

H.M.C. group.RYAN, PATRIicK, M.B. Dubl. : asst. chest physician (s.H.M.o.),

Poole Hospital, Middlesbrough.SLACK, C. C., M.CH. Orth. Lpool, F.R.C.s.E.: asat. orthopedic

surgeon, Sanderson Orthopeedio Hospital, Gosforth.North East Metropolitan Regional Hospitat Board :CHOYCE, D. P., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S., D.O.M.S.: part-time ophthal-

mic surgeon (consultant), Southend General, RochfordGeneral, and Runwell Hospitals, and Southend eye clinic.

CRAWFORD, A. S., M.D. Edin., F.F.A. R.C.S., D.A. : part-timea.neesthetist (consultant). Rush Green Hospital.

HOLLAND, H. W., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.P., D.M.R. : part-timeradiologist (consultant) Chelmsford group of hospii, se

NELSON-JONES, ARCHIBALD, M.D. Lond., M.R.C.P. ; part-timephysician (consultant), Rush Green Hospital.

SUTTON, F. R., M.B. Lond.. F.R.c.s.: part-time surgeon (sultant), Rush Green Hospital.

’

Births, Marriages, and Deaths. BIRTHS

LEWES.—On Dec. 29, at Bedford General Hospital, to Daphne (neeWailes), wife of David Lewes, D.M., M.R.C.P-a fourth daughtei(Christina).

DEATHSRENTZSCH.-On Dec. 27,, at St. Lawrence’s Hospital, Bodmin.

Sigismund Henry Rentzsch, M.R.c.s., in his 88th year, father 01Maude Mary Langham, 35, Cranley Gardens, London, S.W.