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Notes and News

DIAGNOSTIC AND ASSESSMENT UNITS

THERE has been since 1959 a swift development by localeducation authorities of diagnostic and assessment units forhandicapped children, but a report 1 from the Departmentof Education and Science suggests that the units, thoughundoubtedly fulfilling a pressing need, are not necessarilycarrying out diagnostic or assessment functions. The unitsvisited in the survey (40 in all) varied considerably; somewere attached to primary schools, and some to specialschools for educationally subnormal children, while somewere independent establishments. Children were admittedwith almost every kind of handicap; many of them werementally subnormal or suffered from a speech or languagedisorder, and some had multi-handicaps. Most of thechildren were in the age-range of 5-7 years, but some unitswould accept children much younger; 6 units admittedchildren up to 11 years old, and 2 had children in theirteens. The length of time spent by the child in the unitvaried according to its function: those which provided aneffective diagnostic and assessment service generally kept thechild for only a few months, but in those where the pro-vision of special education was the primary function the staycould be of several years. Few of the teachers in theunits had any special training in the diagnosis and assess-ment of children’s learning and developmental difficulties,and they often had little or no medical, psychological, orother specialist support. In very few of the units was therean established system for giving specialist advice to thechildren’s parents. The authors of the survey felt thatfewer than one-third of the units visited fully justified theirdesignation; in only a few was there any evidence of agenuine inter-disciplinary approach to the children’s

problems, chiefly because the teachers lacked specialistsupport. The survey concluded, however, that the units,even where little assessment was carried out, were ful-

filling a very necessary role in providing special educationfor children with many different kinds of handicap, forwhom there might otherwise have been no provision at all.It is suggested that such units might more appropriately beknown in future as special classes for young handicappedchildren.

THE MIND MANIFESTO

THE National Association for Mental Health annual con-ference this year saw the launching of the Mind Campaign," a challenge to you to question what sort of society we

are creating in Britain: to ask whether our material

progress has been matched by advances in human well-being ". Affluence, material goods, better physical health,longer life, and better social conditions had, paradoxically,become associated with apparently more maladjustedchildren, attempted suicide, loneliness, stress, anxiety, anddepression. One in six girls now at school and one in nineboys could expect to spend some part of their lives as

psychiatric inpatients: " 46% of our hospital beds areoccupied by the mentally disordered. More than half theremainder are filled by patients whose condition may haveresulted from emotional stress: alcoholism, drug addiction,accidents, attempted suicide, and the diseases caused bytobacco smoking and excessive eating." Mental disorderswere the hardest to bear and inflicted the greatest distresson people, families, and friends. Those and many otherfacts are listed in the Manifesto, together with the outlinesof an action programme directed at hospitals, communitycare, and research.

1. Diagnostic and Assessment Units. Education Survey 9. Departmentof Education and Science. H.M. Stationery Office, 1970. 20p.

The Mind Campaign is backed by over one hundrednational organisations, and further details can be obtainedfrom Rt. Hon. David Ennals, P.c., Director, Mind Cam-paign, 39 Queen Anne Street, London W1M OAJ.

HANDICAPPED CHILDREN

IN a survey of 50 children attending a primary day schoolfor the physically handicapped, Dr. Joan McMichael 1shows that the children were faced with many relatedpsychological, social, and educational problems in additionto their actual handicaps, and that they and their parentsoften went without the care and support which could have

helped them to overcome their difficulties. 31 of the childrenhad congenital or neonatal handicaps, including 14 withcerebral palsy, and 19 had acquired handicaps, including 8with poliomyelitis and 7 with conditions leading to a secon-dary cerebral palsy. Dr. McMichael found that the rateof referral for child guidance (24%) was much higher amongthe handicapped children than among those attendingordinary schools, and that the physical and mental healthof their parents, and of their siblings, often deterioratedas a result of the child’s handicap. Many of the childrenhad not been visited in their homes by a caseworker untilthey started school, and parents reported a lack of supportduring the crisis period when they were first told of theirchild’s handicap. Several parents complained of delay indiagnosis, and 58% said that when the diagnosis was firstconveyed to them they had no chance to discuss it withthe doctor; many parents also said that they would havewelcomed more specialist advice. Dr. McMichael assessesthe effect that circumstances such as frequent and prolongedstays in hospital, parental rejection, and bad housing mayhave on the handicapped child. Her survey is illustrated

throughout with detailed case-histories used to pinpointspecific failings in the services provided for these childrenand their families. She stresses the need for continuous

support for families and for more coordination between thedifferent agencies offering care. She also suggests that thereshould be specially trained full-time caseworkers attachedto schools for the physically handicapped, a special housingcategory to provide ground-floor accommodation with agarden for the families of handicapped children, and baby-sitters and play centres especially for the handicapped.

University of CambridgeThe following degrees have been conferred:M.D.-R. L. Himsworth, P. J. Noble.

M.B.-C. R. B. Bayliss, David Bostock, H. A. Chadwick, R. D. Craig,Ruth Curson, Steven Curson, Judith M. de la Hoyde, R. G. Farqu-harson, A. J. F. Fletcher, B. G. Gazzard, David Gordon, J. W. Hawks-well-Curtis, N. P. Hudd, R. B. King, D. K. Lawrence, P. J. Milewski,B. E. Owen, Norma J. Rink, J. M. Ruddock, R. G. G. Russell, D. R.Taylor, P. J. Webb, R. D. Yarrow.

University of BirminghamThe title of reader in surgery has been conferred on

Mr. Frank Ashton. Dr. P. H. W. Rayner has been appointedsenior lecturer in the department of pxdiatrics and childhealth. The following lecturers have been appointed:Dr. L. J. Booth (experimental pathology), Dr. S. K. M.Jivani (pxdiatrics and child health).The following degrees have been conferred:M.D.-S. P. Allison (with honours), G. R. Kelman, J. C. White

(with honours).Ph.D.-Nathan Segel, N. G. Soler.M.B., Ch.B.-V. E. Coleman, Gerald Eykelbosch, W. K. Gjosund,

A. McG. Grant, J. H. Howells, L. J. Thurman, G. R. Tutton.

1. Handicap: a study of Physically Handicapped Children and theirFamilies. By JOAN K. MCMICHAEL, M.B. London: Staples Press.1971. Pp.208. £2.75.

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University of LondonThe title of professor of physiology has been conferred

on Dr. W. R. Keatinge in respect of his post at the LondonHospital Medical College.

Dr. Keatinge was educated at Cambridge University,where he graduated M.B. in 1956 and PH.D. in 1960; after a

house-appointment at St. Thomas’s Hospital, London, heserved in the R.N.V.R. until 1958, when he was seconded tothe department of experimental medicine in Cambridge, forresearch. In 1958-60 he was Elmore student and junior researchfellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and from 1956 to 1961he was acting director, and then director, of studies in medicineat that college. He was a fellow of the Cardiovascular ResearchInstitute, San Francisco, in 1960-61. In 1961 he took up aMedical Research Council appointment and in 1965 becamea fellow and tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. He wasappointed reader in physiology at the London Hospital MedicalCollege in 1968.

The title of professor of epidemiology and preventivemedicine has been conferred on Dr. G. A. Rose in respectof his post at St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School.

Dr. Rose graduated B.M. from Oxford University in 1949 andD.M. in 1958. After house-appointments he served in the R.A.F. in1951-53 and then became registrar, and later senior registrar, atSt. Mary’s Hospital, London. He was senior registrar at Padding-ton General Hospital in 1956-58, and then returned to St. Mary’s.He then became a research fellow at the London School of

Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and in 1960-61 went as a visitinglecturer to the School of Hygiene and Public Health, JohnsHopkins University. In 1961 he was appointed lecturer at theLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and he becamereader in epidemiology there in 1965.

The title of reader in neuropathology has been conferredon Dr. L. W. Duchen in respect of his post at the Instituteof Psychiatry; the title of reader in anatomy has beenconferred on Dr. William Hewitt in respect of his post atSt. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School.

University of SouthamptonDr. I. C. S. Normand has been appointed to the chair

of child health.

Dr. Normand, who is 43, graduated B.M. from Oxford Univer-sity in 1952. After a number of house-physician appointments,he was engaged in military service in the U.K. and Malaya in1954-58, and became medical registrar at St. Mary’s Hospital,London, in 1959. He held senior house-officer appointments atthe Hospital for Sick Children and at Queen Charlotte’s MaternityHospital before joining the pxdiatric department at UniversityCollege Hospital, London, in 1960 as first assistant and sub-

sequently senior pasdiatric registrar. After a year in the U.S.A.he returned to U.C.H. Medical School in 1965 and was appointedhonorary senior lecturer in pxdiatrics in 1967. He becameconsultant pxdiatrician at University College Hospital in 1969.

University of DundeeThe honorary degree of LL.D. is to be conferred on Dr.

E. T. 0. Slater.

University of MelbourneThe first Selwyn-Smith medical research prize has been

awarded to Dr. M. A. Denborough and Mr. P. J. Morris.

University of TasmaniaProf. Denis Cavanagh has been appointed to the chair

of obstetrics and gynecology.Professor Cavanagh graduated M.B. from the University of

Glasgow in 1952 and moved to the U.S.A. in 1955. He was

professor of obstetrics at the University of Miami School ofMedicine in Florida, and is at present professor of obstetricsand gynaecology and chairman of the department at St. LouisUniversity School of Medicine. His main research interestsare gynaecological malignancy and endotoxin shock. He haswritten two monographs-Obstetrical Emergencies and Prematurityand the Obstetrician.

King’s Fund College of Hospital ManagementThe King’s Fund is organising a four-week visit to the

U.S.A. in October/November for students to look at

American health care. All expenses will be borne by theDuke Endowment, North Carolina, or the King’s Fund.Applications for the course are invited from medical

practitioners or professionally qualified hospital administra-tors under the age of 30, and should be sent to the directorof education at the King’s Fund College of HospitalManagement, 2 Palace Court, London W2 4HS, beforeApril 16.

Royal SocietyThose elected fellows include the following: Prof. N. H.

Ashton (Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Lon-don), Mr. B. B. Boycott (department of biophysics, King’sCollege, London), Prof. D. H. Copp (department of

physiology, University of British Columbia), Dr. G. S.Dawes (Nuffield Institute for Medical Research, Oxford),Prof. Joel Mandelstam (department of biochemistry,University of Oxford), Prof. D. R. Wilkie (department ofphysiology, University College London).

General Medical Council

The Disciplinary Committee of the Council has orderedthe erasure from the Medical Register of the names ofDr. D. I. Segall and Dr. Monsoor Soomro, and theerasure, with immediate suspension, of the name of Dr.J. M. O’Grady. It has also ordered the suspension for6 months of the names of Dr. Julius Libman and Dr.K. H. Mehta, for 9 months of the name of Dr. R. W.Barker, for 12 months of the name of Dr. R. P. Mattock,and for 12 months, with immediate suspension, of the nameof Dr. P. L. Lyons. Dr. Libman and Dr. Barker have

lodged appeals to the Privy Council against the orderssuspending their registration.Due to the postal strike the schedule of dates for the

concluding stages of the general election of the 11 electedmembers of the Council has been revised. Voting paperswill now be posted on April 2 to fully registered medicalpractitioners resident in the constituencies of England andWales, Scotland, or Ireland. Voting papers must bereturned to the offices of the Council at London, Edin-burgh, or Dublin by April 21.

CORRIGENDA: Medical Education and Medical Research.-InDr. Reginald Kelly’s letter (Jan. 23, p. 189), the beginning ofthe third paragraph should read: " One has only to look, forexample, at the contribution made to the department of neurologyby the university ... ".

Control of Communicable Diseases in Man.-In our review of thisbook (Feb. 6, p. 274) the name of the editor, Prof. AbrahamS. Benenson, was misspelled.

Appointments

LAXTON, G. K., M.B.Leeds, M.R.C.P., D.T.M.&H.: consultant physicianin geriatrics, Peterborough and Stamford H.A1.C.

MACDONALD, A. P., M.B.Glasg., M.R.C.O.G., D.OBST.: consultant obstetri-cian and gynecologist, West Norfolk and King’s Lynn hospitalgroup, and North Cambridgeshire hospital group areas.

RITSON, E. B., M.D.Edin., D.P.M. : consultant psychiatrist, Royal Edin-burgh Hospital.

ZEALLEY, A. K., M.B.Edin., M.R.C.P., D.P.M. : consultant psychiatrist,Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Sheffield Regional Hospital Board:LEIVERS, DAVID, B.M.Oxon., F.F.A. R.C.S.: consultant anaathetist,

City Hospital, Nottingham.MURPHY, FRANK, M.B.Sheff., M.R.C.P. : consultant hxmatologist,

Doncaster and Worksop area.WATTIE, J. A., M.B.Aberd., F.R.C.S., D.M.R.D.: consultant radiologist,

Leicester area.

WORTHINGTON, B. S., M.B., B.sc.Lond., F.F.R., D.M.R.D. : consultantneuroradiologist, Nottingham and Derby area.