46

houses have increased from 26,934 (25-5%) to 44,475(33-2%), four-roomed houses from 15,687 (14-8%) to28,293 (21.1%), and five-roomed houses from 8114(7.7%) to 11,537 (8.6%)..- . With-regard to conveniences, the figures for households,in percentages, are a& follows:

.’

_ Exclusive use Shared use _ None

kitchen sink ... ; . 90-3 8-9 . 0-8Piped water-supply . 89-5 10-2 U-3

: Cooking stove or*range . .. 88-3 6-9 4-7Water, closet ... 8-0-3 19-5 0.2Fixed bath .....60-4 7-4 32-3

-59-7 % of. households had exclusive use of all fiveconveniences ; and of the total of 141,472 households 39had no conveniences at all.. - - - - .

Of the 134,038 occupied private houses, 5874 (4-4%)were occupied by two or more households. - Of these5874 houses, 4809 (81-9%) had two households, 66011’2%) three households, and 405 (6-9 %).,four or morehouseholds.

1. See Lancet, 1951, i, 1147, 1155.

Parliament

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- Hypnotism Bill .

IN the House of Commons on June 27 Mr. SOMERVILLEHASTINGS moved the third reading of the HypnotismBill, which as amended in Standing Committee prohibitsabsolutely demonstrations of stage hypnotism on personsunder 21 years of age. Demonstration is permissible onthose over 21 in certain circumstances. Where placesin which demonstrations are intended to take place arelicensed for music and dancing the demonstrations arepermissible provided that the authority concerned- isagreeable.

,

The Bill was read the third time and passed.

Burns in the HomeOn June 27 the House of Commons gave a third reading

to the Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Bill, whichaims at the reduction of two classes of burn accidentsin the home : those caused to children, and those causedby clothing catching in an exposed element or flame.Mr. DENYS BULLARD, in moving the third reading,paid a special tribute to the work of Dr. and Mrs. LeonardColebrook and to the many other doctors who hadaided him.

, - Royal AssentIn the House of Lords on June 26 the Royal Assent

was given by Commission to the Corneal Grafting Bill,the Family Allowances- and National Insurance Bill,and the Cremation Bill. ’

Working Party’s ReportThe Parliamentary Labour Party has issued the

following statement concerning the report of the WorkingParty which was set up to consider the distributionof the Danckwerts award and the future distributionof the general practitioners’ central pool of remuneration :’ "-The Parliamentary Labour Party does not propose tooppose the Danckwerts findings. However, having carefullystudied the report of the working party on the future distri-bution of the central pool, the Parliamentary Labour Partyaffirms that a most valuable opportunity has been missedto better the general-practitioner service to the public andto improve the standard of doctoring throughout the country.Moreover, the report fails adequately to improve the positionof the young and poorer paid doctors having small lists ofpatients, and gives the greatest increase of payment to thosewho are already receiving higher rates of remuneration. Its

proposals for the encouragement of group practice are grosslyinadequate.; -" When this subject is debated in the House, the viewpointof the Parliamentary Labour Party will be elaborated andconstructive modificatians will be proposed."

QUESTION TIME-

Medical Evidence and National Insurance Claims, Replying to Mr. C. C. Pooz.E, Mr. OSBERT PEAKE, Minister.of National Insurance, said there were no-statistics to show

in how many cases in the five months ending May, 1952,insurance officers had refused to accept the medical evidenceof incapacity supplied in support of a claim. ,

Mr. PooLE : What further evidence would the Ministryrequire in support of a claim, apart from that of the medicalpractitioner who examined the patient, and on what authoritydo the officers of the Ministry ’refuse a claim when suchevidence -is forthcoming ? Mr. PEAKE : In my opinion itwould be quite wrong to tie down the insurance officer andcompel him, in every case to accept a medical certificatewithout question._ . Hospital Staff EconomiesReplying to Major Guy LLOYD, Mr. IAIN MACLEOD,

Minister of Health, said that precise figures were not available,but it was estimated that a saving of 5% of establishmentsso far reviewed would result from the reports of teamsinvestigating administrative and clerical hospital staffs.

. Prescription ChargesReplying to Mr. RICHARD EWART, Mr. MACLEOD said that

he was not prepared to exempt from the prescription chargechronic sick patients who required dangerous drugs whichwere dispensed weekly. When such drugs were prescribedon a weekly basis, they were not usually required for periodsso long as to make the ordinary provision for relief of financialhardship- inappropriate.Replying to Dr. A. D. D. BROUGHTON, Mr. MACLEOD saidthat the approximate cost of a National Health Serviceprescription in England and Wales in 1948, 1949, and 1950,accounted for by the payment of the dispensing fee and thecost of the container and of drugs, medicines, and dressings,was as follows :

Av. cost of Cost of Av. ingredientPeriod dispensing container cost of drugsPeriod fee per allowance per and appliancesprescription prescription per prescription

1948 :July-December Is. 1d. 2d. 11d.

1949 .... Is. Od. 2d. Is. 2d.

1950 .... Is. 0d. lid. Is. 5d.

Figures for 1951 were not yet available.Vaccination against Tuberculosis

Mr. ANTHONY GREENWOOD asked the Minister of Healthhow many local authorities had schemes in active operationfor B.c.G. vaccination, and how many persons had been sovaccinated.-Mr. MACLEOD replied : 143 local healthauthorities have had proposals approved authorising theuse of B.C.G. vaccine. Approximately 32,000 persons werevaccinated under approved schemes between October, 1949,and Dec. 31, 1951. -

Mr. GREENWOOD asked what was the present state ofmedical research in this country in regard to vaccination withthe vole bacillus vaccine.-Mr. MACLEOD replied : A large-scale trial with this vaccine is being carried out under theauspices of the Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials Committee of theMedical Research Council.

Hospital OutpatientsReplying to Major LLOYD, Mr. MACLEOD said that the

total numbers of new Qutpatients who attended hospitalconsultative clinics in England and Wales in each of the yearli1949-51 inclusive were as follows : 1949, 6,147,825; 1950,6,193,156 ; and 1951, 6,298,746.

AppointmentsCoucH, A. H. C’., M.D. Lend., M.R.C.P., D.C.H. : asst. chest physician,

Ipswich Chest Clinic. ’

FISHER, J. D., M.C., M.R.C.S.: appointed factory doctor, WestNottingham district.

GODDARD, D. L. H., M.D. Lond., M.R.C.P.: consultant chest physicanand deputy medical superintendent, St. Wulstan’s Hospital,Malvern.

MARSHALL, A. G., M.D. C’amb. : part-time consultant pathologist,Wolverhampton group of hospitals.

PARISH, CHRISTOPHER, M.B. Mane., i3.sc., F.R.C.S.: consultantthoracic surgeon, East Anglian Regional Hospital Boardhospitals and the United Cambridge Hospitals.

RUTTER, L. D., M.B. Mane. : appointed factory doctor, Yarmouthdistrict, Norfolk_

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The Terms and Conditions of Service of Hospital Medical andDental Staff apply to all N.H.S. hospital posts we advertise, unlessotherwise stated. Canvassing disqualifies, but candidates may normaugvisit the hospital by appointment.