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Notes and News

PURCHASE-TAX ON DRUGS

THE British Medical Association has sent to the Ministryof Health a strong protest against the increase of purchase-tax on many classes of drugs which is proposed in the Budget."It is impossible," the association says, " for any doctorwith the interests of his patients at heart to view other thanwith grave concern any measure which increases the cost ofsickness, or adds to the anxiety which accompanies illness.Many of the drugs affected by the increase of purchase-taxare in constant use. The association feels bound to pointout that a substantial increase in the cost of these medicinesis bound to be reflected in increased cost of medical serviceswhich will fall most heavily on the chronic sick, to whomperhaps more than any other sections of the community, thisadditional burden will cause hardship. The association urgesthat a reconsideration be given to this question."

LONDON MEDICAL EXHIBITION

Tans year’s London Medical Exhibition, held at the hallof the Royal Horticultural Society, missed the splendourof last year’s display when all the war-time advances were onshow for the first time. There were, however, some interestingnovelties.. One was an electrical device whereby up to twelvestudents can listen simultaneously through stethoscopes toheart or breath sounds; selectivity is acute, and the apparatusshould find a place both in teaching and in diagnostic work,particularly with obese -subjects. Many surgical-instrumentmanufacturers are finding it hard to keep pace with orders.In part this is due to sales overseas, where the demand is greatand still growing ; but basically the cause is shortage of skilledlabour. Apprentices, usually reserved during the war, arenow called up ; and in any case young men commonly preferto engage in less skilled but better-paid employment, suchas machine-minding, rather than undertake the longapprenticeship required before they can qualify as artisansin this field.

SCHOLARSHIPS IN AID OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

THE council of the British Medical Association is preparedto receive applications for research scholarships as follows :an Ernest Hart scholarship (:E200 p.a.), a Walter Dixon

scholarship (£200 p.a.), and four research scholarships (eachE150 p.a.). These scholarships are given to candidates qualifiedto undertake research in any subject (including State medicine)relating to the causation, prevention, or treatment of disease.In addition, applications are invited for the first award ofthe Insole scholarship (£250 p.a.) for research into the causesand cure of venereal disease. Preference will be given todoctors. Each scholarship is tenable for one year commencingon Oct. 1, 1948. The scholar, who may be reappointed fornot more than two additional terms, is not necessarily requiredto devote the whole of his or her time to the work of research,but may hold an appointment at a university, medical school,

- or hospital, provided the duties of such an appointment do notinterfere with work as a scholar. Applications must be madenot later than April 30, 1948, on the prescribed form, whichmay be obtained from the secretary of the association, B.M.A.House. Tavistock Square, London, W.C.I.

NEW FILMS

SOME new films shown at the Ministry of Health on Oct. 30set a high standard of technical finish, and deliver theirmessages well.

Paterat Ductus Arteriosus is a beautifully made record ofan operation for closure of the ductus carried out at HillingdonHospital. The effects of this anomaly on the heart and circula-tion are well illustrated by animated drawings, the stages ofthe operation are clearly shown, and the commentary is

particularly good. It should prove valuable as a reminderto general practitioners that this formerly hopeless type ofcongenital heart disease can now be perfectly cured.The tl!Ill was made by the Crown Film Unit, and is now to be

issued by the Central 01ïice of Information at the request of theMinistry of Health, for showing to medical audiences. Copies %NiDshortly be available in 35 mm. and 16 mrn. (sound) sizes from theCentral Film Library, Imperial Institute. South Kensington,London, S.W.7. The running time is 27 minutes.

The Prevention of Tzsberczztosis in Hospitals is an Americanfilm, running for 22 minutes, and showing a very well-organisedscheme for routine miniature radiography of all patients

attending a general hospital. Dr. Peter Kerley, in introduc-ing it, -noted that the incidence of tuberculosis in Americanhospital patients seems to be rather higher than the supposedrate here. Nevertheless, the precaution of routine radiologicalexamination is well worth taking, and this film reveals manyimportant details of management, besides showing howfilms can be developed, examined, and stored with the leastpossible waste of time for everybody concerned.A one-minute film-Diphtheria Trailer No. 10-now

being shown in cinemas at the end of news-reels brings homethe immunisation lesson in a tiny animated cartoon whichmanages to be amusing without being frivolous, and tellingwithout being alarming. It was’made by the Central Officeof Information (Halas & Batchelor Cartoon Films Ltd.) atthe request of the Ministry of Health.

Your Children’s Meals, the fifth film in the " Your Children "

series, is for showing to general audiences, and runs 131/2minutes. It teaches a great deal about the management ofmeal times, the types of food that children fancy, and theways in which sensible and sociable parents can get theirchildren to be sensible and sociable too. The cutting of thefilm is clever, the sequences amusing as well as informative,and the standard of photography good. As usual the childrenact themselves with uncanny skill.

The film has been made by the Central Office of Information(Central Film Unit) for the Ministry of Health, and copies willsoon be available in 35 mm. and 16 mm. (sound) sizes from theCentral Film Library. Arrangements can be made for the filmto be shown through the Central Office of Information mobile filmunits, on application to the Film Officcr at the appropriate C.O.I.Regional Office (addresses from the C.O.I. Films Division, 83, BakerStreet, London, W.1).

HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN IN GERMANY

AT a meeting of the Save the Children Fund held in Londonon Nov. 6, Dr. Cyril Elgood described the work of the fund’shospital at Schlutup in Schleswig-Holstein where he is

superintendent. The building, formerly the administrativeblock of a German war-time factory, has room for about100 children, who- come from the neighbouring camps fordisplaced persons. The staff includes 10 English nurses,and Dr. Elgood also trains displaced persons to help withthe nursing. The stocks of penicillin for the whole areaare in his charge, but they do not suffice to meet the need;for military supplies are not available for children, and Germanhospitals have none. The address of the fund is 20, GordonSquare, London, W.C.I.

AUSTRALIAN CHAPEL OF REMEMBRANCE ATHAREFIELD

DURING the 1914-18 war No. 1 Australian General Hospitalwas stationed at Harefield, and the patients received manykindnesses from the residents. Over 100 Australian soldiers .

and sailors are buried in the churchyard, where a service ofremembrance is still held on Anzac Day. There are thusties between Harefield and many Australian homes, and thishas led to the desire to convert a chapel in the old churchat Harefield into an Australian Chapel of Remembrancewhich will commemorate both world wars. An executivecommittee has been formed and is asking for £5000 for this

purpose. Contributions from English friends will be welcomebut the appeal is primarily addressed to Australians residentin Britain, and especially those who were with the AustralianImperial Forces in the first world war. Donations shouldbe sent to Major N. Keith Bushell, c/o the National Bank ofScotland, 18-20, Lower Regent Street, London, S.W.I.

University of BirminghamDr. Harold Scarborough has been appointed a lecturer in

the department of medicine.Dr. Scarborough graduated M.B. with honuur, at Edinburgh in

1932 and later’took his m.D. He became M.R.C.P.E. in 1940 andF.R.C.P.E. this year. while in 1941 he was elected to the fellowshipof the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Dr. Scarborough held asuccession of teaching and research appointments first at Edinburghand for the last two years as a Bcit fellow with Prof. G. W. Pickeringat St. Mary’s Hospital. London. At present he holds a Rockefellerfellowship and is working’ in Prof. E. M. Landi’s department atHarvard. His research interests have been devoted to the prob-lems of ascorbic acid and vitamin 1’, while recently he has beeninvestigating certain aspects of peripheral blood-flow. -

Royal College of Physicians of IrelandOn Nov. 7 the following were admitted to the membership :

T. J. Ryan. J. W. Magner, Max Millard, G. A. C. Miller.