1938

MANCHESTER.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Women Doctors and the Infirmary Board.THE question as to whether women should be admitted to

resident appointments at the Manchester Royal Infirmaryhas become a burning one. A recent report from theboard of the hospital announcing its decision againstthe appointment of lady doctors to resident medicalor surgical posts in the Manchester Royal Infirmaryhas called forth much criticism. Two of the adversereasons given, that " the patients do not desire theirservices," and that the infirmary "cannot provide accom-modation," have been treated with scant respect by thefriends of those aggrieved. A local weekly paper says:’’ The report of the committee has been scathingly condemnedand pitilessly analysed; its bad logic has been exposed, itsdeparture from facts marked, and its weakness ridiculed."A committee has been formed to support the movement toI I secure justice for the women doctors ...... who ought notto be barred out merely for sex reasons." The NorthernAssociation of Medical Women have discussed the matter.They meet the arguments of the board that no male patientsand very few female patients preferred to be medically treatedby a woman; that in a general hospital the services of medicalwomen were not, upon the whole, as valuable and beneficialas those of men ; that the board would not be justified inincurring the additional expense which would be necessaryin order to provide accommodation for women medicalofficers. The reply is to the effect that the patients whoseopinion was asked by those in authority at the infirmarywere not in a position to give an unbiassed answer; thatfigures can be given from hospitals with mixed staffs to showthat there is a demand for the services of medical women;that the male surgical patient is not the only one to beconsidered; that there are female wards where the services of’a medical woman would be particularly desirable ; and thatthere is ample scope for medical and surgical work for aresident woman apart from the male surgical patients. Theysay also that the additional accommodation could be pro-vided at a small cost, and suggest that the advice of amedical woman as to this matter ’’ might be sought withadvantage." It may here be pointed out that the claimantsfor women’s rights allowed the planning and building of theinfirmary to go on, so far as is known, without pressing thepoint that there should be provision for women medicalresidents, which was a tactical error on their part, as

never in the history of the institution had the questionof women medical residents been brought before theboard, or even thought of. The committee for the pur-pose of securing the admission of qualified medical womento resident posts in the infirmary consists at present of

representative members of numerous associations-viz.,the Manchester Association of the Federation of Uni-

versity Women, the Manchester Association of RegisteredMedical Women, the National Union of Women Workers, theWomen’s Local Government Association, the Women’s TradesUnion Council, the Women’s Co-operative Guild, and anumber of "influential men and women." Whether the

pressure thus brought to bear upon the infirmary board willbe effectual or not remains to be seen. Women can fairlysay that when they pay the same fees and are allowed to goup to the same examining boards after going through thesame training as men, and when they obtain the same legalqualifications, they should be allowed the same opportunitiesfor practical work in the hospitals. But the world is not

governed by logic, for which many seem to be thankful, andthere may be reasons why such appointments as are desiredwould lead to difficulties in working and to less efficienttreatment.Dec. 21st.

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD.-The Councilat its last meeting made the following appointment : Mr.Graham S. Simpson, F.R.C.S , to the Lectureship in OperativeSurgery. At the same meeting the Pro-Chancellor (Mr.George Franklin) and the Vice-Chancellor (Sir Charles

Eliot) were appointed representatives of the University onthe executive committee of the Modern University Congress.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.THE premises of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edin.

burgh have been in the hands of builders and carpenters formany months past, but have emerged from their hands in acondition which has given satisfaction to all concerned.The old hall in which the Fellows met was quite unbecomingthe dignity of such a venerable College, but the new hall,which has been built above it, is in every respect suitable.On the ground floor there is now a long suite of roomsopening off each other and used as libraries, reading-rooms, council-room, and writing-rooms. Entrance tothe hall above is by the staircase which used tolead to the museum. The museum has been extendedsouthwards and eastwards by taking in buildings whichadjoined the College. A suite of small rooms is fitted

up as a laboratory, under the management of the curatorof the museum, and furnished with microphotographicapparatus and other necessaries. The entire premises havebeen redecorated. All the additions and alterations were com-

pleted in time for the annual dinner of the College, whichwas held on Dec. 14th, when the chair was occupied by theCollege President, Mr. J. M. Cotterill, and amongst the guestswere Lord Rosebery and Lord Balfour of Burleigh. Lord

Rosebery proposed the toast of " The College " in the felicitousand graceful way which is expected of him on such occasions.He spoke of his forebear, Gilbert Primrose, having been thefirst recorded Fellow of the College of Surgeons of Edinburgh,and he showed the mortar which had been used by him andbore engraved upon it "Gilbert Primrose, chirurgeon, 1569." He then referred to the state of Scotland at the time whenthe College got its first charter ; and he traced the relationsof the surgeons with the barbers. He spoke of the requisitesof surgery, and in proposing the toast of the College heassociated with it the name of Joseph Lister as well as thatof the President. The President replied to the toast, andintimated that Lord Rosebery had been made an HonoraryFellow of the College. On Wednesday evening the Presidentand Fellows of the College gave a reception in their new andrenovated premises, which was attended by a large andinfluential gathering of citizens, when it was felt unani-

mously that the officials of the College could be warmly con-gratulated on the skill with which the changes effected hadbeen conceived and worked out.

Compensation for Tubercuclosis.At the annual conference of the Scottish Chamber of Agri-

culture and Affiliated Societies heldin Glasgow recently, themembers were of opinion that where animals apparentlysound are exposed for sale in good faith and are, after

slaughter, condemned on account of tuberculosis, compensa-tion should be paid therefor out of Imperial funds, and alsothat the compensation payable under the Tuberculosis Orderwhich comes into force on April 1st next should be a charge,not on local rates, but on the national Exchequer.

Additions to Dundee Royal Infirmary.At the quarterly meeting of the governors of the Dundee

Royal Infirmary held on Dec. 13th the chairman asked thegovernors to sanction several schemes involving expenditure,chief of these being the erection of a new out-patient depart-ment. For the sum of .63800 a building could be had, he said,equal to the wants of the infirmary for many years to come.Mr. J. K. Caird, to whom they already owed the MaternityHospital and the Cancer Hospital, not to mention minor gifts,had offered the sum of .62400 towards the scheme. Accord-ingly the board asked the governors to sanction theexpenditure, of which, owing to Mr. Caird’s generous gift,only .61400 would fall on the infirmary funds. It was unani-mously decided that the erection of the new out-patientdepartment should be proceeded with.

Sidlaw Sanatorium to be Closed.The executive committee of the directors of the Sidlaw

Sanatorium appointed to consider the financial position of theinstitution met on Dec. 16th. It was found that while anadditional .6500 per annum would be sufficient to meet the

present deficit, a very much larger sum would be required toplace the institution on a really satisfactory basis. They wereof opinion that it would be impossible to raise such an