895

QUESTION TIMEWomen Doctors in Hong Kong

Baroness SUMMERSKILL asked H.M. Government whether

they were aware that women doctors in the Colonial MedicalService in Hong Kong were not paid at the same rate as men,and why this discrimination existed in this Colony alone.-The Duke of DEVONSHIRE, Minister of State, Common-wealth Relations Office, replied: The position in Hong Kongis that women medical officers engaged on " career " termsand having the requisite three years’ post-qualification experi-ence receive equal pay. Temporary women medical officersare employed on a lower scale. The question of equal pay fortemporary women officers, including medical officers, wasreviewed by the Government of Hong Kong in September oflast year, but for financial and other reasons it was decidedthat no change could be made.-Baroness SUMMERSKILL: Inthe whole of the Commonwealth women doctors are paidequally with men, and now, because of these conditions, theHong Kong University and the Colonial Medical Service areblack-listed in the newspapers and the medical papers whichcarry advertisements for women doctors. Only one-third ofthe women doctors in Hong Kong ever reach equal pay. Whyis there this discrimination, in view of the fact that the PlattCommittee, which examined this matter in 1959, recom-mended that there should be equal remuneration ?-The Dukeof DEVONSHIRE : The Hong Kong Government has reviewedthe matter. It is within its jurisdiction, and it feels that a dis-tinction should be drawn between career and temporarydoctors. One of the reasons is that the great majority of tem-porary doctors are married and have other obligations in theirlives than the full-time medical profession.Lord SHEPHERD: Can the noble Duke say how many doc-

tors are career doctors and how many are temporary ?-TheDuke of DEVONSHIRE: 29 of the 83 women doctors in HongKong are career and the’ remaining 54 are serving on

temporary terms.

Safety of DrugsMr. KENNETH ROBINSON asked the Minister of Health if he

would refrain from taking action to implement the majorityreport of the Cohen Subcommittee on the Safety of Drugsuntil he has ascertained the views of the House of Commons.-Mr. POWELL replied: No.

Maternity Beds in Greater LondonMrs. BUTLER asked the Minister of Health what was his

estimate of the number of mothers in the Greater Londonarea who applied for maternity beds in the past 12 months,and who were refused accommodation because of the shortageofthem.-Mr. BRAINE replied: I have no means of estimating,but the number cannot be large, since about 83% of all thebirths were in hospital.

Amphetamines and PhenmetrazineMr. PAVITT asked the Home Secretary if he would make the

amphetamines and phenmetrazine and related compoundsdangerous drugs instead of schedule IV poisons.-Mr. WOOD-HOUSE replied: It would not be appropriate to control thesesubstances, which are stimulants, under the Dangerous DrugsAct, 1951, which is concerned with narcotic drugs controlled byinternational agreement. The Minister is, however, consideringthe possible need for stricter control of substances of this kind.

Psychotic ChildrenThe following local authorities maintain hospital special

schools or teachers at hospital units for psychotic and severelymaladjusted children and adolescents:Hospital schoolsLondonSurreyManchesterXottingham

TeachersCheshireEssex

HampshireHertfordshireKent

LondonSomersetWiltshireOxford

DenbighshireLincolnshire (Kesteven), Oxfordshire, Surrey, and North Riding

Mhorities propose to provide or add to educational facilities at

hospital units in the near future.

ObituaryWILFRID EDGECOMBE -

M.D. Lond., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S.

Dr. Wilfrid Edgecombe, consulting physician to theHarrogate General Hospital, died at his home in Harrogateon April 7 at the age of 92.He was born at Huyton, and was educated privately and at

the Liverpool Medical School. After qualifying in 1893 he heldhouse-appointments and a surgical registrarship at LiverpoolRoyal Infirmary, and he took the F.R.C.S. in 1896. The followingyear he settled in Harrogate, where he built up an extensive spapractice and was soon in demand as a consultant. He was alsointerested in cardiology and during the 1914-18 war was incharge of the cardiological hospital of Northern Command. Hewas elected F.R.C.P. in 1926.

Soon after he went to Harrogate he was elected to the staff ofthe Harrogate Infirmary, later the Harrogate General Hospital.He was chairman of the hospital medical committee for manyyears and, after his retirement from the staff, he became chair-man of the hospital house committee and vice-chairman of themanagement committee-offices which he continued to holduntil he was nearly ninety.

C. W. C. B. writes:" With the late Dr. William Bain, Edgecombe wrote Baths

of Harrogate, which was published in 1905. Much of the

experimental work reported in the book was performed by theauthors on themselves. Although a capable golfer, Edgecombefound his chief relaxation in curling, and he used to spend hisannual holiday at St. Moritz, where he won many cups andskippered the England team. He was also a versifier of no smallmerit. He represented an era that has gone, and he may well beremembered as the last of the spa physicians."

Dr. Edgecombe was twice married. Two of his sonsare doctors.

Public Health

Remuneration of Doctors in the

Public-health ServiceAn increase of 31/2 % in the salary-scales of all whole-time

public-health medical officers, with effect from May 1, 1962,has been recommended by committee C of the Medical andDental Whitley Council.l The committee " wish to make itclear that their recommendation implies that appropriateretrospective payment should be made to any Public HealthMedical Officer who has left an authority’s employment afterthe operative date of this increase".

1. M.D.C. circular no. 46.

Infectious Diseases in England and Wales

* Not including late returns.