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again thrown open to doubt. A simple and attractiveexplanation would be that the alveoli acquire theproperty of resisting the diffusion of carbon monoxide,while still freely allowing that of oxygen, the netresult being that the blood itself is in reality exposedto a lower pressure of carbon monoxide than that

obtaining in the outside air. Alternatively, one couldsuppose that the carbon monoxide diffused freelyinto the blood, but that oxygen diffused in morerapidly than normally, thus capturing more than itsshare of haemoglobin. Haldane’s belief in the powerof the lungs to "secrete" oxygen inwards when

necessary rested largely on experiments with carbonmonoxide, and these are discussed in detail in hisbook on respiration.2 Dr. Killick wisely refrains fromexpressing an opinion on this controversial subject,and indeed it would be premature to do so. Weshould like to know the composition of the blood inthe left side of the heart of animals subjected to a

, similar experiment.ROYAL SOCIETY : MEDICAL RESEARCH

APPOINTMENTS

THE council of the Royal Society at their meetinglast week approved plans for medical research onmalaria and on nutrition in India, involving a totalexpenditure of over 8000 in the next five years.Colonel J. A. Sinton, V.C., has been appointed toinvestigate certain aspects of malaria at the Ifortoncentre. Another series of investigations on malaria,in conjunction with the London School of Hygieneand Tropical Medicine, provides for a study of mos-quitoes in the tropics and Dr. Curjel Wilson has beenoffered a research appointment to enable a surveyof nutritional conditions in India to be undertaken.The council also appointed Dr. John McMichael

as the first holder of the E. Alan Johnston andLawrence research fellowship in medicine. This fellow-ship was founded in the spring of this year at a stipendof 700 per annum, in addition to superannuationallowance, by means of funds available to the Societyfrom bequests under these two names. We are informedthat 17 candidates applied for the fellowship andthat of the 4 selected for special considerationevery one would have been appointed had fourfellowships been available. The council regard thisfield of applicants as a strong indication that can-didates of high merit are available for full-timeresearch posts in medicine. The successful candidate,Dr. McMichael, will work at the Edinburgh RoyalInfirmary on the pathology of heart failure.

SIGHT IN INDUSTRY

A SHORT report has been issued by the NationalOphthalmic Treatment Board 3 on an investigationundertaken to determine the value of systematicmedical care for the eyes of the working population.An inquiry was made with a view to discovering theextent to which employers generally insist on pre-liminary and periodical examinations of the eyes.In answer to a questionnaire, replies were receivedfrom over 400 employers, the number of employeesconcerned being over a million. It was ascertainedthat 68 of the firms concerned, with 800,000employees, do actually require prospective employeesto undergo an eye examination before engagement.More than half this number are employed in thetransport industry where a high standard of visionis enforced, but they are closely followed by largefirms engaged in the manufacture of food, chemicals,

2 Haldane, J. S., and Priestley, J. B.: Respiration, Oxford,1934.3 From the Board at 1, High-street, Marylebone, London, W.1.

and tobacco, the textile, dyeing, and coal-miningindustries, public utility services, wholesale andretail distribution of goods, oil refining and distri-bution. On the other hand the majority of employersin the printing, light engineering, and clothing tradesdo not appear to take measures to ensure that their

employees have good sight. Many of the employers,however, who do not insist on a preliminary or

periodical examination do give special encouragementto their employees to secure expert advice in theearly stages of suspected defective vision, and it is

satisfactory to learn that of the 68 firms who insiston a preliminary eye examination only 14 makeuse of the services of sight-testing opticians for thispurpose. In the majority of cases the eye examina-tion is conducted by the firm’s medical officer, whileothers utilise the services of an ophthalmic medicalspecialist, either by private arrangement or with theBoard’s assistance. So far as the Board is awarethis survey is the first of its kind to be undertakenin this country on a large scale. It is claimed that amore complete investigation would demonstrate toemployers that poor sight means poor work and thatproper arrangements for meeting the situation wouldbe amply repaid by greater efficiency, an improvementin the general health and well-being of the workers,and a marked reduction in the number of accidents.

THE third International Conference on Social Workopened in London on Monday at Bedford College,Regent’s Park. Delegates have been sent fromalmost every civilised country and over a thousandmembers are attending the conference. In additionto the general sessions, five commissions are discussingthe special fields of health, education and recreation,material welfare, social adjustment, and unemploy-ment. The health section, of which we hope to givesome report, has Prof. W. W. Jameson as chairmanand Dr. R. H. Bolton as secretary ; it is consideringthe whole field of social relationships in relation tothe health problem, and the subject is being intro-duced by Dr. R. Hazemann of Paris. The conferencecloses to-day (Friday).

INDEX TO " THE LANCET," VOL. 1., 1936

THE Index and Title-page of Vol. 1., 1936, whichwas completed with the issue of June 27th, is nowin preparation. A copy will be sent gratis to sub-scribers on receipt of a post-card addressed to theManager of THE LANCET, 7, Adam-street, Adelphi,W.C.2. Subscribers who have not already indicatedtheir desire to receive Indexes regularly as publishedshould do so now.

EPIDEMIC OF GASTRO-ENTERITIS IN SURREY.-Awidespread epidemic of gastro-enteritis has been re-

ported from several districts in Surrey during the earlypart of this month. The districts affected are Carshalton,Sutton, Cheam, and Morden, and part of Coulsden andPurley, Beddington, Wallington, and Ewell. The distribu-tion has been found to follow the distribution of the water-supply and has been traced to a well polluted by B. coliand other organisms at Cheam. The water companyconcerned have taken steps to chlorinate the water andit seems likely that no more new cases will occur. Theepidemic took the form of nausea, a slight degree ofvomiting, and pain in the abdomen followed by diarrhoea.The attacks lasted some 12-16 hours, and the childrenamong those affected were mostly back at school 48hours after the first symptoms had occurred. The onlycase which ended fatally was a man of 76 who diedafter an attack of sickness and diarrhoea which alsoaffected two of his household. At the inquest Dr. D. R.Murray said that the cause of death was senile atheromaaggravated by gastro-enteritis of unknown origin.