Appointments
1
271 thus very distressing to find that a good deal of one’s personal effort and that of the various home-safety com- mittees in encouraging parents to ask for flame-resistant fabrics is wasted by apathy or ignorance in the retail trade. MICHAEL N. TEMPEST. Welsh Regional Plastic Surgery, Burns and Jaw Injuries Centre, St. Lawrence Hospital, Chepstow. NEOLOGOPHILIA J. A. BOYCOTT. SIR,-To the two (or perhaps three) reasons for learning Greek given by Dean Gaisford we must now add another: to allow us to understand the less literate contributions to medical journals. Yet I doubt if Bentley himself would have guessed that thalassxmia is not a perfusion with sea water but an inherited abnormality of haemoglobin. The neologopoietic author ought to use his Liddell and Scott with care: even a simple word like anxmia meant something different to Homer. Your own contribution, Sir, to this discussion (July 26, p. 215) is regrettable. Greesham’s Law is as valid in journalism as in finance. You may not be guilty of counterfeiting but to put this verbal snide into circula- tion is a crime just as grave. Hoccombe Bottom, Somerset. Parliament Children’s Bill THIS Bill includes a provision that in considering whether to make an adoption the court shall have regard " to the health of the applicant ". At the report stage on July 25 in the House of Commons, to this provision were added the words " as evidenced, in such cases as may be prescribed, by the certificate of a fully registered medical practitioner ". Some members regretted that the amendment did not go further and make medical testimony compulsory. Miss PATRICIA HORNSBY- SMITH, parliamentary secretary to the Home Office, gave an assurance that the Lord Chancellor intended to make rules requiring a medical certificate in most cases. But he did intend to except some cases, when, for instance, the applicant was the mother of the child. The Bill was read a third time. QUESTION TIME Suicides and Attempted Suicides Mr. KENNETH ROBINSON asked the Home Secretary if he had yet reached a conclusion on the desirability of amending the law relating to suicide and attempted suicide.ńMr. R. A. BUTLER replied: No, Sir. My study of this question suggests that in its practical aspects the problem is largely one of ensuring that those who need care or treatment to prevent them from endangering themselves or others in fact receive it. In general, where this can be done without the intervention of the courts proceedings are not taken, but there is a residue of cases in which the person concerned cannot be given, or will not accept, care or treatment without the intervention of the courts. I shall continue to study this aspect of the matter and I am in consultation with the Minister of Health. Mr. ROBINSON: Is not the Minister taking rather a long time to reach a conclusion on a matter where the overwhelming weight of opinion is in the direction of reform ? If the Government are not prepared to take the initiative in this matter, can he say what would be their attitude towards the initiative being taken by a private Member ?-Mr. BUTLER: I cannot state what my attitude would be towards the initiative of a private Member until I know the nature of that initiative. I do not know whether the hon. Member is aware that the joint committee of the British Medical Association and the Magistrates’ Association has commended the law and practice 1. See Lancet, 1958, i, 646. in Scotland in this matter. The reason I am not going any further in answer to the hon. Gentleman is that we are at present carefully considering that with a view to seeing what we might do about it. Mr. CHARLES ROYLE: Will not the Minister hold out a little more hope in this matter, particularly as involved and res- ponsible organisations are taking the view that they are ? Cannot we get more in line with other countries who never regard attempted suicide as a criminal matter ?-Mr. BUTLER: It so happens that in 1956, the last year for which I have figures, proceedings were taken in 613 cases of attempted suicide out of a total of over 5000, and only 6-7% of these proceedings resulted in sentences of imprisonment, and there is a certain limit to that. But I am considering the whole question. More Dentists The Ministry of Health, after consultation with the University Grants Committee, have accepted the recom- mendation of the McNair Committee that the annual output of dental schools in Great Britain needs to be expanded to produce at least 800 dentists who will practise in this country. To allow for wastage and students from overseas the schools’ present potential intake of about 650 students per annum in their first professional year must be expanded to something over 900 places. The Alinisters aim to start expansion as soon as possible; and, when considering projects for inclusion in the GovernmentB programme for major hospital building schemes, they will give due regard, in consultation with the University Grants Committee, to proposals which will contribute to it. Working Party on Hospital Medical Staffing Mr. ARTHUR BLF.NK!Ksop asked the Minister of Health how many of the members appointed by himself and the Secretary of State for Scotland to the working party on medical staffing of hospitals had experience of the staffing problems of any other than teaching hospitals.—Mr. R. THOMPSON replied: All 6. 2 are currently serving in non-teaching hos- pnals ; the other -1 are concerned in the health departments with the starting problems of the hospital service as a whole. Smoke Control The Minister of Housing and Local Government has confirmed 34 orders establishing smoke-control areas. 13 orders are under consideration and a further 102 orders have been provisionally notified to him by local authorities. Appointments COUSION, T. A., St. And.: assistant psychiatrist, St. Margaret’s Hos- pital. Birmingham. Ct’sr, GEORGE, M H Leeds, D P.H.: M.o.H., Cleethorpes and Grimsby. FEE, W. M., M.B. Edin, D.P.H.: depute nt.o.lt. and depute port M.O., Creenock. GARDh.s:, R. A., M.n. Glasg : school nt.o , Nottingham. HUNTR, J. K , M.B. Glasg., D.i.M. & n., D.P.H.: assistant administrativeu.t.o., Eastern Regional 1-fosprt.rl Board, Scotland. TURNER, BB’tH IAM, M.H. Leeds, D P.H.: senior assistant M.O. and school M.O., llkley, Otley, and Wharfedale, Yorkshire. East Anglian Regional Hospital Board BLACK, J. H. A., M.B. Belf.: registrar in psychiatry, Fulbourn and Adden- brooke’s Hospitals CLARKt:, li. L., NA.B. Lund. : anxsthetic registrar, Newmarket General Hospitat. CRAGGS, D. F., M.B. Lond.: registrar in psychiatry, Fulbourn and Adden- brooke’s Hospitals. MACKENZIE, K. M., M.D. Lond., M.R.c.r.: part-time consultant physician, West SuiTolk General Hospital. l. ROBERTS, J. H , m.j3. I.pool: radiological registrar, Ipswich and East Suffolk Hospital. Births, Marriages, and Deaths BIRTHS SMITH.—On July 19, to Kathleen Smith (nee Turner), M.B., and Irvine Smith, F.R.c.s, at Hurton-on-Trent—Christopher Frednc, a brother for Anne, Dorothy, and Geoffrey. SHEMUT.—On July 25, at S.ilishury Infirmary, Wilts, to Janet (née Browns- combe), wife of Philip Shemilt, F.R.C.S.—a daughter.
Transcript of Appointments
271
thus very distressing to find that a good deal of one’spersonal effort and that of the various home-safety com-mittees in encouraging parents to ask for flame-resistantfabrics is wasted by apathy or ignorance in the retailtrade.
MICHAEL N. TEMPEST.Welsh Regional Plastic Surgery,Burns and Jaw Injuries Centre,
St. Lawrence Hospital, Chepstow.
NEOLOGOPHILIA
J. A. BOYCOTT.
SIR,-To the two (or perhaps three) reasons for
learning Greek given by Dean Gaisford we must nowadd another: to allow us to understand the less literatecontributions to medical journals. Yet I doubt if Bentleyhimself would have guessed that thalassxmia is not a
perfusion with sea water but an inherited abnormalityof haemoglobin. The neologopoietic author ought to
use his Liddell and Scott with care: even a simple wordlike anxmia meant something different to Homer.Your own contribution, Sir, to this discussion (July 26,
p. 215) is regrettable. Greesham’s Law is as valid in
journalism as in finance. You may not be guilty of
counterfeiting but to put this verbal snide into circula-tion is a crime just as grave.Hoccombe Bottom,
Somerset.
Parliament
Children’s Bill
THIS Bill includes a provision that in considering whetherto make an adoption the court shall have regard " to thehealth of the applicant ". At the report stage on July 25 inthe House of Commons, to this provision were added thewords " as evidenced, in such cases as may be prescribed, bythe certificate of a fully registered medical practitioner ". Somemembers regretted that the amendment did not go further andmake medical testimony compulsory. Miss PATRICIA HORNSBY-SMITH, parliamentary secretary to the Home Office, gave anassurance that the Lord Chancellor intended to make rules
requiring a medical certificate in most cases. But he did intendto except some cases, when, for instance, the applicant was themother of the child.The Bill was read a third time.
QUESTION TIMESuicides and Attempted Suicides
Mr. KENNETH ROBINSON asked the Home Secretary if hehad yet reached a conclusion on the desirability of amendingthe law relating to suicide and attempted suicide.ńMr. R. A.BUTLER replied: No, Sir. My study of this question suggeststhat in its practical aspects the problem is largely one of
ensuring that those who need care or treatment to preventthem from endangering themselves or others in fact receive it.In general, where this can be done without the interventionof the courts proceedings are not taken, but there is a residueof cases in which the person concerned cannot be given, orwill not accept, care or treatment without the intervention ofthe courts. I shall continue to study this aspect of the matterand I am in consultation with the Minister of Health.Mr. ROBINSON: Is not the Minister taking rather a long time
to reach a conclusion on a matter where the overwhelmingweight of opinion is in the direction of reform ? If theGovernment are not prepared to take the initiative in thismatter, can he say what would be their attitude towards theinitiative being taken by a private Member ?-Mr. BUTLER:I cannot state what my attitude would be towards the initiativeof a private Member until I know the nature of that initiative.I do not know whether the hon. Member is aware that the
joint committee of the British Medical Association and theMagistrates’ Association has commended the law and practice
1. See Lancet, 1958, i, 646.
in Scotland in this matter. The reason I am not going anyfurther in answer to the hon. Gentleman is that we are at
present carefully considering that with a view to seeing whatwe might do about it.Mr. CHARLES ROYLE: Will not the Minister hold out a little
more hope in this matter, particularly as involved and res-ponsible organisations are taking the view that they are ?Cannot we get more in line with other countries who never
regard attempted suicide as a criminal matter ?-Mr. BUTLER:It so happens that in 1956, the last year for which I have
figures, proceedings were taken in 613 cases of attemptedsuicide out of a total of over 5000, and only 6-7% of theseproceedings resulted in sentences of imprisonment, and thereis a certain limit to that. But I am considering the wholequestion.
More Dentists
The Ministry of Health, after consultation with the
University Grants Committee, have accepted the recom-
mendation of the McNair Committee that the annual outputof dental schools in Great Britain needs to be expanded toproduce at least 800 dentists who will practise in this country.To allow for wastage and students from overseas the schools’
present potential intake of about 650 students per annum intheir first professional year must be expanded to somethingover 900 places. The Alinisters aim to start expansion as
soon as possible; and, when considering projects for inclusionin the GovernmentB programme for major hospital buildingschemes, they will give due regard, in consultation with theUniversity Grants Committee, to proposals which willcontribute to it.
Working Party on Hospital Medical StaffingMr. ARTHUR BLF.NK!Ksop asked the Minister of Health
how many of the members appointed by himself and theSecretary of State for Scotland to the working party on medicalstaffing of hospitals had experience of the staffing problems ofany other than teaching hospitals.—Mr. R. THOMPSON
replied: All 6. 2 are currently serving in non-teaching hos-pnals ; the other -1 are concerned in the health departmentswith the starting problems of the hospital service as a whole.
Smoke Control
The Minister of Housing and Local Government hasconfirmed 34 orders establishing smoke-control areas. 13orders are under consideration and a further 102 orders havebeen provisionally notified to him by local authorities.
AppointmentsCOUSION, T. A., St. And.: assistant psychiatrist, St. Margaret’s Hos-
pital. Birmingham.Ct’sr, GEORGE, M H Leeds, D P.H.: M.o.H., Cleethorpes and Grimsby.FEE, W. M., M.B. Edin, D.P.H.: depute nt.o.lt. and depute port M.O.,
Creenock.GARDh.s:, R. A., M.n. Glasg : school nt.o , Nottingham.HUNTR, J. K , M.B. Glasg., D.i.M. & n., D.P.H.: assistant administrativeu.t.o.,
Eastern Regional 1-fosprt.rl Board, Scotland.TURNER, BB’tH IAM, M.H. Leeds, D P.H.: senior assistant M.O. and school M.O.,
llkley, Otley, and Wharfedale, Yorkshire.
East Anglian Regional Hospital BoardBLACK, J. H. A., M.B. Belf.: registrar in psychiatry, Fulbourn and Adden-
brooke’s HospitalsCLARKt:, li. L., NA.B. Lund. : anxsthetic registrar, Newmarket General
Hospitat.CRAGGS, D. F., M.B. Lond.: registrar in psychiatry, Fulbourn and Adden-
brooke’s Hospitals.MACKENZIE, K. M., M.D. Lond., M.R.c.r.: part-time consultant physician,
West SuiTolk General Hospital. l.ROBERTS, J. H , m.j3. I.pool: radiological registrar, Ipswich and East
Suffolk Hospital.
Births, Marriages, and Deaths
BIRTHS
SMITH.—On July 19, to Kathleen Smith (nee Turner), M.B., and IrvineSmith, F.R.c.s, at Hurton-on-Trent—Christopher Frednc, a brother forAnne, Dorothy, and Geoffrey.
SHEMUT.—On July 25, at S.ilishury Infirmary, Wilts, to Janet (née Browns-combe), wife of Philip Shemilt, F.R.C.S.—a daughter.
