Medical News

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Preventive medicine had no more ardent or skilledadvocate. FitzGerald was no mere administrativeofficial. He was a laboratory worker of repute whoseexperience had convinced him that prevention of diseasewas likely to become more and more possible as the yearswent by. He put his ideas into practice first in theConnaught laboratories and the school of hygiene andthen in the undergraduate course of study in the Univer-sity of Toronto. The Toronto school of public healthnursing owes much to his encouragement, and the factthat Canada has probably the best Government-controllE dscheme for the preparation and distribution of biologicalproducts is largely due to FitzGerald. He was a

delightful companion (I once travelled with him for threemonths)—always cheerful, the possessor of a keen senseof humour and of a highly developed critical faculty.On his many journeys he was always on the look-outfor talented youngsters and many a young man has tothank him for his first real start in life. He had friendsall over the world ; they will feel his death as a greatpersonal loss-the younger perhaps even more than theolder, for FitzGerald was himself a boy at heart.

Parliament

WHEN the House of Commons reassembled on Sept. 5after their brief recess members were full of eagerexpectancy in regard to the speech which it had beenannounced the Prime Minister would make on theprogress of the war. In striking contrast to the flam-boyant rhetoric indulged in by Herr Hitler a night ortwo before, Mr. Churchill’s message was temperate andeven cautious in its phrasing. But throughout therewas a healthy note of confidence that whatever thedifficulties ahead we are fully prepared to meet andovercome them. Everyone was pleased to learn thatthe criticisms in the press and elsewhere of the needlesslyalarming air-raid sirens have not fallen on stony ground.Mr. Churchill greatly pleased the House by his frankadmission that there was no sense in sounding those" prolonged banshee howlings

" two or three times aday over wide areas. The question has been referred toa departmental inquiry. Curiously enough the House ofCommons had practical experience of the sounding ofan air-raid alarm just before Mr. Churchill was due tospeak. Members were obviously disinclined to interruptthe sitting, and the Speaker announced that he would notdeclare the House adjourned unless there was a warningof. danger. A little later such a warning was receivedand the House adjourned for a time.

Mr. Churchill gave some interesting casualty figuresbased on recent experience of air attack. DuringAugust, he said, 1075 civilians had been killed, and rathermore had been seriously injured. While sympathynaturally must be extended to the wounded andbereaved, it could not be pretended that out of a popula-tion of 45,000,000 these casualties, even multiplied asthey might be two or three times, would be seriouscompared with the majestic issues at stake in this war.Houses actually damaged beyond repair in August were800 out of a total of 13,000,000.There was general satisfaction at the Prime Minister’s

announcement that the Chancellor of the Exchequer wasconsidering the possibility of a more generous insurancescheme against air-raid damage to property. Inaddition, he said, it was proposed to abolish the upperlimits of £50 and £30 for compensation to persons oflimited means for damaged furniture and clothing,and to enable payment to be made up to 100% of thedamage. Further help was also promised for coasttowns. Another matter of some interest from a public-health point of view was Mr. Churchill’s assurance thatan expert committee was considering whether therecould safely be more light and cheer during the comingwinter. As regards invasion, that was still a possi-bility which had to be faced in a spirit of constantvigilance.Both Houses of Parliament have now adjourned until

Sept. 17. The Prime Minister said that on that datethe scheme for the physical recreation of young peoplewould be debated while on the following day the healthof the nation, with special reference to national healthinsurance, will be the principal subject of discussion.

Medical News

University of LeedsThe first of the lectures endowed by the late Lord Moynihan

in memory of his mother will be delivered on Wednesday,Oct. 2, at the university union by Surgeon Rear-AdmiralG. Gordon-Taylor. His subject will be The MoynihanTradition.

Society for the Study of InebrietySir Arthur Hurst will deliver the eighteenth Norman Kerr

lecture to this society on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 4 P.M., in FriendsHouse, Euston Road, London, N.W.I. He will speak onalcohol and the organs of digestion.American Vans for Blood TransfusionThe Medical Research Council have received four motor

vehicles, specially equipped for medical work, from the UnitedStates. These were originally purchased by the AmericanQuakers and the International Commission for the Assistanceof Child Refugees for use in France. The vehicles are to beused principally in the work of the Emergency Blood Supplydepots in the neighbourhood of London.

Naval HonoursThe distinguished service cross has been awarded to

Probationary Temp. Surgeon Lieutenant G. H. Swapp,M.B. Aberd., R.N.V.R., H.M.S. Sycamore.Extra Rations for Invalids

In June Mr. Robert Boothby said in the House of Commonsthat the food rationing (special diets) committee of theMedical Research Council had recommended extra rations for

people with spontaneous hypoglycæmia or steatorrhoea. The

necessary arrangements have now been made. Sufferersfrom spontaneous hypoglycæmia will be allowed two extrarations of sugar per week and sufferers from steatorrhoea(ceeliac disease, ceeliac infantilism and tropical sprue) threeextra rations of meat per week in exchange for their butterration. Diabetics are allowed one extra ration of meat andtwo extra rations of butter per week in exchange for theirsugar ration. Applications must be supported by a medicalcertificate and should be-made to the local food office.

AppointmentsCAMERON, F. P., M.D. Manitoba : R.S.O., Warwick Hospital.MURPHY, J. T., M.B. Belf., D.P.H. : asst. County M.O. and District

M.O.H. for Northampton.NIALL, SHEILA M. M., L.M.S.S.A. : asst. M.O.H. and asst. School

M.O. for Chatham.ROBINSON, G. E., M.B. Sheff., D.O.M.S.: ophthalmic clinical

assistant at the Royal Infirmary, Sheffield.SMITHSON, D. G., M.B. Leeds, D.P.H. : asst. M.O.H. for Swindon.SOGTH, CYRIL, M.B. Sheff. : surgical first assistant at the Royal

Infirmary, Sheffield.WHITE, T. H., M.B. Brist.: M.O., Tanganyika Territory.Examining surgeons under the Factories Act, 1937 : C. F. COPE

(Andover, Southampton) ; and J. AGNEw (East Kilbride,Lanark).

Births, Marriages and Deaths

BIRTHSDREW.—On Aug. 30, at Belfast, the wife of Captain J. M. M.

Drew, I.M.S.—a daughter.GREENE.—On Sept. 7, at Oxford, the wife of Dr. Raymond Greene

—a daughter.HAMBLY.—On Sept. 8, at Seer Green, Bucks, the wife of Mr. Edmund

Hambly, F.R.C.S.-a daughter.SMART.—On Sept. 5, at Bromley, the wife of Joseph Smart-a

daughter.TAYLoR.-On Sept. 6, at Dorking, the wife of Surgeon Lieut.-

Commander W. B. Taylor, R.N.-a daughter.

MARRIAGESJONES—STERRT-COOPER.—On Aug. 29, at Elmbridge, Lionel Evan

Jones, M.S., to Dorothy Mary Sterry-Cooper, M.B.STENHOUSE—ELWELL.—On Aug. 31, at Lewes, Ralph Alan

Stenhouse, Surgeon-Lieutenant R.N., to Geraldine TruthDudley Elwell.

DEATHS

CARLLER.—On Sept. 2, at Dorridge, Edmond William WaceCarlier, M.D. Edin., M.Sc. Birm., F.R.S.E., F.R.E.S., in his79th year.

HEELIS.—On Sept. 7, Robert Heelis, M.D. Durh., of Nottingham.WINDLE.—On Sept. 6, at Bournemouth, Reginald Joscelyn Windle,

M.B. Dubl., Colonel R.A.M.C. (retd.), aged 80.WINGATE.—On Sept. 3, in London, Basil Fenton Wingate, D.S.O.,

M.R.C.S., Colonel R.A.M.C. (retd.), aged 65.