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by the bureau. but mainly to the immense technicaladvances in methods of suppressing and removing dust.Artificial ventilation and the axial water-feed drill havebeen particularly successful in this respect.

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Now that several Rand gold mines are producinguranium concentrates, the effect of uranium dust maybe another danger. But observations made in threemines in 1947 indicated that there was no trace ofradon gas present, and the dust samples taken showedno sigris of dangerous radioactivity. Further investiga-tions are being made to ensure safe working conditions.

Agriculture (Poisonous Substances) Regulations.The purpose of the Agriculture (Poisonous Substances)

Regulations, 1953, which come into force on March 31,is to protect employees against poisoning by dinitrocompounds and by organic- phosphorus compounds usedas weed-killers and insecticides. The regulations applyto,the dinitro compounds, dinitro-ortho-cresol (D.N.O.C.)and Dinoseb,’ and to the phosphorus compounds, Parathion,’ Schradan,’ ’ Dimefox,’ ’ Mipafox,’ andtetra-ethylpyrophosphate (T.E.P.P.). The use of thesecompounds in agriculture and horticulture will beprohibited unless the employees working with them arewearing protective clothing. The clothing to be wornvaries according to the operation being performed :for example, for wet spraying in a greenhouse theregulations require rubber gloves and boots, hood, face-shield, and either an overall or a mackintosh. Theregulations will also restrict working hours, and, forexample, not more than ten hours in any one day orsixty hours in any seven consecutive days may be spenton work with these substances. A leaflet summarisingthe main provisions of the regulations and giving anumber of additional precautions is being issued tousers of these chemicals.

ObituaryGORDON ALEXANDER RYRIE

M.A., M.B. Edin.

Dr. Gordon Ryrie, who died at Kirkcaldy on March 9at the age of 53, was superintendent of a leper settlementat Sungei Buloh, Malaya for almost twenty years. Duringthe late war he refused to leave his patients, and hishealth never fully recovered from the rigours of theoccupation and his subseauent imnrisonment.,--

He was born in Montrose, hisfather being a missionary in thefishing village of Ferryden, andhe went to school at MontroseAcademy. After serving in the1914-18 war he entered Edin-burgh University, where he

graduated first in arts and thenin medicine. Having qualifiedin 1926, he entered the ColonialMedical Service in 1928 andsoon afterwards he wasappointed medical superin-tendent of the Sungei BulohLeprosy Settlement. Here, byhis work and his contacts inmany lands, he quickly wonthe reputation of a sound and

careful clinician. and an honest critic not only of others’work but also of his own. His contribution to theliterature of leprosy, particularly in the clinical andtherapeutic fields, was considerable.When the Japanese entered the war in 1941 Ryrie

insisted on remaining at his post, and during the nexttwo years he did all he could to mitigate the sufferingcaused by the callousness of the occupying furces. To hissensitive nature this suffering must have been mentaltorture. apart from his own personal privations. activelyassociating himself with the underground movement, hewas continually under suspicion and supervision, and in1943. when he was found to have treated woundedmembers of the guerilla bands he was moved to theconcentration camp at Changi. During his irnprisunmenthe was greatly weakened by attacks of malaria anddysentery, and when Singapore was liberated he was

officially refused permission to travel. But he succeededin making his way back to his patients at Sungei Buloh.whose appalling plight he afterwards described in theLeprosy Revie2v for January, 1947. "When the endcame the hospital wards were empty, for no-one was leftable to care for the sick. Like wraiths over the untendedpaths, -the patients came out of their houses withuncertain eyes and wavering gait, to welcome theirliberators."But in 1945 illness forced Ryrie to return to- this

country. After a long period of treatment he was ableto start work again, and in 1947 he was appointedmedical secretary of the British- Empire Leprosy ReliefAssociation. Despite growing ill health he undertookhis duties there with the same ch’aracteristic courage, andhe continued to show in his writings the independenceof thought which had always gained the respect andadmiration of his colleagues.

R. G. C. writes : " Gordon Ryrie lived courageouslv,and throughout his all too short professional career hedisplayed tenacity of purpose and determination to windespite overwhelming difficulties. To tho3e who knewthe warmth of. his nature, his deep sensitiveness forsuffering will remain an inspiration and challenge. Hispatients were devoted to him, and will miss an under-standing friend ; and his colleagues have lost a courageousand undaunted champion." -

His wife, who survives him, continued after then’marriage her work as a teacher in a mission school atSungei Buloh.

ALEXANDER JAMES MacDOUGALLOF MacDOUGALL AND DUNOLLIE

C.M.G., M.B. Edin., D.L., J.P.

Colonel MacDougall, who retired from the RoyalArmy Medical Corps in 1922, died at Dunollie House.Oban, on March 13 at the age of 81. He was 29thhereditary chief of the Clan MacDougall.

His father, the 28th chief, was Surgeon-generalH.R.L. MacDougall, and he was born at Poona inIndia in 1872. Educated at Clifton and EdinburghUniversity, he qualified in medicine in 1894 and wasappointed surgeon lieutenant in 1896. After six years’service in India he became adjutant of the GlasgowR.A.M.C. Volunteers in 1905, and later had four yearsin Ceylon. In 1914 he went to France with the 5thDivision and in 1915 he was given command of thellth Field Ambulance. At the end of that year hemobilised the 35th Casualty Clearing Hospital, whichhe commanded in Egypt and Macedonia. In 191 7he became A.D.M.s. 52nd Division in France, and heremained with this division till 1919 when he was

appointed C.M.G. After retiring to Dunollie he was

made honorary sheriff substitute for Argyllshire, andfrom 1939 to 1945 he served in the Home Guard. In1901 he had married Colina Edith MacDougall, whosurvives him with three daughters.

Births, Marriages, and DeathsBIRTHS

CLARK.—On March 15, at Kendal, to Jean, wife of Dr. A. M. Clark—-

a daughter.MULHOLLAND.—On Feb. 13, at Sydney, Australia, to Mary (née

Duckett), wife of Dr. Gerald Mulholland—a daughter.

DEATHSMASON.—On March 12, at 79, Willes Road, Leamington Spa.

Harold Mason, M.B. Lond., i.p., aged 87.

AppointmentsBRIEGER, JOHANNA, B.A., ’vi.13. Camb. : asst. chest physician

(S.H.M.O.), Rhymney and Sirhowy Valleys H.M.C.CRAIG, J. A., M.B., B.SC. N.U.I., D.P.H. : M.O., co. Louth.C’ROWLEY, DAXIEL, M.B. -N.T7.1-, D..M.R.T. : first asst. (S.H.M.O.

radiotherapy department, Royal Free Hospital, London.Hu&HES, li. S.. M.R.c.s. : registrar in surgery, Rookwood Hospital.

Cardiff. M.O.RMII.XE. J. C., M.B. Aberd., D.p.H., D.T.M. & H. : asst. M.O.H..

Portsmouth.MORGAN, C. NAUNTON, M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant surgeon.

Royal Masonic Hospital, London.O’DONNELL, B. A., M.D. N.U.I., D.P.H. : --Ni.o., co. Leitrim.PHILLIPS, H. T., M.D. Lond., D.P.H., D.LH., D.C.H.: chief asst. M.C.

Central Health Clinic, Bristol.

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Notes and News

A GIFT FROM 4CANADAWHEN Sir Stanford Cade and Prof. B. W. Windeyer were

visiting Canada last year, they discussed -with their Canadiancolleagues the use of radioactive isotopes in the treatment

c.f malignant disease. They were particularly interested inthe isotope of cobalt with a mass number of, 60, which

has proved a valuable source of radiation, .in this work. Theisotope is prepared by exposing natural cobalt to the reactionsgoing on in am atomic pile. Natural- cobalt is relatively scarce,but here are considerable deposits in Canada ; and Dr. O. H.Warwick, executive director of the National Cancer Instituteof Canada, suggested a gift from Canada to help Britishresearch in this subject.,. Mr:J: W. McConnell, of Montreal,who has contributed generously to the .cause - of medicalresearch in Canada, offered to pay for a complete cobalt-beam unit which would be given to this’country. ,

The news of the gift was announced by the Duke ofGloucester at a meeting of the British Empire Cancer Cam-paign on March 10.I The unit will be ready in June, and itwill go first to Copenhagen for the International Congressof Radiology in July. It will then be installed at MountVernon Hospital, Northwood. Sir Stanford Cade said thatthe new unit would be nearly 200 times more powerful thanradium units at present in use, and the depth-dose deliveredby it would be about the same as that given by 3MeV X rays.A cobalt beam, he said, was more stable, more reliable, andsimpler to control than that from a high-voltage X-ray unit.The new unit would be used primarily for the treatment ofdeep-seated growths that had proved beyond the range ofexisting radiotherapy apparatus. Professor Windeyer des-cribed how a cobalt-beam unit could be rotated around the

patient with the beam constantly directed upon the tumour.A higher tumour dose could be achieved with relatively littledamage to normal tissues or disturbance to the general healthof the patient. The cost of the new unit is -E25,000 a radiumumt of comparable energy would cost over £1 million.A cobalt-beam unit has lately been installed at the

llontefiore Hospital, New York.2

BRITISH RHEUMATIC ASSOCIATION

THE annual report of this association describes some of thedevelopments that have arisen from its work during 1952.

Probably of the most immediate importance is the series ofmedical hostels which will enable industrial workers sufferingfrom rheumatic complaints to receive prompt and expertattention. The first hostel will be at Northwood, in Middlesex,and when funds become available similar hostels will be set

up m Scotland, the industrial North, and the Midlands. The

building for the hostel at Northwood has been bought, andit is hoped to adapt, equip, and open it within the next year.A housing society, B.R.A. Homes Ltd., has been formed tomanage the hostels when they are established. As the reportpoints out, the new hostel service should achieve a con-siderable saving in national expenditure and man-power.The association has continued its vigorous efforts on behalf

of the vast army of home-bound rheumatic sufferers " inmany other ways. It has emphasised the plight of those whoselihood is threatened by rheumatism ; and the Ministries ofLabour and of Health have decided to review the wholeposition of the handicapped unemployed in this country.the association’s parliamentary committee is pressing for a. Social surveys and inquiries have been set going to- ijjport the campaign with evidence of the economic burden’.’ rheumatism : and a national programme to teach thepublic about rheumatism has been undertaken with thecooperation of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes.Membership of the association costs 10s. a year, including

".- subscription to the B.R.A. Review, the official journal of’- association. The address is 5, Tite Street, London, S.W’.3.

INSTITUTE OF ALMONERS

STARTING in autumn this year the Ministry of Health is tomake a number of grants to help student almoners to attend’h- special year’s course in medical social work organised by thelute of Almoners. Prof. A. A. MoncriefF, chairman of’;.- council of the Institute, explained at the annual meeting’ London on March 13 that last year only 87 students. hed—a much smaller total than previously because the

1. Times and Manchester Guardian, March 11, 1953.2. New York Times, Feb. 9, 1953.

Ministry had withdrawn- an- earlier subsidy and fees had had,to be raised above a level that many students could afford.Even so the rise did not ii6edt the cost ; the treasurer reporteda deficit of £1823 on training courses. A selection committeeis about to sit to make the first grants under the new scheme.The annual report shows that 95% of all almoners belong

to the institute. In 1952 those engaged’in hospital worknumbered 99 -3, distributed among 481 hospitals, and roughlyhalf were in one-of the four Metropolitan regions. At least 54new posts were created during the year, and at the end therewere over 100 unfilled vacancies. Clearly therefore the pro-fession is still expanding, and Government grants to helpm -ore,-people to take special ’training are likely to be veryvaluable: The institute is also exploring the possibility ofgetting university social study departments to offer coursesleading to a university qualification specially for medicalsocial casework. If this comes about it is likely to enhancethe almoner’s status as a social worker by raising the standardof entry. - ·

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The annual meeting heard Mr. L. Farrer-Brown speak onProfessionalism in the National Health Service. We hope topublish the text of his address.

GEORGE OLIVER : 1841-1915THE Harveian Librarian of the Royal -College- of Physicians

of London asks us to inquire of readers- whether any can tellhim of the existence of a portrait or photograph of Dr. GeorgeOliver, founder of the college’s Oliver-Sharpey lectures. WithE. A. Sharpey Schafer, Oliver, in 1894, demonstrated for thefirst time the presence of a pressor substance in the suprarenalgland, and in 1895 he reported on the physiological action ofextracts of the pituitary gland. In the thirty-three yearsended in 1908 he practised in Harrogate as a physician, butin the winter months he did much of his investigation atUniversity College as well as in his private laboratory. Heearly developed the bedside testing of urine, and his devicesincluded a hsemocytometer, haemoglobinometer, arterio-meter, and sphygmomanometer. On his death in 1915, wewrote : " He it was among British physicians who chieflyinsisted on the importance of estimating blood-pressure indiagnosis, and the instruments of precision he introduced forthis purpose will live long to keep his memory green."

Before going to Harrogate in 1875 Dr. Oliver practised for afew years at Redcar. His last years were spent at his home inSurrey.

University of OxfordAt a congregation, held on March 10, a resolution was

passed by 153 votes to 89 to promote legislation raising theretiring age for holders of university posts from 65 to 67.A second resolution to promote legislation to abolish the

power of the visitatorial board to extend the normal retiringage was defeated by 150 votes to 86.

University of CambridgeOn March 7 the following degrees were conferred :

^M.D.-H. C. Churchill-Davidson, J. H. Dean, Margaret H. Pond,M.B., B. Chir.—* J. R. Kirkup.

* By proxy.

University of LondonDr. D. A. McDonald, senior lecturer in physiology at

St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College, has been

appointed to the university readership in physiology at thecollege.

Mr. J. A. V. Butler, D.SC., physical chemist at the ChesterBeatty Research Institute of the Royal Cancer Hospital, hasbeen appointed to the university chair of physical chemistryat the Institute of Cancer Research at the hospital.University of Edinburgh

. At a special graduation ceremony on May 22 the honorarydegree of 1,1,.D will be conferred on Surgeon Vice-Adrlliral SirSheldon Dudley, F.R.S. At the summer graduation on July 3the honorary degree of LL.D will be conferred on Dr. CharlesMcNeil, professor emeritus of child life and health in theuniversity, and on Dr. S. L. A. Manuwa, director of medicalservices in Nigeria.

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Association of Clinical Biochemists-The inaugural meeting of this association will be held at

2.30 P.M. on Saturday, March 28, at the Postgraduate MedicalSchool of London, Dueane Road, W.I 2. The secretary of theinterim committee is Mr. A. L. Tarnoky, PH.D., PathologicalLaboratory, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading.