PUBLIC HEALTH, June, 1947 those of public health medical officers that we recommend that the Fellowship of the Society should he opened to them from the date of adoption of the Amended Articles. This proposal requires an amenament to Article 4(b)(6). Mr. "laylor, representing the Dental Officers' Group, expressed the view that Dental Associates would welcome the opportunity to take up the Fellowship of the Society but that the ~roup would oppose strongly any cnange in the agreement dating from 1921 by which the capitation tee to the Group was fixed at 5s. per member. We recommend meantime that the subscription rate for all Associates defined in Article 4 (c) as "persons of professional standing interested in the advancement ot public h e a l t h " should be raised to £1 lls. 6d. as from October 1st next, no change in the present Articles of Association being involved in th~s proposal. 9. Ov~rse.as Branches.--Therc lmve been enquiries as to the possibility of formation of such Branches from three quarters, _New Zealand, Northern Ireland and New South Wales. In the case of New Zealand it emerged that one unfavourable factor was the requirement for the full overseas subscription of £1 lls. 6d. (less the return to the Branch of 2s. 6d. per member) observing that the Society could do little for its members in a distant Dominion, except for supply of the journal. Article 6 already empowers the Council to institute additional Branches and Article 15, now or as amended, allows the Hon. Treasurer to pay a capitation fee of more than 2s. 6d. if the Council so decide, in respect of any Branch. We recommend therefore that formation of each Overseas Branch should bc negotiated on its merits and allowing for circumstances These reconnnendations could be carried out under the present Articles. 10. Memorandum oJ Association.--The alteration of a Memorandum of Association is a considerable business involving application to the High Court. No change in the Society's memorandum adopted in 1891 seems to us to be necessary, unless it is decided to adopt a new name for the Society or to seek a Royal Charter. II. Articles o[ Association.--Detailed amendments to the present Articles of Association are involved by the recommendations made above. The procedure would be that laid down by the Companies Act, 1929, i.e., by a special resolution (of which not less than 21 days' notice has been given to all members) adopted at an extraordinary general meeting by a majority of not less than three-fourths of such members as vote in person or by proxy (if proxies are allowed). We recommend that copies of the existing Articles of Association, with the proposed changes clearly shown in italics, or as marginal notes, should be printed and circulated to all members as an enclosure with the journal, and that all Branches and Groups should be asked to express their views thereon before the Council submits them to an extraordinary general meeting.
EAST ANGLIAN BRANCH
President: Dr. T. Ruddoek-West (C.M.O.H., Norfolk). Hon. Secretary : Dr. J. W. Hunter (M.O.H., Ipswich C.B.). A meeting of the Eastern Branch of the Society was held at the Shire Hall, Bury St. Edmunds, on Saturday, April 26th, 1947, at 3 p.m. The President was in the chair and 33 members and guests were present. The President reminded the meeting of the loss which had been sustained in the death of Dr. D. Wainwright, late M.O.H. of Great Yarmouth, who was a member of the Branch, and asked the members to stand in silence. Dr. A. Leslie Banks, Principal Regional Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, gave an informal but very instructive talk on the National Health Service Act, 1946. He dealt in the main with the Part III Services, and made informative comments on every section in that part. At the close of his talk, he invited members to ask questions, and the discussion which followed proved of considerable value. During the tea interval a discussion took place on part-time nursing, and Dr. Banks kindly added some personal remarks regarding the idea behind the Ministry's suggestions in connection with the recruitment of part-time staff. The Branch decided to support the nomination of Dr. F. Hall as President of the Society, put forward by the North-Western Branch. The President thanked Dr. H. Roger for kindly making arrangements for the meeting to be held in the Shire Hall and for providing tea. The Branch held a meeting at the East Anglian Schools for Blind and Deaf Children, Gorleston, on Saturday, May 10th, 1947, at 3.30 p.m. Mr. Gough, the Headmaster and Superintendent, gave a very interesting account of the work of the School and the members were then shown round the various departments.
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N A V Y , A R M Y & A I R FORCE H Y G I E N E OFFICERS' GROUP President: Brig. G. S. Parkinson, C.B.E., D..%O., R.A.M.C. (ret.). Hon. Secretary: Dr. H. D. Chalke, O.B.E. (Dep. M.P.H., Hampstead Met. B. ; Col. R.A.M.C., (T.A.). The second meeting of the Group in the session 1946-47 was held in the Hastings Hall, B.M.A. House, London, W.C.1, on Friday, April 25th, 1947, at 5.80 p.m. The President was in the chair, and 23 members and guests were present. Constitution of the Group A report from the Group Committee was presented and approved, including the following constitution of the Group : - (1) Aims. (a) To. promote co-operation among those working in the interests of public health and hygiene in the Services and in civilian employment. (b) To collect, compare and record work and experience relating to the common health interests of the fighting services and civilian community. (c) To arrange meetings in London or elsewhere for the reading of papers and for discussions and demonstrations on subjects of common interest. There will normally be four meetings: a year between October and June. Visits will be paid when possible to the Army School of Hygiene and other Service establishments. (d) To consider and report on any relevant matter which may from time to time be referred to the Group. (2) Membership.--The Group is open to all Fellows and Associates of the Society who are interested in matters common to Service and civilian public health, and who desire to promote a closer co-operation between the two. (3) Subscription.--This is covered by the annual subscription to the Society. (4) Associates shall have the privilege of attending all Group meetings and in taking part in discussions, but they shall not vote on any subject affecting the constitution, management or discipline of the Group.
(5) Officers(i) These shall consist of a president, not more than four vice-presidents, a representative on the Council of the Society, an hon. secretary, who shall also act as ben. treasurer. The vice-presidents shall consist of the four immediate pastpresidents. (The committee unanimously decided to ask Sir George Elliston to accept the office of vice-president, which he has agreed to.) (ii) Committee.--To consist of the officers and one representative each from the medical services of the R.N., Army and R.A.F., and the R.N.V.R., T.A. and R.A.F.V.R., together with two members representing the civilian public health service. (6) Election of Officers.--Officers shall be elected at the annual general meeting to be held in June of each year. They will take up office on October 1st following. The president shall not normally hold office for more than one year. Other officers wiU be eligible for annual re-election. At least a month before the annual general meeting, the Group Committee shall nominate the new president and other officers, and circulate these nominations in the notices of the A.G.M. Members of the Group shall be at liberty to make nominations which must reach the hon. secretary at least four weeks before the annual general meeting. The hon. secretary reported a letter from Brig. Richmond, inviting the Group to hold its next meeting at the Army School of Hygiene, Mytchett, on Saturday, June 28th, by kind permission of the Commandant (Col. T. Young, o.B.s., R.A.M.C.). This invitation was accepted with great pleasure and it was decided to meet at Mytchett at 12 noon on that day. Present Trends of Thought in A r m y Hygiene Brig. A. E. Richmond, O.B.E., Director of Hygiene, War Office, then addressed the Group. He began by expressing his appreciation of meeting again many who were in the hygiene organisation of the Services during the war. He appreciated also the privilege of being one of the first to read a paper after the official re-birth of the Services Group of the Society--a re-birth, incidentally, which would play a great part in keeping the Services hygiene organisation and their civil public health counterparts in close and valuable touch in the years to come. Referring to the importance in the Services of a true realisation of the scope of hygiene, he defined it as the attainment, maintenance and enhancement of physical and mental health and efficiency and the prevention of disease. It was the constant endeavour of the Army at the present time to ensure that the wide scope of hygiene was fully understood by every officer and man and that the enhancement and maintenance of the maximum possible degree of positive health was given its full importance.