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From Dr. J. J. Jervis, M.O.H. Leeds
PUBLIC HEALTH.
I923.
the fact t h a t at p r e s e n t the machinery a l r e a d y existed to successfully c o m b a t t u b e r c u l a r disease. The action of c e r t a i n ' M e d i c a l Officers of H e a l t h in e n c o u r a g i n g the p r e s e n t e c o n o m a n i a was to be deprecated. T h e fact t h a t prevention of t u b e r culosis r a t h e r t h a n its t r e a t m e n t which at p r e s e n t e n g a g e s S° much of our attention was t h e true function of the Medical Officer of H e a l t h w a s emphasised. In this r e g a r d , the isolation of a d v a n c e d c a s e s b e c a m e of vital importance. The provision of l a r g e n u m b e r s of beds for the t r e a t ment of e s t a b l i s h e d tuberculosis c o m p a r e d with the small n u m b e r of o p e n - a i r schools was to be r e g a r d e d as b e g i n n i n g at the w r o n g end. T h e a p a t h y of the G o v e r n m e n t in r e g a r d to the question of t r a n s m i s s i o n of tuberculosis by milk w a s adversely c o m m e n t e d upon. T h e loss of all the valuable medical histories of children up to the school l e a v i n g age, a f t e r t h e s e children left school, -was deplored and the P r e s i d e n t s u g g e s t e d t h a t these records should be made available to insurance p r a c t i t i o n e r s and t h a t all insured p e r s o n s should be e x a m i n e d within one m o n t h of b e i n g a d m i t t e d to t h e panel. On the motion of the r e t i r i n g P r e s i d e n t (Dr. M c M a s t e r ) , seconded by Dr. S. S t a l k e r , the P r e s i d e n t w a s heartily t h a n k e d for his a d d r e s s , to which he suitably replied. A f u r t h e r discussion t o o k place on a letter from Dr. Vercoe, Medical Officer of H e a l t h for C h e l m s ford, in which he complained of an alleged a t t i t u d e of the S o c i e t y ' s journal, " Public H e a l t h , " in r e g a r d to certain medical subjects which a r e of a c o n t r o v e r s i a l nature. On the motion of Dr. Scurfield, seconded by Dr. K i r k h o p e , the Secret a r y was i n s t r u c t e d to f o r w a r d a copy of t h e letter to the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y for the consideration of the Council or its a p p r o p r i a t e c o m m i t t e e . The S e c r e t a r y was also i n s t r u c t e d to b r i n g to the notice of m e m b e r s the a d v i s a b i l i t y of i o i n i n g the British Medical Association, this ~:o be done by a note on t h e card of invitation to the m e e t i n g . T h e S e c r e t a r y w a s i n s t r u c t e d to t a k e such action as m i g h t be possible, in c o n j u n c t i o n with the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y of the Society, to obtain the w i t h d r a w a l of the c a n d i d a t e recently a p p o i n t e d to t h e S o u t h - W e s t area.
MILK
AS FOOD.
Dr. G e o r g e A. Auden, M e d i c a l Officcr for the City of B i r m i n g h a m E d u c a t i o n Committee, in cooperation with Dr. J a m e s R. Mitchell, has r e c e n t l y carried out at the A l c o c k Street Council school
51
B i r m i n g h a m , an e x p e r i m e n t in which a pint of milk was given daily to thirty under-nourished school children for a period of four months. T h e conclusions a r r i v e d at by the two doctors are as f o l t o w s : - - T h e r e was an i m p r o v e m e n t in the rate of increase in weight and in nutrition, a notable i m p r o v e m e n t in mental and bodily vigour and alertness, and an i m p r o v e m e n t in the a m o u n t of the red colouring m a t t e r of the blood. I t is added that it was found b y the e x a m i n a t i o n of the s a m e children one month after the issue of the m i l k had ceased that a general slight loss in weight had taken pl'~ce.
CORRESPONDENCE.
The Editor does not accept responsibility for the opinions of correspondents. PREVENTION
OF VENEREAL
DISEASE.
From Dr. J. J. JERVIS, M . O , H . Leeds. S I R , - - I n the O c t o b e r issue of " Public H e a l t h " you m a k e the s t a t e m e n t in y o u r E d i t o r i a l on the P r e v e n t i o n of Venereal D i s e a s e s " that in those a r e a s where p r a c t i c a l p r e v e n t i o n has been introduced so far as it is possible u n d e r the severe h a n d i c a p s to which it is subjected b y legal obstruction, the fall in the incidence of venereal d i s e a s e has been r e m a r k a b l e and has been g r e a t e r t h a n the fall which has t a k e n place in the country generally." Such a s t a t e m e n t a p p e a r i n g in the principal o r g a n of Public H e a l t h in the c o u n t r y is of the h i g h e s t i m p o r t a n c e , and I a m sure Medical Officers of H e a l t h and V . D . Officers would welt c o m e the p u b h c a t l o n of the figures on which it is based. I hope this course will c o m m e n d itself to you and that the facts will a p p e a r in an early issue.
J. J. J~Rvis. [ T h e P o r t s m o u t h r e t u r n s show a 32 p e r cent. reduction in the incidence of v e n e r e a l disease d u r i n g 1921 and a 42 per cent. reduction d u r i n g 1922, as c o m p a r e d with the y e a r 1 9 2 0 . - - E D . , P.H.]
APPOINTMENT WhNTED.--Temporary or permanent post sought by M.D., D.P.H., experienced in all branches of Public Health work. Has recently been acting as an Assistant Medical Officer on the staff of the Surrey County Health Department.---Apply J., c/o The Society of Medical OiTmers of Health, 1, Upper Montague Street, Russell Square, W.C.1,
I923.
the fact t h a t at p r e s e n t the machinery a l r e a d y existed to successfully c o m b a t t u b e r c u l a r disease. The action of c e r t a i n ' M e d i c a l Officers of H e a l t h in e n c o u r a g i n g the p r e s e n t e c o n o m a n i a was to be deprecated. T h e fact t h a t prevention of t u b e r culosis r a t h e r t h a n its t r e a t m e n t which at p r e s e n t e n g a g e s S° much of our attention was t h e true function of the Medical Officer of H e a l t h w a s emphasised. In this r e g a r d , the isolation of a d v a n c e d c a s e s b e c a m e of vital importance. The provision of l a r g e n u m b e r s of beds for the t r e a t ment of e s t a b l i s h e d tuberculosis c o m p a r e d with the small n u m b e r of o p e n - a i r schools was to be r e g a r d e d as b e g i n n i n g at the w r o n g end. T h e a p a t h y of the G o v e r n m e n t in r e g a r d to the question of t r a n s m i s s i o n of tuberculosis by milk w a s adversely c o m m e n t e d upon. T h e loss of all the valuable medical histories of children up to the school l e a v i n g age, a f t e r t h e s e children left school, -was deplored and the P r e s i d e n t s u g g e s t e d t h a t these records should be made available to insurance p r a c t i t i o n e r s and t h a t all insured p e r s o n s should be e x a m i n e d within one m o n t h of b e i n g a d m i t t e d to t h e panel. On the motion of the r e t i r i n g P r e s i d e n t (Dr. M c M a s t e r ) , seconded by Dr. S. S t a l k e r , the P r e s i d e n t w a s heartily t h a n k e d for his a d d r e s s , to which he suitably replied. A f u r t h e r discussion t o o k place on a letter from Dr. Vercoe, Medical Officer of H e a l t h for C h e l m s ford, in which he complained of an alleged a t t i t u d e of the S o c i e t y ' s journal, " Public H e a l t h , " in r e g a r d to certain medical subjects which a r e of a c o n t r o v e r s i a l nature. On the motion of Dr. Scurfield, seconded by Dr. K i r k h o p e , the Secret a r y was i n s t r u c t e d to f o r w a r d a copy of t h e letter to the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y for the consideration of the Council or its a p p r o p r i a t e c o m m i t t e e . The S e c r e t a r y was also i n s t r u c t e d to b r i n g to the notice of m e m b e r s the a d v i s a b i l i t y of i o i n i n g the British Medical Association, this ~:o be done by a note on t h e card of invitation to the m e e t i n g . T h e S e c r e t a r y w a s i n s t r u c t e d to t a k e such action as m i g h t be possible, in c o n j u n c t i o n with the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y of the Society, to obtain the w i t h d r a w a l of the c a n d i d a t e recently a p p o i n t e d to t h e S o u t h - W e s t area.
MILK
AS FOOD.
Dr. G e o r g e A. Auden, M e d i c a l Officcr for the City of B i r m i n g h a m E d u c a t i o n Committee, in cooperation with Dr. J a m e s R. Mitchell, has r e c e n t l y carried out at the A l c o c k Street Council school
51
B i r m i n g h a m , an e x p e r i m e n t in which a pint of milk was given daily to thirty under-nourished school children for a period of four months. T h e conclusions a r r i v e d at by the two doctors are as f o l t o w s : - - T h e r e was an i m p r o v e m e n t in the rate of increase in weight and in nutrition, a notable i m p r o v e m e n t in mental and bodily vigour and alertness, and an i m p r o v e m e n t in the a m o u n t of the red colouring m a t t e r of the blood. I t is added that it was found b y the e x a m i n a t i o n of the s a m e children one month after the issue of the m i l k had ceased that a general slight loss in weight had taken pl'~ce.
CORRESPONDENCE.
The Editor does not accept responsibility for the opinions of correspondents. PREVENTION
OF VENEREAL
DISEASE.
From Dr. J. J. JERVIS, M . O , H . Leeds. S I R , - - I n the O c t o b e r issue of " Public H e a l t h " you m a k e the s t a t e m e n t in y o u r E d i t o r i a l on the P r e v e n t i o n of Venereal D i s e a s e s " that in those a r e a s where p r a c t i c a l p r e v e n t i o n has been introduced so far as it is possible u n d e r the severe h a n d i c a p s to which it is subjected b y legal obstruction, the fall in the incidence of venereal d i s e a s e has been r e m a r k a b l e and has been g r e a t e r t h a n the fall which has t a k e n place in the country generally." Such a s t a t e m e n t a p p e a r i n g in the principal o r g a n of Public H e a l t h in the c o u n t r y is of the h i g h e s t i m p o r t a n c e , and I a m sure Medical Officers of H e a l t h and V . D . Officers would welt c o m e the p u b h c a t l o n of the figures on which it is based. I hope this course will c o m m e n d itself to you and that the facts will a p p e a r in an early issue.
J. J. J~Rvis. [ T h e P o r t s m o u t h r e t u r n s show a 32 p e r cent. reduction in the incidence of v e n e r e a l disease d u r i n g 1921 and a 42 per cent. reduction d u r i n g 1922, as c o m p a r e d with the y e a r 1 9 2 0 . - - E D . , P.H.]
APPOINTMENT WhNTED.--Temporary or permanent post sought by M.D., D.P.H., experienced in all branches of Public Health work. Has recently been acting as an Assistant Medical Officer on the staff of the Surrey County Health Department.---Apply J., c/o The Society of Medical OiTmers of Health, 1, Upper Montague Street, Russell Square, W.C.1,