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LONDON HOSPITALS IN WAR-TIME
211 useful because it imitates the steady, continuous androgenic action of normal testes, and because it obviates frequent contact with the physician. THE HANDS OF THE AMATEUR GARDENER
THE Manchester city coroner has been warning of the danger of wounds contaminated The case that inspired his with manured soil. comments was that of a solicitors’ cashier who pricked his finger while tying up roses and died soon afterwards from infection of the finger. Scratches and pricks of this kind are almost inseparable from gardening, and the question is how far these wounds must be taken seriously. In his first acquaintance with the casualty department of his hospital, the student learns that wounds contaminated with soil are regarded with concern because of the possibility of infection with the organisms of gas-gangrene or with tetanus spores that will become active in damaged tissues. Wounds severe enough to reach the casualty department receive such thorough treatment that the incidence of tetanus there must be very low ; but minor lesions are a different matter. The horny hands of the professional gardener are unlikely to be infected by trivial injury such as punctures from thorns, but the week-end gardener has a readily vulnerable epidermis, and should his wound become septic or show necrosis tetanus becomes a very real danger. The perils of manured soil should be as well known to the gardening public as to the doctor ; and though it is too much to expect the amateur gardener to rush to the doctor with every lesion, he should know of the special risk from penetrating wounds, and the advantage of antiseptic treatment of those that are more superficial.
gardeners
.
LONDON HOSPITALS IN WAR-TIME
THE UNNATURAL ATHLETE
ATTEMPTS to introduce more vitality into professional football have become so widespread that the British Medical Association has decided to inquire next autumn into the alleged benefits of using endocrine extracts for this purpose. Hitherto, as Boje remarks,l there has been little serious research on the adventitious aids to athletic success. His own paper on the subject ranges over a wide field from cocaine to hormones and from glucose to vitamins. A rough-and-ready classification puts the preparations capable of " doping " athletes in three main categories according to the risk involved. Thus cocaine, Benzedrine (amphetamine), nitroglycerin, digitalis, strophanthin, certain hormones and caffeine in large doses are in Boje’s opinion definitely dangerous. At the other end of the scale, ranking as quite harmless, are glucose, oxygen and vitamin Bl. In an intermediate category he would put the cardiac stimulants, Coramine and Cardiazol, ultraviolet irradiation, various salts and small doses of alcohol. Boje admits that there are certain substances which, when given with the skill which comes from a working knowledge of pharmacology, of enhancing athletic activities and are capable But when he singles out one drug achievements. after another for detailed discussion, there is more often that not some catch or " but " which robs the reader of any whole-hearted faith. From the standpoint of sport, this is perhaps all to the good.
Mr. E. L. SHERIDAN, F.R.C.S.I., has been nominated, by the Privy Council, chairman of the Dental Board of the United Kingdom in succession to the late Sir Francis Acland. Mr. Sheridan, who is professor of dental surgery in the National University of Ireland, was an original member of the board and has for the past ten years represented qualified dentists practising in Ireland. He is one of the additional members of the General Medical Council appointed by the Privy Council under the Dentists Act, 1921.
ON June 30 a letter appeared in the press signed by twelve chairmen and treasurers of London teaching hospitals, who complained that lack of a director, charged with full responsibility for the war-time organisation of the London hospitals, has meant that there is at the moment nothing more than an outline scheme on paper. The work of the sectors, it is widely felt, is not sufficiently coordinated, and many decisions 1. Böje, O., Nord. Med. June 30, 1939, p. 1963. of policy remain outstanding. Mr. Walter Elliot, the Minister of Health, on July 13 informed representatives of the hospitals of the Ministry’s plan for NURSING COURSES FOR SCHOOL-GIRLS.-Last year ensuring cooperation between the medical group the General Nursing Council passed a resolution officers and the lay sector officers. Dr. J. H. Hebb, 1938, 1, 867) approving the division of the (Lancet, at the of medical services director-general emergency state examination into two parts, the first of preliminary Ministry, will meet the medical group officers every which might be taken before entering hospital, provided Monday ; Mr. Neville, the principal assistant secretary that the candidate had followed an approved course of in the Ministry responsible for the administrative instruction at school. The Board of Education has now side of the scheme, will meet the lay sector officers issued a circular (No. 1471) explaining the arrangements which they have made in cooperation with the council for every Tuesday ; and Sir Girling Ball, chairman of the courses in anatomy, physiology and hygiene to be given medical group officers, and Sir George Cory, chairman in secondary schools and technical schools for girls who of the lay sector officers, will meet Sir George Chrystal, to enter the nursing profession. In view of the permanent secretary of the Ministry, every Wednes- wish serious of the board that many nurses, shortage hope day. At this last meeting Sir Frederick Menzies, medi- schools will find it possible to establish prenursing courses cal officer of the L.C.C., and Sir Bernard Docker, repre- which they can recommend to the council for approval. sentative of the London voluntary hospitals, will be In a report published some months ago the Interdepartpresent ; also Dr. Hebb and Mr. Neville. Immediately mental Committee on Nursing Services pointed out that after it Sir George Chrystal will report to the Minister the number of probationers required annually was 12,000. on matters of policy, and thus the Minister will This figure is much in excess of the possible supply of entrants from secondary schools. The circular, therefore, himself deal direct with London’s special problems. While expressing the view that these arrangements follows the report in recommending that in addition to would go a long way towards meeting the immediate, courses in secondary schools there should be evening courses in technical schools which can be taken by girls situation, and should be given a trial, the hospital and young women already in employment. There may representatives feared that Mr. Elliot might find it also be whole-time day courses in technical schools for impossible, owing to his other burdens, to continue girls and young women who have left school and are not to play the personal part he had indicated. employed or can afford to leave their employment.
THE Manchester city coroner has been warning of the danger of wounds contaminated The case that inspired his with manured soil. comments was that of a solicitors’ cashier who pricked his finger while tying up roses and died soon afterwards from infection of the finger. Scratches and pricks of this kind are almost inseparable from gardening, and the question is how far these wounds must be taken seriously. In his first acquaintance with the casualty department of his hospital, the student learns that wounds contaminated with soil are regarded with concern because of the possibility of infection with the organisms of gas-gangrene or with tetanus spores that will become active in damaged tissues. Wounds severe enough to reach the casualty department receive such thorough treatment that the incidence of tetanus there must be very low ; but minor lesions are a different matter. The horny hands of the professional gardener are unlikely to be infected by trivial injury such as punctures from thorns, but the week-end gardener has a readily vulnerable epidermis, and should his wound become septic or show necrosis tetanus becomes a very real danger. The perils of manured soil should be as well known to the gardening public as to the doctor ; and though it is too much to expect the amateur gardener to rush to the doctor with every lesion, he should know of the special risk from penetrating wounds, and the advantage of antiseptic treatment of those that are more superficial.
gardeners
.
LONDON HOSPITALS IN WAR-TIME
THE UNNATURAL ATHLETE
ATTEMPTS to introduce more vitality into professional football have become so widespread that the British Medical Association has decided to inquire next autumn into the alleged benefits of using endocrine extracts for this purpose. Hitherto, as Boje remarks,l there has been little serious research on the adventitious aids to athletic success. His own paper on the subject ranges over a wide field from cocaine to hormones and from glucose to vitamins. A rough-and-ready classification puts the preparations capable of " doping " athletes in three main categories according to the risk involved. Thus cocaine, Benzedrine (amphetamine), nitroglycerin, digitalis, strophanthin, certain hormones and caffeine in large doses are in Boje’s opinion definitely dangerous. At the other end of the scale, ranking as quite harmless, are glucose, oxygen and vitamin Bl. In an intermediate category he would put the cardiac stimulants, Coramine and Cardiazol, ultraviolet irradiation, various salts and small doses of alcohol. Boje admits that there are certain substances which, when given with the skill which comes from a working knowledge of pharmacology, of enhancing athletic activities and are capable But when he singles out one drug achievements. after another for detailed discussion, there is more often that not some catch or " but " which robs the reader of any whole-hearted faith. From the standpoint of sport, this is perhaps all to the good.
Mr. E. L. SHERIDAN, F.R.C.S.I., has been nominated, by the Privy Council, chairman of the Dental Board of the United Kingdom in succession to the late Sir Francis Acland. Mr. Sheridan, who is professor of dental surgery in the National University of Ireland, was an original member of the board and has for the past ten years represented qualified dentists practising in Ireland. He is one of the additional members of the General Medical Council appointed by the Privy Council under the Dentists Act, 1921.
ON June 30 a letter appeared in the press signed by twelve chairmen and treasurers of London teaching hospitals, who complained that lack of a director, charged with full responsibility for the war-time organisation of the London hospitals, has meant that there is at the moment nothing more than an outline scheme on paper. The work of the sectors, it is widely felt, is not sufficiently coordinated, and many decisions 1. Böje, O., Nord. Med. June 30, 1939, p. 1963. of policy remain outstanding. Mr. Walter Elliot, the Minister of Health, on July 13 informed representatives of the hospitals of the Ministry’s plan for NURSING COURSES FOR SCHOOL-GIRLS.-Last year ensuring cooperation between the medical group the General Nursing Council passed a resolution officers and the lay sector officers. Dr. J. H. Hebb, 1938, 1, 867) approving the division of the (Lancet, at the of medical services director-general emergency state examination into two parts, the first of preliminary Ministry, will meet the medical group officers every which might be taken before entering hospital, provided Monday ; Mr. Neville, the principal assistant secretary that the candidate had followed an approved course of in the Ministry responsible for the administrative instruction at school. The Board of Education has now side of the scheme, will meet the lay sector officers issued a circular (No. 1471) explaining the arrangements which they have made in cooperation with the council for every Tuesday ; and Sir Girling Ball, chairman of the courses in anatomy, physiology and hygiene to be given medical group officers, and Sir George Cory, chairman in secondary schools and technical schools for girls who of the lay sector officers, will meet Sir George Chrystal, to enter the nursing profession. In view of the permanent secretary of the Ministry, every Wednes- wish serious of the board that many nurses, shortage hope day. At this last meeting Sir Frederick Menzies, medi- schools will find it possible to establish prenursing courses cal officer of the L.C.C., and Sir Bernard Docker, repre- which they can recommend to the council for approval. sentative of the London voluntary hospitals, will be In a report published some months ago the Interdepartpresent ; also Dr. Hebb and Mr. Neville. Immediately mental Committee on Nursing Services pointed out that after it Sir George Chrystal will report to the Minister the number of probationers required annually was 12,000. on matters of policy, and thus the Minister will This figure is much in excess of the possible supply of entrants from secondary schools. The circular, therefore, himself deal direct with London’s special problems. While expressing the view that these arrangements follows the report in recommending that in addition to would go a long way towards meeting the immediate, courses in secondary schools there should be evening courses in technical schools which can be taken by girls situation, and should be given a trial, the hospital and young women already in employment. There may representatives feared that Mr. Elliot might find it also be whole-time day courses in technical schools for impossible, owing to his other burdens, to continue girls and young women who have left school and are not to play the personal part he had indicated. employed or can afford to leave their employment.