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A celebration of death
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A celebration of death "When I am dead, my dearest, Sing no sad songs for me ..." Song, Chrzstma
Managing disability In the UK a typical general practice of 10 000 patients would at least 66 who are severely disabled-more than half from arthritis, nearly a quarter from stroke, and the rest from a wide range of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological disorders. Different diseases can, however, produce similar loss of function, and the general practitioner therefore needs to think in terms of function and ability as well as diagnosis and treatment. The prevention and management of disability tends to be neglected in the medical curriculum and in the training of general practitioners. With the help of the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust, Dr J. J. McMullan is carrying out a 2-year study of disability management in the training of GPs. Dr McMullan, who represents the Royal College of General Practitioners on the Royal College of Physicians committee on disability, intends to explore ways of imparting necessary information, useful skills, and appropriate attitudes during vocational training. He asks anyone with ideas about disability education to contact him at the Heberden Unit, Amersham Hospital, Whielden Street, Amersham, Bucks HP7 OJD (telephone 0494 734079).
have
Georgina Rossetti
According to the Mexican author, Octavio Paz, death for the New Yorker, Parisian, and Londoner "is a word that is never uttered because it bums the lips". In other cultures, death is not so feared because it is regarded merely as a passage to a different existence. The Mexicans, for example, believe that the worlds of the living and the dead exist in a state of perpetual interaction. At this time each year, death is celebrated in Mexico in the festival of the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos}-the Christian holy days of All Saints’ (Nov 1) and All Souls’ (Nov 2). Unlike the macabre pagan festival of Halloween there is no evil; rather the festival is a feast of welcome for the souls of the dead, which are said to return to this world to enjoy the pleasures that they once knew in life. Preparation for the fiesta (which may start many months before) is elaborate; each family sets up a table with an extravagant display of food and drink, decorated with flowers, leaves, fruits, candles, and images of the saints. Attracted by the scent and colour of the cempasuchil (flowers of the dead) and by the copal incense, the souls of children return first, on Nov 1, followed by those of the adult dead a day later, when they take up the essence of the offerings (ofrenda). The following day, the living members of the family eat and drink, perhaps sharing with neighbours and friends. In addition to the household ceremonies, graves are cleaned and decorated and an overnight vigil by the graveside of loved ones may be kept. In the cities markets and shop windows are adorned by skeletons and skulls made from sugar, papier mache (see figure), and cane, by pottery, by painted wood carvings, by masks, textiles, and costumes, and by decorative banners.
Royal Medical Benevolent Fund Since 1836 the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund has helped members of the medical profession and their dependants who fall on hard times. The president of the RMBF, Dame Josephine Barnes, is now appealing for donations to enable the Fund to give its 700 beneficiaries a little extra for Christmas. She writes: "The Fund’s office receives many letters which show how much the Christmas gifts are appreciated. The beneficiaries range in age from small children to elderly people often living alone and all are in real need or they would not be eligible for help. I have been deeply touched over the years by the generosity of the supporters of the Fund in contributing to my Christmas Appeal. Christmas is the great festival of the family and the extra that comes from the special appeal adds greatly to family happiness. I do hope therefore that as in the past years the profession will contribute generously to my Christmas Appeal". Contributions marked "Christmas Appeal" may be sent to the Secretary, Royal Medical Benevolent Fund, 24 King’s Road, London SW19 8QN, or to the treasurer or medical representative of a local guild of the RMBF.
International
Diary 1991
A meeting entitled Emphysema Revisited will take place in London on Wednesday, Nov 27: Dr T. D. Tetley, Department of Medicine, Charing Cross and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF, UK (081-846 7182). 1992
A conference on Obstetrics, Gynecology, Perinatal Medicine, Emergency Medicine and the Law is to take place in Kauai, Hawaii, on Jan 2-6: Sharin Paaso, Associate Director, American Society of Law and
Medicine, 765 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
(617-262 4990).
painted papier mache skeleton decorated with flowering branches, a bird, a snake, animals. and insects.
Lifesize
7th symposium entitled New Drugs in Cancer Therapy is to be held in Amsterdam on March 17-20: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, New Drug Development Office, Free University Hospital, De Boelelaan 1117, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(31 020 5487881). There is no need to travel to Mexico to experience this fiesta, for The Day of the Dead has been recreated in an exhibition at the Museum of Mankind, London. The Skeleton at the Feast runs from Nov I for 18 months and is accompanied by a book1 that gives a full account of the preparations, celebrations, and history of the feast. 1. The skeleton at the feast the day of the dead m Mexico. By Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloe Sayer London British Museum Press. 1991. Pp 160 £12 95 (£9.95 from Museum bookshops). ISBN 0714125032.
3rd annual meeting of the European Society of Paediatric Urology will take place in Cambridge on March 20-21: Administrative Secretary, 42 Devonshire Road, Cambridge CBI 2BL, UK (0223-323437). International symposium on the Medical Applications of the Doppler Effect in Diagnostic Ultrasound will take place in Brighton, UK, on April 5-8: Elizabeth Howe, Conference Organiser, Eurodop ’92, Bell Howe Conferences, 1 Willoughby Street, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2LT, UK
(0602 436323).
A celebration of death "When I am dead, my dearest, Sing no sad songs for me ..." Song, Chrzstma
Managing disability In the UK a typical general practice of 10 000 patients would at least 66 who are severely disabled-more than half from arthritis, nearly a quarter from stroke, and the rest from a wide range of cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological disorders. Different diseases can, however, produce similar loss of function, and the general practitioner therefore needs to think in terms of function and ability as well as diagnosis and treatment. The prevention and management of disability tends to be neglected in the medical curriculum and in the training of general practitioners. With the help of the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust, Dr J. J. McMullan is carrying out a 2-year study of disability management in the training of GPs. Dr McMullan, who represents the Royal College of General Practitioners on the Royal College of Physicians committee on disability, intends to explore ways of imparting necessary information, useful skills, and appropriate attitudes during vocational training. He asks anyone with ideas about disability education to contact him at the Heberden Unit, Amersham Hospital, Whielden Street, Amersham, Bucks HP7 OJD (telephone 0494 734079).
have
Georgina Rossetti
According to the Mexican author, Octavio Paz, death for the New Yorker, Parisian, and Londoner "is a word that is never uttered because it bums the lips". In other cultures, death is not so feared because it is regarded merely as a passage to a different existence. The Mexicans, for example, believe that the worlds of the living and the dead exist in a state of perpetual interaction. At this time each year, death is celebrated in Mexico in the festival of the Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos}-the Christian holy days of All Saints’ (Nov 1) and All Souls’ (Nov 2). Unlike the macabre pagan festival of Halloween there is no evil; rather the festival is a feast of welcome for the souls of the dead, which are said to return to this world to enjoy the pleasures that they once knew in life. Preparation for the fiesta (which may start many months before) is elaborate; each family sets up a table with an extravagant display of food and drink, decorated with flowers, leaves, fruits, candles, and images of the saints. Attracted by the scent and colour of the cempasuchil (flowers of the dead) and by the copal incense, the souls of children return first, on Nov 1, followed by those of the adult dead a day later, when they take up the essence of the offerings (ofrenda). The following day, the living members of the family eat and drink, perhaps sharing with neighbours and friends. In addition to the household ceremonies, graves are cleaned and decorated and an overnight vigil by the graveside of loved ones may be kept. In the cities markets and shop windows are adorned by skeletons and skulls made from sugar, papier mache (see figure), and cane, by pottery, by painted wood carvings, by masks, textiles, and costumes, and by decorative banners.
Royal Medical Benevolent Fund Since 1836 the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund has helped members of the medical profession and their dependants who fall on hard times. The president of the RMBF, Dame Josephine Barnes, is now appealing for donations to enable the Fund to give its 700 beneficiaries a little extra for Christmas. She writes: "The Fund’s office receives many letters which show how much the Christmas gifts are appreciated. The beneficiaries range in age from small children to elderly people often living alone and all are in real need or they would not be eligible for help. I have been deeply touched over the years by the generosity of the supporters of the Fund in contributing to my Christmas Appeal. Christmas is the great festival of the family and the extra that comes from the special appeal adds greatly to family happiness. I do hope therefore that as in the past years the profession will contribute generously to my Christmas Appeal". Contributions marked "Christmas Appeal" may be sent to the Secretary, Royal Medical Benevolent Fund, 24 King’s Road, London SW19 8QN, or to the treasurer or medical representative of a local guild of the RMBF.
International
Diary 1991
A meeting entitled Emphysema Revisited will take place in London on Wednesday, Nov 27: Dr T. D. Tetley, Department of Medicine, Charing Cross and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF, UK (081-846 7182). 1992
A conference on Obstetrics, Gynecology, Perinatal Medicine, Emergency Medicine and the Law is to take place in Kauai, Hawaii, on Jan 2-6: Sharin Paaso, Associate Director, American Society of Law and
Medicine, 765 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
(617-262 4990).
painted papier mache skeleton decorated with flowering branches, a bird, a snake, animals. and insects.
Lifesize
7th symposium entitled New Drugs in Cancer Therapy is to be held in Amsterdam on March 17-20: European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, New Drug Development Office, Free University Hospital, De Boelelaan 1117, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(31 020 5487881). There is no need to travel to Mexico to experience this fiesta, for The Day of the Dead has been recreated in an exhibition at the Museum of Mankind, London. The Skeleton at the Feast runs from Nov I for 18 months and is accompanied by a book1 that gives a full account of the preparations, celebrations, and history of the feast. 1. The skeleton at the feast the day of the dead m Mexico. By Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloe Sayer London British Museum Press. 1991. Pp 160 £12 95 (£9.95 from Museum bookshops). ISBN 0714125032.
3rd annual meeting of the European Society of Paediatric Urology will take place in Cambridge on March 20-21: Administrative Secretary, 42 Devonshire Road, Cambridge CBI 2BL, UK (0223-323437). International symposium on the Medical Applications of the Doppler Effect in Diagnostic Ultrasound will take place in Brighton, UK, on April 5-8: Elizabeth Howe, Conference Organiser, Eurodop ’92, Bell Howe Conferences, 1 Willoughby Street, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2LT, UK
(0602 436323).