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AN INGENIOUS CRUTCH-HEAD.
1046 War Hospital Supply Ðepôt at an extraordinarily small cost, and are distributed to authorised societies and institutions application.-ED. L.
on
New Inventions. AN INGENIOUS CRUTCH-HEAD.
-
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE have received the following letter:SIR,-I am venturing to ask for your criticism of the MaIJ’lwd Bottles. crutch-head which I send herewith. It is of a pattern issued I Committee has noted that by the Drug THE London Panel in considerable numbers from the Kensington War Hospital were obliged to supply medicine in Tariff of 1915 Supply Depot, 13, Kensington-square. In the past year this bottles marked druggists so as to guide the patient in taking the depot has turned prescribed dose. Marked bottles are, however, not ordered Fia. 1. out many hundred by the 1916 tariff. This is, no doubt, due to the difficulty in pairs of similar obtaining glass bottles of any kind owing to the war, and the stuffed with heads same cause prevents druggists from supplying marked bottles a mixture of tow if they should be willing to do so. The result is that and lyxhayr (the even is taken in improper quantities and wasted. The medicine well-known fibre most practicable remedy would seem to be the affixing to substitute for plain bottles strips of paper marked to indicate the dose horse-hair); but it prescribed. These could be enforced by regulation and seemed to those to suit bottles of the usual sizes, when it would rest printed responsible for the with the druggist to be careful to affix the right strip to output of the the bottle. Graduated medicine glasses have equally been upholstering department that something affording more rendered costly and difficult to obtain. "resiliency"was desirable, and, thanks to the kindness of Mr. W. L. Bradbury (a most indefatigable and energetic .D?’UfJS Supplied in London. worker at the Depot), we have been able to make use of The accounts for the last three years show that the some old inking-rollers of number of prescriptions dispensed to insured patients in the Punch Printing Office, London has decreased from year to year ; that the average with which he supplied us. cost per prescription was markedly higher in 1915 than in The head sent is filled with 1913 or 1914, and that in 1914 it was slightly higher this composition. The subthan in 1913. The figures are: 1913, 5,041,555 prestance melts at a compara- Bottom of the head. Distance from scriptions, total cost .E155,516, average cost 7-4d. ; 1914, edge A to centre of the hole 4,871,108 prescriptions, total 188,236 Os. 6d., average tively low temperature (it is which receives the crutch stick believed at about 120° F.), is 1 inch. The nails at the end 9-3d. ; 1915, 4,344,868 prescriptions, total £ 142,615 5s. 2d., and after having been average 7’87d. Probably several causes have contributed have § heads; the others may to the falling off in the number of prescriptions made slowly liquefied is poured into a "shell," or half-covered crutch-head, laid on its side. up. There may have been at first a tendency to consult a If melted quickly or by too fierce a heat, the composition medical man and to get a bottle of medicine not altogether bubbles and, in cooling, subsides awkwardly. In order to necessarily, and the attraction of novelty surrounding prevent its flowing down the sides of the head when exposed such a proceeding may have worn off. Beyond question either to a hot sun (or possibly to the heat of an ordinary a large number of insured patients are serving in the army fireplace), gimp-pins are placed at close intervals round the or, for reasons connected with war service, absent from home. It is, however, no less important to remember that Fia. 3 increased facilities for medical attendance must have a potent effect in preserving the health of the working classes; and also that the high wages which war has produced will have procured better nourishment for many who before were Some day we shall be able to compare the underfed. statistics of peace with those of wartime. The London Panel C01nmittee and the Question of an Eleetion. Head and end upholstered, nailed and finished. The medical practitioners on the London panel have had frame of the head, as shown in the rough drawing sent. to the new regulations issued by the their notice called But it is hoped that in moderate temperatures and with which enable the period of oifice of present Commissioners, of is small. In care the our danger ordinary liquefaction conceit we think that there is a pleasing compactness and members of Panel Committees to be extended for a period of not more than 12 months after the end of the war. The an elasticity about these heads which is not generally members of the panel in any area may press for the holding observable in most others of amateur manufacture ; but, as I of the usual annual election, in which circumstances the commenced by saying, I beg your criticism and advice. Commissioners may declare that the regulations above I am, Sir, yours faithfully, referred to do not apply to that area. In the absence, howARTHUR DENMAN. ever, of a collective expression of opinion being received to Kensington War Hospitals Supply Depôt, the effect that an election should be held, the present 13, Kensington-square, S.W. members of Panel Committees will be deemed to be *** The crutch-head seems to us an ingenious and re-elected. comfortable contrivance. The curves are well designed, Bolton Insurance Uommittee. and there is sufficient elasticity in the material of which At Bolton, in connexion with a decision to surcharge three the head is composed to constitute a springy support. We have subjected the head to a temperature of 110° F. and medical men in respect of alleged extravagance in prefind that it maintains its shape, so that the temperatures of scribing, Mr. J. A. Swainson on the consideration of the report every-day experience would not restrict its use. We have pointed out that the Drug Fund had never been sufficient for examined a piece of inking-roller used in our printing-room the purpose for which it was designed. He considered that and find that its melting point lies between 119° and the Insurance Committee of Bolton should make known its The opinion that in town districts there was need for an increase This confirms Mr. Denon-n’s statement. 121° F. material warmed at 120° F. assumes a thin treacly con- of the sum available for the treatment of insured persons. sistence which enables it to be poured into a receptacle in It had been said at various times that medical men were the way described. It therefore seems well adapted for the extravagant in prescribing, but in the case of the three purpose and is very comfortably resilient, but it may be medical men who were being surcharged deductions were pointed out that one of the ingredients of the composition being made in consequence of a deficit in the Drug Fund. is glycerine and this is apt to get moist. The smooth Medical practitioners could not prescribe as they did before. stuff with which the head is covered, pluviusin, is neat to He knew from his own experience that he could not do so look at, easily upholstered, and readily cleaned. The unless he was willing to be fined for so doing, and he had crutches are not sold ; they are made at the Kensington himself only just escaped from being surcharged.
be g.
on
New Inventions. AN INGENIOUS CRUTCH-HEAD.
-
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE have received the following letter:SIR,-I am venturing to ask for your criticism of the MaIJ’lwd Bottles. crutch-head which I send herewith. It is of a pattern issued I Committee has noted that by the Drug THE London Panel in considerable numbers from the Kensington War Hospital were obliged to supply medicine in Tariff of 1915 Supply Depot, 13, Kensington-square. In the past year this bottles marked druggists so as to guide the patient in taking the depot has turned prescribed dose. Marked bottles are, however, not ordered Fia. 1. out many hundred by the 1916 tariff. This is, no doubt, due to the difficulty in pairs of similar obtaining glass bottles of any kind owing to the war, and the stuffed with heads same cause prevents druggists from supplying marked bottles a mixture of tow if they should be willing to do so. The result is that and lyxhayr (the even is taken in improper quantities and wasted. The medicine well-known fibre most practicable remedy would seem to be the affixing to substitute for plain bottles strips of paper marked to indicate the dose horse-hair); but it prescribed. These could be enforced by regulation and seemed to those to suit bottles of the usual sizes, when it would rest printed responsible for the with the druggist to be careful to affix the right strip to output of the the bottle. Graduated medicine glasses have equally been upholstering department that something affording more rendered costly and difficult to obtain. "resiliency"was desirable, and, thanks to the kindness of Mr. W. L. Bradbury (a most indefatigable and energetic .D?’UfJS Supplied in London. worker at the Depot), we have been able to make use of The accounts for the last three years show that the some old inking-rollers of number of prescriptions dispensed to insured patients in the Punch Printing Office, London has decreased from year to year ; that the average with which he supplied us. cost per prescription was markedly higher in 1915 than in The head sent is filled with 1913 or 1914, and that in 1914 it was slightly higher this composition. The subthan in 1913. The figures are: 1913, 5,041,555 prestance melts at a compara- Bottom of the head. Distance from scriptions, total cost .E155,516, average cost 7-4d. ; 1914, edge A to centre of the hole 4,871,108 prescriptions, total 188,236 Os. 6d., average tively low temperature (it is which receives the crutch stick believed at about 120° F.), is 1 inch. The nails at the end 9-3d. ; 1915, 4,344,868 prescriptions, total £ 142,615 5s. 2d., and after having been average 7’87d. Probably several causes have contributed have § heads; the others may to the falling off in the number of prescriptions made slowly liquefied is poured into a "shell," or half-covered crutch-head, laid on its side. up. There may have been at first a tendency to consult a If melted quickly or by too fierce a heat, the composition medical man and to get a bottle of medicine not altogether bubbles and, in cooling, subsides awkwardly. In order to necessarily, and the attraction of novelty surrounding prevent its flowing down the sides of the head when exposed such a proceeding may have worn off. Beyond question either to a hot sun (or possibly to the heat of an ordinary a large number of insured patients are serving in the army fireplace), gimp-pins are placed at close intervals round the or, for reasons connected with war service, absent from home. It is, however, no less important to remember that Fia. 3 increased facilities for medical attendance must have a potent effect in preserving the health of the working classes; and also that the high wages which war has produced will have procured better nourishment for many who before were Some day we shall be able to compare the underfed. statistics of peace with those of wartime. The London Panel C01nmittee and the Question of an Eleetion. Head and end upholstered, nailed and finished. The medical practitioners on the London panel have had frame of the head, as shown in the rough drawing sent. to the new regulations issued by the their notice called But it is hoped that in moderate temperatures and with which enable the period of oifice of present Commissioners, of is small. In care the our danger ordinary liquefaction conceit we think that there is a pleasing compactness and members of Panel Committees to be extended for a period of not more than 12 months after the end of the war. The an elasticity about these heads which is not generally members of the panel in any area may press for the holding observable in most others of amateur manufacture ; but, as I of the usual annual election, in which circumstances the commenced by saying, I beg your criticism and advice. Commissioners may declare that the regulations above I am, Sir, yours faithfully, referred to do not apply to that area. In the absence, howARTHUR DENMAN. ever, of a collective expression of opinion being received to Kensington War Hospitals Supply Depôt, the effect that an election should be held, the present 13, Kensington-square, S.W. members of Panel Committees will be deemed to be *** The crutch-head seems to us an ingenious and re-elected. comfortable contrivance. The curves are well designed, Bolton Insurance Uommittee. and there is sufficient elasticity in the material of which At Bolton, in connexion with a decision to surcharge three the head is composed to constitute a springy support. We have subjected the head to a temperature of 110° F. and medical men in respect of alleged extravagance in prefind that it maintains its shape, so that the temperatures of scribing, Mr. J. A. Swainson on the consideration of the report every-day experience would not restrict its use. We have pointed out that the Drug Fund had never been sufficient for examined a piece of inking-roller used in our printing-room the purpose for which it was designed. He considered that and find that its melting point lies between 119° and the Insurance Committee of Bolton should make known its The opinion that in town districts there was need for an increase This confirms Mr. Denon-n’s statement. 121° F. material warmed at 120° F. assumes a thin treacly con- of the sum available for the treatment of insured persons. sistence which enables it to be poured into a receptacle in It had been said at various times that medical men were the way described. It therefore seems well adapted for the extravagant in prescribing, but in the case of the three purpose and is very comfortably resilient, but it may be medical men who were being surcharged deductions were pointed out that one of the ingredients of the composition being made in consequence of a deficit in the Drug Fund. is glycerine and this is apt to get moist. The smooth Medical practitioners could not prescribe as they did before. stuff with which the head is covered, pluviusin, is neat to He knew from his own experience that he could not do so look at, easily upholstered, and readily cleaned. The unless he was willing to be fined for so doing, and he had crutches are not sold ; they are made at the Kensington himself only just escaped from being surcharged.
be g.