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COMPILATION OF HUMAN PEDIGREES.
1268 interested as soon as Dr. Conybeare, who is at in America, is able to return them.
would be a step forward in the achievement these wider objects that I venture warmly to support the proposal. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, C. J. BOND.
present genetics
It seems to me that the question of the specificity of the " proteose " is of sufficient importance to justify further investigation, and I should be pleased to arrange a demonstration of the skin tests in which Dr. Freeman finds difficulty. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, G. H. ORIEL, M.D. ANÆSTHETISTS IN THE UNIT SYSTEM. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-As Dr. Webber points out, the question of anaesthetic services has a much wider scope than that originally discussed-viz., the provision of anoestheties for surgical units in teaching hospitals. A recent development which demands the urgent attention of all specialists in anaesthesia is the proposal for the formation of a specialists panel and consultants board for the provision of appropriate services to members of a contributory scheme. Details of this proposal were published in the supplement to the British Medical Journal for Nov. 28th, and have already received prominent notice in the daily press. It will be readily understood, as pointed out in the memorandum describing the proposal, that the principle may well have a wide extension in the future. But though specialists of most other categories are included no mention is made of anaesthetists, nor is there any provision for their representation ; an omission which must be rectified if an adequate and efficient hospital service of anesthesia is to be maintained. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, R. J. CLAUSEN.
ofI
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-To all members of our profession who are interested in genetics I would seriously commend the annotation under this heading in your issue of Oct. 31st (p. 975), and also the excellent letter of Dr. Goodall (Nov. 21st, p. 1158). In it he says that in his opinion "it is high time that serious attention were given to the importance of having accurate and full records of family and personal disease and defect, both by the profession and the public." Amongst the investigations carried on at the German Research Institute in Munich there is a series concerning the inheritance of certain conditions to which I need only refer to emphasise the importance of such work, and to point out that we have no such institution in this country. In Dr. Blacker’s interesting paper on the " Role of Genetics in the Future of Preventive Medicine," read at the last meeting of the British Association, he evidently looks forward to the time when records of heredities of all British residents will be obtainable. Needless to say that such records, from a medical point of view, would be invaluable, and as we have no institute similar to the one mentioned it would be of great importance to have a section of some society devoted entirely to the study of hereditary diseases. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, R. A. GIBBONS. THE C.S.M.M.G. AND LOYALTY.
COMPILATION OF HUMAN PEDIGREES. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-Iwish to support the suggestion put forward by Dr. C. P. Blacker for the formation of a section of the Royal Society of Medicine for the study of human genetics, as mentioned in Dr. Goodales letter in your issue of Nov. 21st with the above title. The report of a discussion on the Biological Foundations of Sociology, held at a meeting of the Sociological Society on Oct. 25th, 1905 (now 26 years ago), contains this paragraph : " The pressing need is for the teaching of the science of Heredity as an integral part of the medical curriculum, and the establishment of research laboratories and lectureships on Heredity in the Universities and other centres of learning." In the Galton memorial lecture on Racial Decay, delivered to the Eugenics Society three years ago/ I again drew attention to the urgent need for the teaching of genetics in our medical schools, and pointed out that the increased knowledge so obtained by medical men would not only help forward the
eugenic movement, it would also promote the progress of preventive medicine in the widest sense. Dr. Goodall emphasises the need for further research, and further teaching on the genetic side in " psychiatry, especially that branch of it which is connected with the work of public mental hospitals." The same is true of mental deficiency, and indeed of every branch of medical science. It is because I believe that the formation of a section of the Royal Society of Medicine devoted to the study of human
nearly
1 See THE LANCET, 1928, i., 401.
To the Editor
of THE
LANCET.
SiR,-The annotation under this heading in your issue of Nov. 21st (p. 1142) will earn the gratitude of the 8000 odd members of the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics who have given their word " not to undertake any case except under the direction of a registered medical practitioner." These members (and those of the Incorporated Society of Trained Masseuses before them) have shown an exemplary loyalty to our profession-with only a few insignificant exceptions-for 37 years. The time is overdue for a reciprocal loyalty. The law insists that the prescription of a medical man must be dispensed by a qualified chemist, and he must also apply to a qualified dentist should he recommend dental treatment. It does not compel the prescription of physical treatment to be carried out by a qualified assistant. But surely in their own interests, and in those of their patients, practitioners should see that this is done. To ensure it, all that is necessary is to inquire whether the masseur or masseuse is a Chartered masseur or masseuse, a title exclusively reserved by order of the Privy Council to members of the C.S.M.M.G. If a member, he or she is qualified by training and examination to do what is required, and has signed the triple undertaking to which you draw attention : to work only under medical supervision, not to advertise, and not to sell any goods in a professional capacity. It is only reasonable that a practitioner should see that his prescription is dispensed by qualified hands, whether it is for drugs, for dental treatment, or for physical treatment.
would be a step forward in the achievement these wider objects that I venture warmly to support the proposal. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, C. J. BOND.
present genetics
It seems to me that the question of the specificity of the " proteose " is of sufficient importance to justify further investigation, and I should be pleased to arrange a demonstration of the skin tests in which Dr. Freeman finds difficulty. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, G. H. ORIEL, M.D. ANÆSTHETISTS IN THE UNIT SYSTEM. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-As Dr. Webber points out, the question of anaesthetic services has a much wider scope than that originally discussed-viz., the provision of anoestheties for surgical units in teaching hospitals. A recent development which demands the urgent attention of all specialists in anaesthesia is the proposal for the formation of a specialists panel and consultants board for the provision of appropriate services to members of a contributory scheme. Details of this proposal were published in the supplement to the British Medical Journal for Nov. 28th, and have already received prominent notice in the daily press. It will be readily understood, as pointed out in the memorandum describing the proposal, that the principle may well have a wide extension in the future. But though specialists of most other categories are included no mention is made of anaesthetists, nor is there any provision for their representation ; an omission which must be rectified if an adequate and efficient hospital service of anesthesia is to be maintained. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, R. J. CLAUSEN.
ofI
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-To all members of our profession who are interested in genetics I would seriously commend the annotation under this heading in your issue of Oct. 31st (p. 975), and also the excellent letter of Dr. Goodall (Nov. 21st, p. 1158). In it he says that in his opinion "it is high time that serious attention were given to the importance of having accurate and full records of family and personal disease and defect, both by the profession and the public." Amongst the investigations carried on at the German Research Institute in Munich there is a series concerning the inheritance of certain conditions to which I need only refer to emphasise the importance of such work, and to point out that we have no such institution in this country. In Dr. Blacker’s interesting paper on the " Role of Genetics in the Future of Preventive Medicine," read at the last meeting of the British Association, he evidently looks forward to the time when records of heredities of all British residents will be obtainable. Needless to say that such records, from a medical point of view, would be invaluable, and as we have no institute similar to the one mentioned it would be of great importance to have a section of some society devoted entirely to the study of hereditary diseases. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, R. A. GIBBONS. THE C.S.M.M.G. AND LOYALTY.
COMPILATION OF HUMAN PEDIGREES. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-Iwish to support the suggestion put forward by Dr. C. P. Blacker for the formation of a section of the Royal Society of Medicine for the study of human genetics, as mentioned in Dr. Goodales letter in your issue of Nov. 21st with the above title. The report of a discussion on the Biological Foundations of Sociology, held at a meeting of the Sociological Society on Oct. 25th, 1905 (now 26 years ago), contains this paragraph : " The pressing need is for the teaching of the science of Heredity as an integral part of the medical curriculum, and the establishment of research laboratories and lectureships on Heredity in the Universities and other centres of learning." In the Galton memorial lecture on Racial Decay, delivered to the Eugenics Society three years ago/ I again drew attention to the urgent need for the teaching of genetics in our medical schools, and pointed out that the increased knowledge so obtained by medical men would not only help forward the
eugenic movement, it would also promote the progress of preventive medicine in the widest sense. Dr. Goodall emphasises the need for further research, and further teaching on the genetic side in " psychiatry, especially that branch of it which is connected with the work of public mental hospitals." The same is true of mental deficiency, and indeed of every branch of medical science. It is because I believe that the formation of a section of the Royal Society of Medicine devoted to the study of human
nearly
1 See THE LANCET, 1928, i., 401.
To the Editor
of THE
LANCET.
SiR,-The annotation under this heading in your issue of Nov. 21st (p. 1142) will earn the gratitude of the 8000 odd members of the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics who have given their word " not to undertake any case except under the direction of a registered medical practitioner." These members (and those of the Incorporated Society of Trained Masseuses before them) have shown an exemplary loyalty to our profession-with only a few insignificant exceptions-for 37 years. The time is overdue for a reciprocal loyalty. The law insists that the prescription of a medical man must be dispensed by a qualified chemist, and he must also apply to a qualified dentist should he recommend dental treatment. It does not compel the prescription of physical treatment to be carried out by a qualified assistant. But surely in their own interests, and in those of their patients, practitioners should see that this is done. To ensure it, all that is necessary is to inquire whether the masseur or masseuse is a Chartered masseur or masseuse, a title exclusively reserved by order of the Privy Council to members of the C.S.M.M.G. If a member, he or she is qualified by training and examination to do what is required, and has signed the triple undertaking to which you draw attention : to work only under medical supervision, not to advertise, and not to sell any goods in a professional capacity. It is only reasonable that a practitioner should see that his prescription is dispensed by qualified hands, whether it is for drugs, for dental treatment, or for physical treatment.