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MEDICAL MEN IN PARLIAMENT
504
Correspondence. " Audi alteram partem."
MEDICAL MEN IN PARLIAMENT: MEDICAL RECONSTRUCTION. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
hardly think that they have the same lien on the medical profession for financial assistance as men who have been taken away from their practices. (Incidentally it may no doubt be said with truth that it is the State who ought to to reinstate the medical men whom they help have taken away, but the time for action would probably have passed before any tangible result could be got in that direction.) As to the body or bodies who might undertake this work, it to me that, as all the information as regards practices is already in the hands of the various war selection committees or can be most readily obtained by them, theywould
SIR,-There are two important points to which I should like to call attention.. Medical Men in Parliament. (1) I am afraid that I did not make my meaning clear at the meeting at Steinway Hall on Oct. Ist,l and as the matter is a very important one I shall be glad if you will allow me to explain it further. The chief point which I wished to emphasise was that, whether the medical representatives in Parliament were many or few, it was most important that the profession should keep them thoroughly informed of the views of practitioners following different lines of practice and practising under different circumstances (e.g., country In this way or town), and of the reasons for those views. their representatives in Parliament would have before them the various sides of the problems, and would therefore be able to decide with some degree of certainty and unanimity, after consideration of the various points, what is the most suitable line to take when these matters come before Parliament, and what lines will most closely represent the considered experience of the various classes of
financially
seems
be the natural bodies to take up the matter of medical recon. struction. There would be no charity in what I am suggesting ; no doubt, funds for expenses would need to be collected, but beyond that all that would be required would be a large guarantee fund for the loans. This fund would probably never be called on or only to a small extent, as I believe that those who received loans would look on it as their first duty to pay interest punctually and to repay the loans by instalments as soon as possible. If this suggestion is taken up, I for one, and I am sure many others, would be glad to join in forming a guarantee fund and in subscribing towards. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, the expenses, W. WATSON CHEYNE. Oct. 7th, 1918. ’
MEDICAL MEN IN PARLIAMENT.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. with the voting of those who accordance SIR,-In practitioners. the of the profession at Steinway Hall attended meeting During the year that I have been in Parliament I have on Oct. lst, the to serve on the following have been invited only twice had views brought before me in connexion with committee appointed for the purpose of Itaking such steps This is not medical subjects which were under discussion. the way in which other professions or trades manage their as may be possible to further the election of medical men to, the House of Commons." Representatives of the Royal business ; there is no important subject, with the single of Physicians, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of which has come before Parliament medicine, exception in my short experience with regard to which we have not Society of Medicine, Medical Department of the Royal Navy, received many reasoned letters and leaflets from the parties Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Institute of Public Health, concerned. To keep the medical Members in Parliament British Dental Association, British Medical Association, Society of Medical Officers of Health, Medical fully informed as to facts and views is really as important Incorporated Society of London, Medico-Political Union, Medical Women’s a matter as, and possibly more important than, that of the actual number of members of the medical profession in Federation, National Medical Union, Poor-law Medical I hope, therefore, that during this reconstruc- Officers’ Association, State Medical Service Association, the Parliament. tive period men in different branches of the profession and Editor of The Lancet, the Editor of the British Medical the Editor of the Medical World, Mr. Ernest practising in various parts of the country will come together Journal, Dr. W. F. H. Coke (Ashford). Dr. R. A. Gibbons, Clarke, and place their views and experience before the medical Members in Parliament in connexion with any medical Dr. Wm. Hodgson (Crewe), Sir Thomas Horder, Mr. Lockhart-Mummery, Dr. Arthur Latham, Dr. R. R. W. subject which is under discussion. Logan (Ashby-de-la-Zouch), Dr. J. C. Lyth (York), Dr. Medical Reconstruction. H. Moreland MeCrae, Dr. J. A. MacDonald (Taunton), Dr. (2) The time is approaching when civilian medical menHoward Marshall (Cirencester), Sir Henry Morris, Bt., Dr. who have been serving for a long time abroad will beE. H. M. Stancomb (Southampton), Dr. Barbara Tchaycoming back, and it behoves those of us who have remained kovsky, Mr. E. B. Turner, Dr. Jane Walker, Colonel A. S. in England to do our best to help them out of the difficulties! Woodwark, C.M.G.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, ARTHUR LATHAM. in which their long absence from their practices may have Portland-place, W., Oct. 8th, 1918. placed them. This matter was, I believe, discussed some considerable time ago by the British Medical Association To the Editor of THE LAKCET. but was dropped for a time. I think, however, that it must be taken up again without further delay. The needs of these SIR,-At the meeting held on Oct. lst I ventured to men will be various. Some who have partners who have suggest that some society, which included those who are been keeping things together may be able to resume their interested in the care of the insane, should be among those practices without requiring any help and the same applies nominating representatives to the proposed committee. This to those who have some private means. There are many met with a very unfavourable reception from Sir Henry others, however, who, if they are not helped to re-establish Morris, the chairman, who did not appear to regard the matter at all seriously. With all due deference to him, I do themselves, will be in very serious trouble. Such are :(A) Men without partners who have been absent for a long not think this suggestion should be brushed aside lightly. time and who may find that, in spite of the best services of The consideration of the welfare of the insane has been their neighbours, their practice has more or less disappeared, frequently before Parliament in the past, and judging from at any rate for a time; but still if they can settle down the last report of the Board of Control is likely to be shortly again in the same place a good deal of it may return and a before it again. The questions of earlier voluntary treatfresh practice may be established. But Ifear that a good ment for the poor without certification, the prospect of the many of the men of this class will find it difficult to wait foundation of psychiatric clinics in association with the long enough and may require some temporary financial universities are matters of vital public importance. The Medico-Psychological Association has a membership assistance to enable them to regain their position. (B) A good many will have lost their practice altogether of about 700, numbering among them practically all who are and will have to start afresh. Two things may be required engaged in this branch of medicine, together with many for such men :in the first place information as to suitable neurologists, school medical officers, and others who are places to settle in-e.g., where doctors are most needed, I, interested, and should, I think, be in close relationship with those representing the profession in Parliament. and in the second place temporary financial assistance. Iam, Sir, yours faithfully, (C) Men who have not previously been in practice will M. A. COLLINS, M.D., require advice and guidance on the same lines as B, but I Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A.M.C. Ewell War Hospital, Epsom, Oct. 7th 1918. 1 See report in THE LANCET of Oct. 5th (p. 465).
Correspondence. " Audi alteram partem."
MEDICAL MEN IN PARLIAMENT: MEDICAL RECONSTRUCTION. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
hardly think that they have the same lien on the medical profession for financial assistance as men who have been taken away from their practices. (Incidentally it may no doubt be said with truth that it is the State who ought to to reinstate the medical men whom they help have taken away, but the time for action would probably have passed before any tangible result could be got in that direction.) As to the body or bodies who might undertake this work, it to me that, as all the information as regards practices is already in the hands of the various war selection committees or can be most readily obtained by them, theywould
SIR,-There are two important points to which I should like to call attention.. Medical Men in Parliament. (1) I am afraid that I did not make my meaning clear at the meeting at Steinway Hall on Oct. Ist,l and as the matter is a very important one I shall be glad if you will allow me to explain it further. The chief point which I wished to emphasise was that, whether the medical representatives in Parliament were many or few, it was most important that the profession should keep them thoroughly informed of the views of practitioners following different lines of practice and practising under different circumstances (e.g., country In this way or town), and of the reasons for those views. their representatives in Parliament would have before them the various sides of the problems, and would therefore be able to decide with some degree of certainty and unanimity, after consideration of the various points, what is the most suitable line to take when these matters come before Parliament, and what lines will most closely represent the considered experience of the various classes of
financially
seems
be the natural bodies to take up the matter of medical recon. struction. There would be no charity in what I am suggesting ; no doubt, funds for expenses would need to be collected, but beyond that all that would be required would be a large guarantee fund for the loans. This fund would probably never be called on or only to a small extent, as I believe that those who received loans would look on it as their first duty to pay interest punctually and to repay the loans by instalments as soon as possible. If this suggestion is taken up, I for one, and I am sure many others, would be glad to join in forming a guarantee fund and in subscribing towards. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, the expenses, W. WATSON CHEYNE. Oct. 7th, 1918. ’
MEDICAL MEN IN PARLIAMENT.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. with the voting of those who accordance SIR,-In practitioners. the of the profession at Steinway Hall attended meeting During the year that I have been in Parliament I have on Oct. lst, the to serve on the following have been invited only twice had views brought before me in connexion with committee appointed for the purpose of Itaking such steps This is not medical subjects which were under discussion. the way in which other professions or trades manage their as may be possible to further the election of medical men to, the House of Commons." Representatives of the Royal business ; there is no important subject, with the single of Physicians, Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of which has come before Parliament medicine, exception in my short experience with regard to which we have not Society of Medicine, Medical Department of the Royal Navy, received many reasoned letters and leaflets from the parties Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Institute of Public Health, concerned. To keep the medical Members in Parliament British Dental Association, British Medical Association, Society of Medical Officers of Health, Medical fully informed as to facts and views is really as important Incorporated Society of London, Medico-Political Union, Medical Women’s a matter as, and possibly more important than, that of the actual number of members of the medical profession in Federation, National Medical Union, Poor-law Medical I hope, therefore, that during this reconstruc- Officers’ Association, State Medical Service Association, the Parliament. tive period men in different branches of the profession and Editor of The Lancet, the Editor of the British Medical the Editor of the Medical World, Mr. Ernest practising in various parts of the country will come together Journal, Dr. W. F. H. Coke (Ashford). Dr. R. A. Gibbons, Clarke, and place their views and experience before the medical Members in Parliament in connexion with any medical Dr. Wm. Hodgson (Crewe), Sir Thomas Horder, Mr. Lockhart-Mummery, Dr. Arthur Latham, Dr. R. R. W. subject which is under discussion. Logan (Ashby-de-la-Zouch), Dr. J. C. Lyth (York), Dr. Medical Reconstruction. H. Moreland MeCrae, Dr. J. A. MacDonald (Taunton), Dr. (2) The time is approaching when civilian medical menHoward Marshall (Cirencester), Sir Henry Morris, Bt., Dr. who have been serving for a long time abroad will beE. H. M. Stancomb (Southampton), Dr. Barbara Tchaycoming back, and it behoves those of us who have remained kovsky, Mr. E. B. Turner, Dr. Jane Walker, Colonel A. S. in England to do our best to help them out of the difficulties! Woodwark, C.M.G.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, ARTHUR LATHAM. in which their long absence from their practices may have Portland-place, W., Oct. 8th, 1918. placed them. This matter was, I believe, discussed some considerable time ago by the British Medical Association To the Editor of THE LAKCET. but was dropped for a time. I think, however, that it must be taken up again without further delay. The needs of these SIR,-At the meeting held on Oct. lst I ventured to men will be various. Some who have partners who have suggest that some society, which included those who are been keeping things together may be able to resume their interested in the care of the insane, should be among those practices without requiring any help and the same applies nominating representatives to the proposed committee. This to those who have some private means. There are many met with a very unfavourable reception from Sir Henry others, however, who, if they are not helped to re-establish Morris, the chairman, who did not appear to regard the matter at all seriously. With all due deference to him, I do themselves, will be in very serious trouble. Such are :(A) Men without partners who have been absent for a long not think this suggestion should be brushed aside lightly. time and who may find that, in spite of the best services of The consideration of the welfare of the insane has been their neighbours, their practice has more or less disappeared, frequently before Parliament in the past, and judging from at any rate for a time; but still if they can settle down the last report of the Board of Control is likely to be shortly again in the same place a good deal of it may return and a before it again. The questions of earlier voluntary treatfresh practice may be established. But Ifear that a good ment for the poor without certification, the prospect of the many of the men of this class will find it difficult to wait foundation of psychiatric clinics in association with the long enough and may require some temporary financial universities are matters of vital public importance. The Medico-Psychological Association has a membership assistance to enable them to regain their position. (B) A good many will have lost their practice altogether of about 700, numbering among them practically all who are and will have to start afresh. Two things may be required engaged in this branch of medicine, together with many for such men :in the first place information as to suitable neurologists, school medical officers, and others who are places to settle in-e.g., where doctors are most needed, I, interested, and should, I think, be in close relationship with those representing the profession in Parliament. and in the second place temporary financial assistance. Iam, Sir, yours faithfully, (C) Men who have not previously been in practice will M. A. COLLINS, M.D., require advice and guidance on the same lines as B, but I Lieutenant-Colonel, R.A.M.C. Ewell War Hospital, Epsom, Oct. 7th 1918. 1 See report in THE LANCET of Oct. 5th (p. 465).