Midland Branch

PUBLIC

23°

Report of Salaries Commiltee. T h e Council a p p r o v e d a n d a d o p t e d the scale of salaries and conditions of service of medical a n d dental officers as finally revised for inclusion in the combined N . A . L . G . O . scheme. T h e Council also a d o p t e d the following r e p r e s e n t a t i o n : Your Committee have had under consideration the recommendations of certain Medical Officers of Health to their Councils as to the salaries to be payable in respect of certain appointments. In some cases the sablries recommended are below the very modest minima agreed upon by the Journals at the present time for advertisement purposes. Your Committee are of opinion that Medical Offleers of Health before making any such recommendations should themselves communicate with the Executive Secretary of the Society or advise their Authorities to do SO.

The Manchester Appointment. T h e Council received and a p p r o v e d the r e p o r t of the d e p u t a t i o n (Dr. \V. J. H o w a r t h , Dr. R. A. Lyster, Prof. H. R. K e n w o o d , and the E x e c u t i v e Secretary), who with r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the B . M . A . a t t e n d e d a conference with a c o m m i t t e e of the M a n c h e s t e r City Council on April 7th. On the p r o p o s a l of Dr. H e r b e r t Jones, the d e p u t a t i o n w e r e t h a n k e d for their services. Proposed Weekly ]ournal. Dr. K i r k h o p e p r o posed t h a t in connection with the r e o r g a n i s a t i o n of the S o c i e t y now under c o n s i d e r a t i o n , a committee should be a p p o i n t e d to r e p o r t on the possibility of p u b l i s h i n g a weekly j o u r n a l to p r o m o t e mad s a f e g u a r d the interests of the Public H e a l t h Service. Dr. G. F. Buchan, Dr. Barlow, and others s u p p o r t e d the proposal. It w a s a g r e e d t h a t the officers of the Society, with Dr. K i r k h o p e and Prof. K e n w o o d , be elected as a c o m m i t t e e to consider the publication of a w e e k l y j o u r n a l by the Society. I t was further a g r e e d t h a t the same C o m m i t t e e , with Dr. S a n d e r s a n d Dr. B a r l o w added, be directed to r e p o r t on the financial position of the Society. Pending Appoint,ments. M e m b e r s of the Council r e p o r t e d certain p e n d i n g a p p o i n t m e n t s the t e r m s of which m i g h t be d e t r i m e n t a l to the interests of the Public H e a l t h Service, and it w a s a g r e e d t h a t the various cases should be w a t c h e d by the S a l a r i e s Committee. T h e Council then adjourned. ORDINARY MEETING,

An o r d i n a r y m e e t i n g w a s held at the house of the Society on F r i d a y , April 21st, 1922. The P r e s i d e n t (Dr. YV. J. H o w a r t h ) w a s in the chair, and there w a s a g o o d attendance. T h e minutes of the 'last m e e t i n g h a v i n g been a p p r o v e d and signed, the following c a n d i d a t e s ' w e r e elected t o the Society :

HEALTH.

MAY,

As Members: Crawford, Hugh Gregan, M.C., M.R.C.S., I..R.C.P.; Fleetwood-Outram, Gertrude Florence (ride l'leetwoo¢~Taylor), M.B., Ch.B.Glas. ; *utehison, Alice Marion, M.D.Ed., M.R.C.P.Lond. ; Lane (Mrs.), Isabella, M.B., Ch.B.Edin. ; Logan, Dorothy Cochrane, M.D., B.S.Load. ; Maefarlane, Win. Matt, M.B., Ch.B:Gtasg.; O'Connor, Mary, M.B., B.Ch., B.D.S., N.U.I. ; Smith, Andrew, M.D., B.S.Durh.; White, Edmund Leigh, M.D-, Ch.B. Edin., D.P.H.

As Associates: Ehner, Lancelot William, L.D.S.Eng.; Wallace, Jas. Shn, D.Sc., M.D., C.M.Glas., L.D.S.Eng. N o m i n a t i o n s for elections a t the next m e e t i n g were read by the Executive S e c r e t a r y and duly received. Prof. H a r o l d Kerr, O . B . E . , then read a p a p e r on " T h e P r o p o s e d Revision of the Rules of the General Medical Council for D i p l o m a s and D e g r e e s in Public H e a l t h . " A discussion followed, those t a k i n g p a r t including the President, Dr. K i r k h o p e , Sir YV. R. Smith, Prof. H. R. K e n w o o d , Dr. E. H. T. Nash, and Dr. T. S h a d i c k H i g g i n s . Dr. K e r r briefly replied, arid received a cordial vote of t h a n k s for his p a p e r . MIDLAND BRANCH. M e e t i n g held at the City H o s p i t a l , Little Bromwich, Birmingham, on Thursday, March 2nd, 1922. Present.--Dr. Snell (in the chair) and 26 nlembers. Death of Dr. Alfred Hill.--The P r e s i d e n t p r o posed t h a t a vote of condolence be sent. to the relatives of Dr. Alfred Hilt. This w a s passed, all the m e m b e r s s t a n d i n g . Correspondence.---A letter w a s received from Dr. Ridley Bailey a c c e p t i n g with t h a n k s the n o m i n a t i o n of the Branch f o r the P r e s i d e n c y of the Society for the y e a r 1922-23. A letter was read from Dr. Geo. Reid t h a n k ing t h e m e m b e r s of the Branch for the resolution p a s s e d at the last m e e t i n g in reference t o his retirement. L e t t e r from the Y o r k s h i r e B r a n c h r e g r e t t i n g their inability to Support the" M i d l a n d Branch~s n o m i n a t i o n to the P r e s i d e n c y of the Society. L e t t e r fronl the E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y with r e g a r d to the c a m p a i g n Of the S0ciety a g a i n s t a p p o i n t m e n t s at inadequate salaries, a n d a s k i n g for a r r a n g e m e n t s to be m a d e for the early t r a n s mission of news to {he 'special committee. In view of t h e fact t h a t Dr. H e w a t , the Correspondm~t of the Branch, will be l e a v i n g shortly, it w a s decided t o refer it to the Council t o recomm e n d t h e appo{fitment of a C o r r e s p o n d e n t , who

I922,

PUBLIC HEALTH,

should combine with his duties those of supplying to the Central Office the information required. The Secretary reported with regard to the business, and was given instructions thereon. Dr. Harries then gave an extremely interesting demonstration of the" Schick Reaction. Both the actual performance of the test, and cases in which the test was in various stages, the Pseudo Reaction was also well illustrated. He insisted especially on the pigmentation following a true reaction. Questions were asked my many members, and dealt with. At the invitation of Dr. Harries, the members adjourned to tea, and the President voiced the thanks of those present to Dr. Harries for the extremely interesting time which had been spent, and also for his hospitality. NORTH WESTERN BRANCH. The meeting in March was held at Blackburn, on Friday, March l"Tth, in conjunction with a Sessional Meeting of the Royal Sanitary Institute. The proceedings opened with a meeting of the Branch, at which a paper was read entitled " The Schick Test," by D r. T. E. Dickenson, of Monsall Fever Hospital, Manchester. During the interval between the afternoon and evening assemblies a reception was held by the Mayor (Alderman J. Fielding, J.P.), who entertained the members at tea. There was a good attendance in the evening, when " The Sanitation of Places of Entertainment " and " The Conversion of Pail Closets " were subjects for discussion opened respectively by Dr. W. Allen Daley, M.D., B.A., B.Sc., D.P.H., the local Medical Officer of Health; and Mr. A. T. Goosemau, M.Inst.C.E., the local Borough Engineer. The chair was taken by Professor It. R. Kenwood, C.M.G., M.B., F.R.S.E. (Chairman of the Council). Dr. Daley suggested that when a licensing . a u t h o r i t y was considering applications for licensing places of entertainment they should take into considerati6n the following : - (1) Chil~tren in arms ~houtd not be ad~nitted to~ theatres or plcturedromes. (2) When schools were closed because of the prevalence of infectious disease children of or below school age should not be admitted." (3) In times of grave epidemics of disease such as Influenza which were spread by the assemblage of people together power should be given to the Sanitary Authorities to regulate the intervals between performances or even prohibit them altogether.

231

(4) Sanitary conveniences should be in the proportion of three for every 450 of the accommod,ation provided. (5) In all n'ew buildings !20 cubic feet of air space should be allowed per person. (6) YVindows to admit sunlight shouhl be placed in all theatres and picturedromes. (7) Cross ventilation should be provided whenever possible. Inlet ventilators should be installed and should remain open throughout the performance. This applies to the bars, sanitary conveniences and crush lounges as well as to the aUditorium. (8) A silently-running extraction fan or fans should be put into action at regular speCified intervals, and that it is actually working should b e demonstrated by the lighting Of an electric lamp in circuit with the fan. (9) The building should be flushed with air every morning and between the performantes, and as far as possible (luring the interval. (10) The standard of ventilation to be required should be: A dry Kata thermometer, readin K of not less than 6 and a wet Kata thermometer reading of not less than 18. (11) The temperature should be maintained between 57 and 68 d e g r e e s F a h r , and the relative humidity between 35 and 65 per cent. of saturation. (li) The whole of the upholstery should be cleaned by a vacuum-cleaner at least once a week; the floor should be washed weekly and wet brushed daily. (13) Sanitary accommodation and a supply of hot and cold water should be provided for the artistes on every floor containing dressing-rooms. Accommodation for children should be as near the stage as possible: (14). In all new picturedrornes the angle of elevation should not exceed 35 and the lateral, angle 25 degr~ees. In all existing premises children should be prohibited from sitting in positions where these angles are ex,c~e4ed. (15) The other causes of eye-strain in picturedromes should be eliminated. (16) Proper ventilal~ion and adequate sanitary aeeommodation should be required in dancing halls. Saturday morning 3vas devoted to visits to various places of interest in Blackburn. Meeting held in Liverpool on Friday, April 7th, t922. Present: Dr. T. W. N. Barlow (in t h e chair) and 18 members,