- Email: [email protected]
PENSIONS FOR HOSPITAL OFFICERS AND NURSES.
1299
pated from it, both to the hospitals and to the officers and nurses, would be the more fully realised the larger the number of hospitals that joined.
PENSIONS FOR HOSPITAL OFFICERS AND NURSES. A MEMORANDUM* setting out a draft scheme of pensions for hospital officers and nurses has been prepared by a conference composed of representatives of King Edward’s Hospital Fund for London, the British Hospitals Association, the Incorporated Association of Hospital Officers, and the College of Nursing, Limited. Lord Stuart of Wortley, chairman of the Management Committee of King Edward’s Hospital Fund, was the chairman of the conference, which included representatives from the provinces as well as from London. , Draft Scheme. The draft scheme follows, generally speaking, the lines recommended in the report of a committee of the King’s Fund, of which Mr. W. J. H. Whittall, F.I.A., was chairman. This committee reported that the provision of pensions for the staffs of voluntary hospitals, including nurses, was inadequate ; that this led to the age of retirement being unduly postponed ; and that the loss of all pension rights on migrating from one hospital to another was contrary to the interests both of the officers and of the hospitals. After commenting on the risks that would inevitably attach to any form of mutual pension fund, the committee recommended a scheme on the lines of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities, where policies are taken out with selected insurance companies. The present draft scheme is on the same basis, adapted to the circumstances of hospital and nursing service. The hospitals’ adopting the scheme would contribute 10 per cent. of salary and emoluments and the officers and nurses 5 per cent. The normal pension age would be 60 for officers and 55 for nurses. There would be a choice between three main types of policy : endowment assurance, giving a fixed rate of annuity at the retiring age or a certain sum at previous death ; deferred annuities with return of premiums on premature withdrawal or death; and deferred annuities without return of premiums. The scheme, if adopted, would include the salaried staff, administrative, clerical, and dispensing, and also
the whole nursing staff except probationers during their first year. Members migrating from one hospital to another, or from one branch of nursing service to another, would take their policies with them. To nurses this freedom to migrate without loss of pension rights is specially important, since most of them begin their career in hospitals and then move into other branches of the profession. The scheme would cover the nurse’s whole working life, and it would remove a hardship that now deters many suitable women from taking up nursing-namely, the impossibility of making adequate provision for old age. The promoters of the scheme urge the advantages of beginning at an early stage of training, provided that the hospital’s contributions do not become the property of the nurse unless she remains in the profession at least five years. Special arrangements are suggested for enabling the policies to be
VIENNA.
(FROM
OUR OWN
CORRESPONDENT.)
Late Reaction after Application of Radium. of the recent meetings of the Vienna Medical Society Prof. Marschik demonstrated a man of 49, who had been treated by radium 18 months ago for ulceration of the soft palate. Histological examination of an excised portion had proved the presence of cancer, so radium was applied in 13 sittings, with a tube containing 50 mg. radium bromide. Each sitting lasted 30-50 minutes, the other parts of the mouth being apparently well protected. The ulceration slowly disappeared in January, 1925, but three months later it reappeared. Vigorous radium treatment was again instituted, but it was useless ; so the patient consented to an operation, performed in July, 1925, which resulted in a cure of the carcinomatous ulceration. But two months later the patient again came, because on the base of the tongue, just opposite to the place of the original ulcus, a slowly growing necrosis had been observed. This ulceration gradually sloughed away, and the mouth is now normal. Prof. Marschik noted that the larynx is specially liable to this late reaction. In his experience the susceptibility of the neoplastic cells to radium varies with their degree of differentiation-the less differentiated the more vulnerable-thus lymphosarcoma is easily affected, whilst epithelial carcinoma or other tumours with highly differentiated cells are much more resistant. He deprecated the use of the method of massive doses, which, in his opinion, should be abandoned. Diathermy was an excellent method for the treatment of late reactions to radium. In the ensuing discussion, Dr. Hofer said that he had seen a similar case of late necrosis in the ethmoid bone six years after the application of massive doses of radium. He said that Kumer and Freund were now very careful in the application of radium to the mouth; Dr. Kumer applied a dental toothplate with a prolongation, in which the radium applicator is hidden, so that the surrounding parts are completely AT
one
protected. Sugar as
a Preservative of Anatomical Specimens. At the same meeting of the Vienna Medical Society Prof. Tandler showed a number of anatomical specimens in which the original colours and form were beautifully preserved. These specimens were 8-12 years old, but had not suffered any deterioration. The method is simple. It consists only in the immersion of the preparation or specimen in a concentrated solution of The vessel is then closed cane- (or beet-) sugar. hermetically. The superficial layers of the tissues become quite translucent. The specimens can be exposed to the heat of an epidiascope without suffering damage. Sections through the brain, the kidney, the intestinal canal and the sexual organs were demonstrated. It be added that the ancients in Western Asia, maintained by nurses engaged in private nursing, in may and Mesopotamia used honey for embalming Syria, the scheme do not though the details of this part of One of the old historians relates of a king purposes. concern hospitals. The scheme would be administered of his favourite wife who carried the dead by a central council representing the hospitals and with his chariot in all body his wars, the body being the members ; and this council, through a special preserved by means of honey. nurses committee, would deal with matters relating Prize for Essay on Cancer. to nurses not in hospital service. The memorandum The Austrian Society for investigating and fighting discusses the arguments for and against each of the above provisions, and is issued for the consideration cancer has again resolved to offer for the year 1925 of each individual hospital. The conference itself a prize of about 950 to the author of a paper which did not express any opinion other than general is held to promote our knowledge of the cancer sympathy with the principle of a pension scheme, problem in a fundamental way. Competition is merely adding that, if the draft scheme proved restricted to Austrian investigators, and the prize acceptable to the hospitals, the advantages antici- will be awarded only if the paper is actually an advance on the present state of knowledge. Alterna* Draft Scheme of Pensions for Hospital Officers and Nurses, the sum will be used in any way as seems tively, published for the King’s Fund by G. Barber, 23, Furnivaldesirable to the chairman of the society. All scholars 1s. free. of a brief E.C., price net, post street, Holborn, Copies and scientists of Austria are invited to compete, summary of the memorandum may be obtained free. ’
pated from it, both to the hospitals and to the officers and nurses, would be the more fully realised the larger the number of hospitals that joined.
PENSIONS FOR HOSPITAL OFFICERS AND NURSES. A MEMORANDUM* setting out a draft scheme of pensions for hospital officers and nurses has been prepared by a conference composed of representatives of King Edward’s Hospital Fund for London, the British Hospitals Association, the Incorporated Association of Hospital Officers, and the College of Nursing, Limited. Lord Stuart of Wortley, chairman of the Management Committee of King Edward’s Hospital Fund, was the chairman of the conference, which included representatives from the provinces as well as from London. , Draft Scheme. The draft scheme follows, generally speaking, the lines recommended in the report of a committee of the King’s Fund, of which Mr. W. J. H. Whittall, F.I.A., was chairman. This committee reported that the provision of pensions for the staffs of voluntary hospitals, including nurses, was inadequate ; that this led to the age of retirement being unduly postponed ; and that the loss of all pension rights on migrating from one hospital to another was contrary to the interests both of the officers and of the hospitals. After commenting on the risks that would inevitably attach to any form of mutual pension fund, the committee recommended a scheme on the lines of the Federated Superannuation System for Universities, where policies are taken out with selected insurance companies. The present draft scheme is on the same basis, adapted to the circumstances of hospital and nursing service. The hospitals’ adopting the scheme would contribute 10 per cent. of salary and emoluments and the officers and nurses 5 per cent. The normal pension age would be 60 for officers and 55 for nurses. There would be a choice between three main types of policy : endowment assurance, giving a fixed rate of annuity at the retiring age or a certain sum at previous death ; deferred annuities with return of premiums on premature withdrawal or death; and deferred annuities without return of premiums. The scheme, if adopted, would include the salaried staff, administrative, clerical, and dispensing, and also
the whole nursing staff except probationers during their first year. Members migrating from one hospital to another, or from one branch of nursing service to another, would take their policies with them. To nurses this freedom to migrate without loss of pension rights is specially important, since most of them begin their career in hospitals and then move into other branches of the profession. The scheme would cover the nurse’s whole working life, and it would remove a hardship that now deters many suitable women from taking up nursing-namely, the impossibility of making adequate provision for old age. The promoters of the scheme urge the advantages of beginning at an early stage of training, provided that the hospital’s contributions do not become the property of the nurse unless she remains in the profession at least five years. Special arrangements are suggested for enabling the policies to be
VIENNA.
(FROM
OUR OWN
CORRESPONDENT.)
Late Reaction after Application of Radium. of the recent meetings of the Vienna Medical Society Prof. Marschik demonstrated a man of 49, who had been treated by radium 18 months ago for ulceration of the soft palate. Histological examination of an excised portion had proved the presence of cancer, so radium was applied in 13 sittings, with a tube containing 50 mg. radium bromide. Each sitting lasted 30-50 minutes, the other parts of the mouth being apparently well protected. The ulceration slowly disappeared in January, 1925, but three months later it reappeared. Vigorous radium treatment was again instituted, but it was useless ; so the patient consented to an operation, performed in July, 1925, which resulted in a cure of the carcinomatous ulceration. But two months later the patient again came, because on the base of the tongue, just opposite to the place of the original ulcus, a slowly growing necrosis had been observed. This ulceration gradually sloughed away, and the mouth is now normal. Prof. Marschik noted that the larynx is specially liable to this late reaction. In his experience the susceptibility of the neoplastic cells to radium varies with their degree of differentiation-the less differentiated the more vulnerable-thus lymphosarcoma is easily affected, whilst epithelial carcinoma or other tumours with highly differentiated cells are much more resistant. He deprecated the use of the method of massive doses, which, in his opinion, should be abandoned. Diathermy was an excellent method for the treatment of late reactions to radium. In the ensuing discussion, Dr. Hofer said that he had seen a similar case of late necrosis in the ethmoid bone six years after the application of massive doses of radium. He said that Kumer and Freund were now very careful in the application of radium to the mouth; Dr. Kumer applied a dental toothplate with a prolongation, in which the radium applicator is hidden, so that the surrounding parts are completely AT
one
protected. Sugar as
a Preservative of Anatomical Specimens. At the same meeting of the Vienna Medical Society Prof. Tandler showed a number of anatomical specimens in which the original colours and form were beautifully preserved. These specimens were 8-12 years old, but had not suffered any deterioration. The method is simple. It consists only in the immersion of the preparation or specimen in a concentrated solution of The vessel is then closed cane- (or beet-) sugar. hermetically. The superficial layers of the tissues become quite translucent. The specimens can be exposed to the heat of an epidiascope without suffering damage. Sections through the brain, the kidney, the intestinal canal and the sexual organs were demonstrated. It be added that the ancients in Western Asia, maintained by nurses engaged in private nursing, in may and Mesopotamia used honey for embalming Syria, the scheme do not though the details of this part of One of the old historians relates of a king purposes. concern hospitals. The scheme would be administered of his favourite wife who carried the dead by a central council representing the hospitals and with his chariot in all body his wars, the body being the members ; and this council, through a special preserved by means of honey. nurses committee, would deal with matters relating Prize for Essay on Cancer. to nurses not in hospital service. The memorandum The Austrian Society for investigating and fighting discusses the arguments for and against each of the above provisions, and is issued for the consideration cancer has again resolved to offer for the year 1925 of each individual hospital. The conference itself a prize of about 950 to the author of a paper which did not express any opinion other than general is held to promote our knowledge of the cancer sympathy with the principle of a pension scheme, problem in a fundamental way. Competition is merely adding that, if the draft scheme proved restricted to Austrian investigators, and the prize acceptable to the hospitals, the advantages antici- will be awarded only if the paper is actually an advance on the present state of knowledge. Alterna* Draft Scheme of Pensions for Hospital Officers and Nurses, the sum will be used in any way as seems tively, published for the King’s Fund by G. Barber, 23, Furnivaldesirable to the chairman of the society. All scholars 1s. free. of a brief E.C., price net, post street, Holborn, Copies and scientists of Austria are invited to compete, summary of the memorandum may be obtained free. ’