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POTATOES
730 in fact to have just about their share of road accidents having regard to the car-miles driven. There are, of course, more of them than of other types of vehicle on the road. Mr. Dean is an advocate of prosecution rather than persuasion of the offender, and there can be little doubt that the enforcement of discipline among all users of the road would reduce road accidents. It is understandable that the motoring associations and the motor industry, which depend for their existence on the good will of the motorist, should advocate persuasion rather than legislation ; but it is perhaps less easy to understand why the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents should support a similar policy. When, however, he advocates immediate institution of strong disciplinary measures against the erring driver, yet not against pedestrians who are at fault, Mr. Dean’s attitude can hardly be called unbiased ; the fact that he is the chairman of the committee of the Pedestrians’ Association may have influenced him to some extent. It is noteworthy that the Committee on Road Safety appointed by the Ministry of Transport in 1943 recommend in their final report 3 that the pedestrian should be treated as traffic, and therefore liable to prosecution on failure to obey trafficsignals—an amendment to the existing law which is long overdue. In discussing the report at the annual conference of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Mr. G. R. Strauss, recently parliamentary secretary to the Ministry, pointed out that there was a drop in the number of accidents in the second quarter of 1947 compared with the same quarter of 1939-a drop from 1560 killed and 58,722 injured in 1939 to 1174 killed and 43,154 injured in 1947. The number of vehicles licensed in the 1947 period was slightly higher. Commenting on this, the Pedestrians’ Association4 note that the improvement .chiefly relates to adult users of the road. Childpedestrian deaths fell less than 5% between 1937 and 1946, while adult deaths fell by nearly a quarter. There has been some improvement among school-children, who can be taught road drill, but 347 children under the age of five were killed in 1946, compared with 329 in 1937 ; and three has now become the most dangerous age for children instead of five or seven. cars seem
POTATOES DURING the war the housewife’s main preoccupation in the kitchen was with masking the monotony of the food she laid before her family. In the last two years her problem has changed : the release of shipping and the resumption of trade with other countries has brought back fish, fruit, and other foodstuffs which had not been seen for six or seven years ; but at the same time, mainly through the rationing first of bread and now of potatoes, the diet has tended to shrink in quantity. The housewife’s concern is not so much that her dishes will not be palatable as that they may prove insufficient. The Minister of Food, faced with the worst potato crop since 1931, has explained that with free purchase potatoes would disappear from the shops next spring. Accordingly he is restricting the normal consumer to 3 lb. a week and the expectant mother to 4 1/2 lb. a week. To offset this he is allowing one extra bread unit a week to children aged between five and eighteen years, and it is possible that for some of these the net result will actually be a gain in calories. For example, in one boarding-school, where the average age of boys is fourteen years, the 3-lb. ration will mean a reduction of only about 11/3 lb. (about 527 calories) on the former free consumption of 41/3 lb. Used for flour (5-3 oz.) the B.U. is capable of yielding 554 calories, and used for bread (7 oz.) it will yield 454 calories. For many adults 3. Published Oct. 6. H.M. Stationery Office. 2s. 6d. 4. Quarterly News Letter, no. 58. October, 1947.
however, and notably for heavy workers, the uncompensated restriction means a loss of both calories and bulk ; and for all it means a loss of vitamin C, of which potatoes are a principal source. Those who have the money can turn to other vegetables, and will thus be sure of getting enough vitamin C. Those who are poorer may be less fortunate. The price of these other vegetables, except that of carrots and cooked beetroot, is uncontrolled ; and the cost, already . high, may be expected now to rise still further, which implies rationing by the purse. Apart from the feasibility of more controls, a question that needs immediate attention is whether the time has now come for the general issue of ascorbic-acid tablets, as was practised in the Forces during the war. A HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SOME fifty of his grateful colleagues entertained Robert Arthur Young to dinner on his birthday on Nov. 6. Dr. C. E. Lakin, who presided, described Sir Robert as one of the greatest of living physicians, " but best of all a great friend." His teaching career at Middlesex Hospital began as demonstrator in physiology and continued as pathologist. Finally, in the late war, he had returned to astonish students by showing them how the interior of the chest could be displayed by what they regarded as the old-fashioned methods of inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. In his years at Middlesex and at the Brompton he had trained many great physicians and even surgeons ; and all whom he had taught wanted to express their thanks and good wishes. Mr. Victor Bonney spoke of early days in which Young, already a godsend to students, inculcated the method of learning - applying that logical sequence of ideas which is more serviceable than the parrot memory. Through all the following years he had gone from strength to strength, earning the respect of everyone that had to deal with him. If honours came late, this did not matter; " because in the hearts of all of us he has been top dog." In his reply Sir Robert admitted to difficulties during his time as warden of the medical college : indeed they had led him to join the Eccentrics Club so that a part of his existence might be on normal lines. (Perhaps this was also the reason for his association with THE LANCET, as our principal medical adviser for many years, beginning, as he said, when he " used to vet papers of doubtful medical veracity, and correct proofs," under the editorship of Thomas Wakley, jun.) At Middlesex, since the day 58 years and 1 month ago when he entered the school (younger than is now allowed), he had seen such men as
Lowne, Powell, Kingston Fowler, Cayley, Coupland, Pringle, Bland-Sutton, and Andrew Clark ; and as a student in Vienna he had met Ghon.
He had started his
professional career with two ideas-to be on the staff of the Brompton and on the staff of Middlesex-and he was deeply thrilled, touched, and gratified to be entertained on this occasion by a company containing so many representatives of these two hospitals, which he held in equal affection. THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
THOUGH
many
generous contributions have
been
received, the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund is still far short of the sum needed to ensure that all its regular beneficiaries are remembered this Christmas. Sir Alfred Webb-Johnson, as president, appeals for further donations to be sent as soon as possible to the R.M.B.F. (Christmas Gifts), 1, Balliol House, Manor Fields,
London, S.W.15. Mr. W. RowLEY BRtSTOW, consulting orthopaedic surgeon to St. Thomas’s Hospital and honorary consulting orthopaedic surgeon to the Army, died in London on Nov. 10 at the age of 64.
POTATOES DURING the war the housewife’s main preoccupation in the kitchen was with masking the monotony of the food she laid before her family. In the last two years her problem has changed : the release of shipping and the resumption of trade with other countries has brought back fish, fruit, and other foodstuffs which had not been seen for six or seven years ; but at the same time, mainly through the rationing first of bread and now of potatoes, the diet has tended to shrink in quantity. The housewife’s concern is not so much that her dishes will not be palatable as that they may prove insufficient. The Minister of Food, faced with the worst potato crop since 1931, has explained that with free purchase potatoes would disappear from the shops next spring. Accordingly he is restricting the normal consumer to 3 lb. a week and the expectant mother to 4 1/2 lb. a week. To offset this he is allowing one extra bread unit a week to children aged between five and eighteen years, and it is possible that for some of these the net result will actually be a gain in calories. For example, in one boarding-school, where the average age of boys is fourteen years, the 3-lb. ration will mean a reduction of only about 11/3 lb. (about 527 calories) on the former free consumption of 41/3 lb. Used for flour (5-3 oz.) the B.U. is capable of yielding 554 calories, and used for bread (7 oz.) it will yield 454 calories. For many adults 3. Published Oct. 6. H.M. Stationery Office. 2s. 6d. 4. Quarterly News Letter, no. 58. October, 1947.
however, and notably for heavy workers, the uncompensated restriction means a loss of both calories and bulk ; and for all it means a loss of vitamin C, of which potatoes are a principal source. Those who have the money can turn to other vegetables, and will thus be sure of getting enough vitamin C. Those who are poorer may be less fortunate. The price of these other vegetables, except that of carrots and cooked beetroot, is uncontrolled ; and the cost, already . high, may be expected now to rise still further, which implies rationing by the purse. Apart from the feasibility of more controls, a question that needs immediate attention is whether the time has now come for the general issue of ascorbic-acid tablets, as was practised in the Forces during the war. A HAPPY BIRTHDAY
SOME fifty of his grateful colleagues entertained Robert Arthur Young to dinner on his birthday on Nov. 6. Dr. C. E. Lakin, who presided, described Sir Robert as one of the greatest of living physicians, " but best of all a great friend." His teaching career at Middlesex Hospital began as demonstrator in physiology and continued as pathologist. Finally, in the late war, he had returned to astonish students by showing them how the interior of the chest could be displayed by what they regarded as the old-fashioned methods of inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. In his years at Middlesex and at the Brompton he had trained many great physicians and even surgeons ; and all whom he had taught wanted to express their thanks and good wishes. Mr. Victor Bonney spoke of early days in which Young, already a godsend to students, inculcated the method of learning - applying that logical sequence of ideas which is more serviceable than the parrot memory. Through all the following years he had gone from strength to strength, earning the respect of everyone that had to deal with him. If honours came late, this did not matter; " because in the hearts of all of us he has been top dog." In his reply Sir Robert admitted to difficulties during his time as warden of the medical college : indeed they had led him to join the Eccentrics Club so that a part of his existence might be on normal lines. (Perhaps this was also the reason for his association with THE LANCET, as our principal medical adviser for many years, beginning, as he said, when he " used to vet papers of doubtful medical veracity, and correct proofs," under the editorship of Thomas Wakley, jun.) At Middlesex, since the day 58 years and 1 month ago when he entered the school (younger than is now allowed), he had seen such men as
Lowne, Powell, Kingston Fowler, Cayley, Coupland, Pringle, Bland-Sutton, and Andrew Clark ; and as a student in Vienna he had met Ghon.
He had started his
professional career with two ideas-to be on the staff of the Brompton and on the staff of Middlesex-and he was deeply thrilled, touched, and gratified to be entertained on this occasion by a company containing so many representatives of these two hospitals, which he held in equal affection. THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
THOUGH
many
generous contributions have
been
received, the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund is still far short of the sum needed to ensure that all its regular beneficiaries are remembered this Christmas. Sir Alfred Webb-Johnson, as president, appeals for further donations to be sent as soon as possible to the R.M.B.F. (Christmas Gifts), 1, Balliol House, Manor Fields,
London, S.W.15. Mr. W. RowLEY BRtSTOW, consulting orthopaedic surgeon to St. Thomas’s Hospital and honorary consulting orthopaedic surgeon to the Army, died in London on Nov. 10 at the age of 64.