- Email: [email protected]
SALISBURY REPRIEVED
1378
balanced by the big increase in the prescribing of drugs introduced in 1960 or later. There is a fairly general trend towards higher quantities per prescription. This suggests that doctors are prescribing for longer periods than formerly, although the change may be partly explained by their prescribing larger quantities at any one time for patients with chronic illnesses, after the prescription charge was raised. General practitioners will be aware that, for one month in each year in each executive-council area, the total number and cost of prescriptions ordered by each doctor are obtained, as part of the general procedure for investigating prescribing costs of all general practitioners. These statistics have also been analysed in an endeavour to determine whether there is any significant variation between doctors of different ages, of different duration of service in their practice area, of different list size, and of different medical schools. Comparisons, have also been drawn between male and female doctors, and dispensing and non-dispensing doctors. The only conclusions that could be drawn were that both the prescription frequency and the cost per prescription were lower for older than for younger doctors, that the prescription frequency was lower for doctors with larger lists, and that it was higher for women doctors than for men. This last factor could easily be influenced by known variations in the type of practice (particularly the age and sex grouping) of women doctors’ practices. In none of the other comparisons was any significant variation found. SALISBURY REPRIEVED
THE financial agreement announced last week between the British Government and the Southern Rhodesian Government guarantees the future of the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the medical school, and the teaching hospital. The British Government are to provide El,100,000 capital and a further E750,000 for the recurrent expenses of the college up to 1970—E250.000 a year. Of the capital grant, E800,000 will go towards building a new teaching hospital on the university campus. The total cost of this hospital, which will have 350 beds, is likely to be about El,800,000-about a third that of a similar teaching hospital in this country. Although this agreement leaves Southern Rhodesia to find a great deal of money, it is recognised in Salisbury as a generous gesture by Great Britain. In providing money for recurrent expenses our Government have departed from their traditional policy in Africa. The provision of a substantial grant towards the new teaching hospital means that the final conclusion of the Nuffield Foundation-that the teaching hospital should not be established at the native Government hospital at Harari— has been accepted. Equally important are the implications of the agreement for University College. The college’s autonomy and its non-racial character are recognised, and, despite the break-up of the Federation, it remains a University College and Medical School ready to serve the three territories of Central Africa, as its name continues to show. The building of the medical school will start in October and is to be completed in 1966. The teaching hospital should be ready for occupation by patients, staff, and students in 1968. The long uncertainty is over and the medical school can now go ahead with the plans that were put aside. There are professorial chairs to be filled and further staff
appointed. It is hoped that educational trusts, the foundations, and industrial organisations will be generous in their support of a University College and Medical School in Central Africa, whose very necessary be great
to
existence is
at
last assured.
BIRTHDAY HONOURS
OF the new medical knighthoods, three, in the Royal Victorian Order, are given in recognition of service to the Sovereign. Dr. Nigel Loring has been apothecary to H.M. Household since 1952; Vice-Admiral D. D. SteelePerkins last year became medical director of the Navy; and Dr. Ronald Bodley Scott, at one time physician to the Household, has latterly been physician to the Queenthough he remains better known to most of us as an authority on the reticuloses and a pillar of Barts. The knighthood for Mr. Terence Cawthorne will also give pleasure widely. A pioneer in the surgery of deafness, he is one of those doctors whom other doctors consult, as is manifest not only in his practice but in his presidency of the Royal Society of Medicine and in his international travels. By chance, the remaining three knighthoods in this country go to teachers who are also professors. By quiet wisdom and untiring effort, Prof. Alan Moncrieff, of the Institute of Child Health at Great Ormond Street, has done much to bring the care of children into the forefront of medicine, not only in this country but far afield. Prof. E. J. Wayne, in ten fruitful years as regius professor of the practice of medicine at Glasgow, has brought his earlier on the
pharmacological experience to research especially thyroid; he is chairman of the Clinical Research Board, and was chairman of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission from 1958 to 1963. Prof. V. B. Wigglesworth, though formerly reader in medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has been using his knowledge of insect physiology in the cause of agriculture rather than medicine, and since 1952 has been Quick professor of biology at Cambridge. We likewise welcome the similar honours for three Australian colleagues. Dr. W. E. L. H. Crowther, member of a medical family long established in Tasmania, has distinguished himself both in civil and military medicine and as a historian. Mr. L. C. E. Lindon, the Adelaide neurosurgeon, has had links with England since he came here in 1918 as a Rhodes scholar; and he was president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1959-61. Dr. J. K. Maddox, of the Royal Prince Alfred and other Sydney hospitals, is highly regarded both as a physician and cardiologist and for his work for students, and is vice-president of the new National Heart Foundation of Australia. In the list printed on p. 1381 many names will be found which carry their own recommendation-either because they are well known in the profession or because their bearers’ work in inconspicuous places has been
exceptional. Sir DENIS BROWNE has been elected
Nakayama next of Surgeons.
year
as
president
to succeed Prof. Komei of the International College
AT its annual general meeting on July 8 the council will put before the Royal Medico-Psychological Association a resolution recommending that the Privy Council be petitioned to change the name of the Association to the Royal College of
Psychiatrists.
balanced by the big increase in the prescribing of drugs introduced in 1960 or later. There is a fairly general trend towards higher quantities per prescription. This suggests that doctors are prescribing for longer periods than formerly, although the change may be partly explained by their prescribing larger quantities at any one time for patients with chronic illnesses, after the prescription charge was raised. General practitioners will be aware that, for one month in each year in each executive-council area, the total number and cost of prescriptions ordered by each doctor are obtained, as part of the general procedure for investigating prescribing costs of all general practitioners. These statistics have also been analysed in an endeavour to determine whether there is any significant variation between doctors of different ages, of different duration of service in their practice area, of different list size, and of different medical schools. Comparisons, have also been drawn between male and female doctors, and dispensing and non-dispensing doctors. The only conclusions that could be drawn were that both the prescription frequency and the cost per prescription were lower for older than for younger doctors, that the prescription frequency was lower for doctors with larger lists, and that it was higher for women doctors than for men. This last factor could easily be influenced by known variations in the type of practice (particularly the age and sex grouping) of women doctors’ practices. In none of the other comparisons was any significant variation found. SALISBURY REPRIEVED
THE financial agreement announced last week between the British Government and the Southern Rhodesian Government guarantees the future of the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the medical school, and the teaching hospital. The British Government are to provide El,100,000 capital and a further E750,000 for the recurrent expenses of the college up to 1970—E250.000 a year. Of the capital grant, E800,000 will go towards building a new teaching hospital on the university campus. The total cost of this hospital, which will have 350 beds, is likely to be about El,800,000-about a third that of a similar teaching hospital in this country. Although this agreement leaves Southern Rhodesia to find a great deal of money, it is recognised in Salisbury as a generous gesture by Great Britain. In providing money for recurrent expenses our Government have departed from their traditional policy in Africa. The provision of a substantial grant towards the new teaching hospital means that the final conclusion of the Nuffield Foundation-that the teaching hospital should not be established at the native Government hospital at Harari— has been accepted. Equally important are the implications of the agreement for University College. The college’s autonomy and its non-racial character are recognised, and, despite the break-up of the Federation, it remains a University College and Medical School ready to serve the three territories of Central Africa, as its name continues to show. The building of the medical school will start in October and is to be completed in 1966. The teaching hospital should be ready for occupation by patients, staff, and students in 1968. The long uncertainty is over and the medical school can now go ahead with the plans that were put aside. There are professorial chairs to be filled and further staff
appointed. It is hoped that educational trusts, the foundations, and industrial organisations will be generous in their support of a University College and Medical School in Central Africa, whose very necessary be great
to
existence is
at
last assured.
BIRTHDAY HONOURS
OF the new medical knighthoods, three, in the Royal Victorian Order, are given in recognition of service to the Sovereign. Dr. Nigel Loring has been apothecary to H.M. Household since 1952; Vice-Admiral D. D. SteelePerkins last year became medical director of the Navy; and Dr. Ronald Bodley Scott, at one time physician to the Household, has latterly been physician to the Queenthough he remains better known to most of us as an authority on the reticuloses and a pillar of Barts. The knighthood for Mr. Terence Cawthorne will also give pleasure widely. A pioneer in the surgery of deafness, he is one of those doctors whom other doctors consult, as is manifest not only in his practice but in his presidency of the Royal Society of Medicine and in his international travels. By chance, the remaining three knighthoods in this country go to teachers who are also professors. By quiet wisdom and untiring effort, Prof. Alan Moncrieff, of the Institute of Child Health at Great Ormond Street, has done much to bring the care of children into the forefront of medicine, not only in this country but far afield. Prof. E. J. Wayne, in ten fruitful years as regius professor of the practice of medicine at Glasgow, has brought his earlier on the
pharmacological experience to research especially thyroid; he is chairman of the Clinical Research Board, and was chairman of the British Pharmacopoeia Commission from 1958 to 1963. Prof. V. B. Wigglesworth, though formerly reader in medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has been using his knowledge of insect physiology in the cause of agriculture rather than medicine, and since 1952 has been Quick professor of biology at Cambridge. We likewise welcome the similar honours for three Australian colleagues. Dr. W. E. L. H. Crowther, member of a medical family long established in Tasmania, has distinguished himself both in civil and military medicine and as a historian. Mr. L. C. E. Lindon, the Adelaide neurosurgeon, has had links with England since he came here in 1918 as a Rhodes scholar; and he was president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1959-61. Dr. J. K. Maddox, of the Royal Prince Alfred and other Sydney hospitals, is highly regarded both as a physician and cardiologist and for his work for students, and is vice-president of the new National Heart Foundation of Australia. In the list printed on p. 1381 many names will be found which carry their own recommendation-either because they are well known in the profession or because their bearers’ work in inconspicuous places has been
exceptional. Sir DENIS BROWNE has been elected
Nakayama next of Surgeons.
year
as
president
to succeed Prof. Komei of the International College
AT its annual general meeting on July 8 the council will put before the Royal Medico-Psychological Association a resolution recommending that the Privy Council be petitioned to change the name of the Association to the Royal College of
Psychiatrists.