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THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS.
372 or cropping out. Convalescence was exceptionally rapid, the Widal reaction remaining negative for typhoid, paratyphoid A and B. Practically all the
occurred in adults. I would ask : Were these cases of atypical enteric fever or abortive enteric or were they cases of influenzal pneumonia with enteric-like spots which rapidly improved on removal from their homes to the purer country air ? It is to be remembered that all were obviously very ill on admission, and all quickly improved on admission, though most were admitted on the third day of illness, it was striking how far more rapidly they improved than the cases of influenzal pneumonia in the same ward. On inquiry amongst practitioners in the town I heard of three apparently similar cases.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, EUSTACE THORP.
Parliamentary Intelligence.
cases
NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS RESUMED DEBATE
ON THE
ADDRESS.
IN the course of the resumed debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Feb. 8th, on the motion that a humble Address be presented to His Majesty in reply to the gracious Speech from the Throne, Mr. HARRIS said that he had great respect for the Minister of Health, for whatever his faults might be they realised that he had knowledge and experience. They had hoped for great reforms from him. Towards the end of 1925 the right hon. gentleman produced a most interesting and almost an historic document in which proposals were put forward for poor-law reform which were to form the basis for consideration and discussion by local authorities. Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Sunderland. In 1926 he (Mr. HARRIS) asked the Government when these proposals would take the form of an Act of Parliament, and he was informed that the Government wanted a year for consideration. They had had a year. They understood TREATMENT OF THE MALARIAS. that the Poor-Law Bill would make its appearance during 1927, but they were told by the Minister of Health that To the Editor of THE LANCET. although he was full of goodwill and good intentions the SiR,—I do not wish to take up your space by programme of the Government was so crowded with other entering into a controversy upon the merits or matters that there was no time to deal with this important demerits of plasmochin. Dr. Manson-Bahr has, I am question. Nobody could say that the King’s Speech this disclosed an overcrowded programme. There would afraid, missed the point I tried to enforce. My simile year of the goose would, I thought, have appealed even to have been plenty of time to deal with the vital question of poor-law reform. It was not because the Government non-ornithological readers. In quoting me Dr. Manson- were not prepared. The Ministry had been thinking over Bahr has not put in the full sentence I used. I did the matter for two or three years, and there had been not say " will act better than either given alone," but constant conferences with local authorities. He understood " it is quite possible, of course, that ... a combination that there was something like general agreement. Why of these two drugs will act better than either given had the Government run away from this question ? It was now stated that poor-law guardians were to stay and alone, but, time only and careful observations will that there was to be no reform. Could not the Government show this." We may leave it at that. The subject is with their big majority force through Parliament the scheme too young yet to dogmatise upon. which they thought necessary ? Did the Government I am, Sir, yours faithfully, want to leave the question to be dealt with by the Labour G. CARMICHAEL LOW. Party or the Liberal Party because they did not feel that they were competent to deal with it ? Having dropped the Factory Bill, was it not about time that the Government really did some constructive work and put forward some THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE scheme to deal with this thorny social problem ? They would never get a solution of the problem of necessitous areas VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS. without taking in hand the reform of the poor-law. The To the Editor of THE LANCET. present poor-law system worked badly throughout the country. London had a right to demand that the system to do not wish further SiB,—I trespass personally of government should be changed. The present poor-law on your space, for there are many, I am sure, much system was gradually breaking up. Through the machinery I must just say of old age pensions the old people were gradually being more fitted to discuss this question. that Dr. Little attributes to me several statements I I taken out of the poor-law, and, thanks to the extension of With some of them I agree, with others ’, the Education Acts, a large number of children were now never made. not. The " 20 per cent. " statement was not mine. relieved through the machinery of the education authorities. All who now remained were the sick and the able-bodied. In regard to my " brick," as he genially calls it, I The original scheme was that the hospitals throughout the disown it, but I stick to it, if you will pardon me. country should be transferred to the county authorities. If Dr. Little really wants to know, let him write to That would be a very simple proposal to carry through, the medical superintendents of London poor-law and would not require any complicated legislation. Even able-bodied who required assistance were very largely, hospitals and ask them how many spare beds they have. the It is quite easy. I can give him a good start myself at any rate for a period, taken away from the local relief with 120 or so extra beds filled over the proper comple- and were paid out of national funds through the machinery of the Insurance Act. Did it not seem the natural line of ment. My statement referred expressly to London. advance to remove from the local rates the able-bodied poor, I said nothing about the rest of the country, not having or to use the phrase in a scheme put forward by the Ministry it I but think would about personal knowledge that ; of Health, to correlate the system of relief with the machinery be worth while to inquire how many of the supposed of unemployment insurance ? If they took the able-bodied surplus beds are in country unions neither situated poor out of the control of the poor-law guardians, and removed the children from their care, and took away the nor equipped to be useful to the chief centres of people, there was little work left for the guardians to population. For the rest I leave it to your readers old to judge how far Dr. Little has met the various points do. The Government, he suggested, were under an obligation to the nation to translate into a Bill the scheme outlined raised. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, by the Minister of Health in 1926. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTE urged that one way in Cross Feb. 1928. Whipps Hospital, 10th, which the Government could help agriculture was by refraining from throwing more burdens on agriculturists by Orders like the Milk and Dairies Order, and for the RECURRENT COLDS. Cream. The Government I Prohibition of Preservatives in were quite ready to bring in Orders like these, but when they To the Editor of THE LANCET. were asked to introduce an Order to prohibit the importation SIR,—May I support -Dr. A. L. Grant’s letter in your of condensed skimmed milk they would not do it. Mr. GROVES raised the question of slum clearances in last issue. I also have found, both in my own West Ham. Every month, he said, the medical officer of and in the cases of others, that I can either health of that reported that 80 per cent. of the abort, or cut short not only that dangerous condition, houses inspectedborough were not considered in all respects reasonthe common cold, but influenza also by means of Mr. ably fit for human habitation. The existence of this slum J. E. R. McDonagh’s symmetrical ureas. property in big boroughs were undermining the health of I am. Sir. vours faithfully. our future citizens, and increasing the deaths among children. He believed that the Government were going to interest MACLEOD YEARSLEY. themselves in a national campaign for the cure of rheumatism.
case
prevent,
occurred in adults. I would ask : Were these cases of atypical enteric fever or abortive enteric or were they cases of influenzal pneumonia with enteric-like spots which rapidly improved on removal from their homes to the purer country air ? It is to be remembered that all were obviously very ill on admission, and all quickly improved on admission, though most were admitted on the third day of illness, it was striking how far more rapidly they improved than the cases of influenzal pneumonia in the same ward. On inquiry amongst practitioners in the town I heard of three apparently similar cases.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully, EUSTACE THORP.
Parliamentary Intelligence.
cases
NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS RESUMED DEBATE
ON THE
ADDRESS.
IN the course of the resumed debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Feb. 8th, on the motion that a humble Address be presented to His Majesty in reply to the gracious Speech from the Throne, Mr. HARRIS said that he had great respect for the Minister of Health, for whatever his faults might be they realised that he had knowledge and experience. They had hoped for great reforms from him. Towards the end of 1925 the right hon. gentleman produced a most interesting and almost an historic document in which proposals were put forward for poor-law reform which were to form the basis for consideration and discussion by local authorities. Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Sunderland. In 1926 he (Mr. HARRIS) asked the Government when these proposals would take the form of an Act of Parliament, and he was informed that the Government wanted a year for consideration. They had had a year. They understood TREATMENT OF THE MALARIAS. that the Poor-Law Bill would make its appearance during 1927, but they were told by the Minister of Health that To the Editor of THE LANCET. although he was full of goodwill and good intentions the SiR,—I do not wish to take up your space by programme of the Government was so crowded with other entering into a controversy upon the merits or matters that there was no time to deal with this important demerits of plasmochin. Dr. Manson-Bahr has, I am question. Nobody could say that the King’s Speech this disclosed an overcrowded programme. There would afraid, missed the point I tried to enforce. My simile year of the goose would, I thought, have appealed even to have been plenty of time to deal with the vital question of poor-law reform. It was not because the Government non-ornithological readers. In quoting me Dr. Manson- were not prepared. The Ministry had been thinking over Bahr has not put in the full sentence I used. I did the matter for two or three years, and there had been not say " will act better than either given alone," but constant conferences with local authorities. He understood " it is quite possible, of course, that ... a combination that there was something like general agreement. Why of these two drugs will act better than either given had the Government run away from this question ? It was now stated that poor-law guardians were to stay and alone, but, time only and careful observations will that there was to be no reform. Could not the Government show this." We may leave it at that. The subject is with their big majority force through Parliament the scheme too young yet to dogmatise upon. which they thought necessary ? Did the Government I am, Sir, yours faithfully, want to leave the question to be dealt with by the Labour G. CARMICHAEL LOW. Party or the Liberal Party because they did not feel that they were competent to deal with it ? Having dropped the Factory Bill, was it not about time that the Government really did some constructive work and put forward some THE PRESENT POSITION OF THE scheme to deal with this thorny social problem ? They would never get a solution of the problem of necessitous areas VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS. without taking in hand the reform of the poor-law. The To the Editor of THE LANCET. present poor-law system worked badly throughout the country. London had a right to demand that the system to do not wish further SiB,—I trespass personally of government should be changed. The present poor-law on your space, for there are many, I am sure, much system was gradually breaking up. Through the machinery I must just say of old age pensions the old people were gradually being more fitted to discuss this question. that Dr. Little attributes to me several statements I I taken out of the poor-law, and, thanks to the extension of With some of them I agree, with others ’, the Education Acts, a large number of children were now never made. not. The " 20 per cent. " statement was not mine. relieved through the machinery of the education authorities. All who now remained were the sick and the able-bodied. In regard to my " brick," as he genially calls it, I The original scheme was that the hospitals throughout the disown it, but I stick to it, if you will pardon me. country should be transferred to the county authorities. If Dr. Little really wants to know, let him write to That would be a very simple proposal to carry through, the medical superintendents of London poor-law and would not require any complicated legislation. Even able-bodied who required assistance were very largely, hospitals and ask them how many spare beds they have. the It is quite easy. I can give him a good start myself at any rate for a period, taken away from the local relief with 120 or so extra beds filled over the proper comple- and were paid out of national funds through the machinery of the Insurance Act. Did it not seem the natural line of ment. My statement referred expressly to London. advance to remove from the local rates the able-bodied poor, I said nothing about the rest of the country, not having or to use the phrase in a scheme put forward by the Ministry it I but think would about personal knowledge that ; of Health, to correlate the system of relief with the machinery be worth while to inquire how many of the supposed of unemployment insurance ? If they took the able-bodied surplus beds are in country unions neither situated poor out of the control of the poor-law guardians, and removed the children from their care, and took away the nor equipped to be useful to the chief centres of people, there was little work left for the guardians to population. For the rest I leave it to your readers old to judge how far Dr. Little has met the various points do. The Government, he suggested, were under an obligation to the nation to translate into a Bill the scheme outlined raised. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, by the Minister of Health in 1926. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTE urged that one way in Cross Feb. 1928. Whipps Hospital, 10th, which the Government could help agriculture was by refraining from throwing more burdens on agriculturists by Orders like the Milk and Dairies Order, and for the RECURRENT COLDS. Cream. The Government I Prohibition of Preservatives in were quite ready to bring in Orders like these, but when they To the Editor of THE LANCET. were asked to introduce an Order to prohibit the importation SIR,—May I support -Dr. A. L. Grant’s letter in your of condensed skimmed milk they would not do it. Mr. GROVES raised the question of slum clearances in last issue. I also have found, both in my own West Ham. Every month, he said, the medical officer of and in the cases of others, that I can either health of that reported that 80 per cent. of the abort, or cut short not only that dangerous condition, houses inspectedborough were not considered in all respects reasonthe common cold, but influenza also by means of Mr. ably fit for human habitation. The existence of this slum J. E. R. McDonagh’s symmetrical ureas. property in big boroughs were undermining the health of I am. Sir. vours faithfully. our future citizens, and increasing the deaths among children. He believed that the Government were going to interest MACLEOD YEARSLEY. themselves in a national campaign for the cure of rheumatism.
case
prevent,