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WAR EMERGENCY FUND OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL BENEVOLENT FUND.
927 the treatment of infected wounds. The introduction of Brilliant Green as an antiseptic in the treatment of wounds by Leitch3 appears to have been a valuable practical outcome of attention drawn to this substance by our earlier work, and we have also recommended I Flavine " ("Acrinavine ") as a result of the continuation of this work, the original experimental part of which wascarried out here with a sample which had been supplied to us under the auspices of the late Professor Ehrlich in 1912. The Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology of the Medical Research Committee has been especially helpful by preparing the latter compound, and so affording a considerable quantity for clinical trial of what, up till recently, we believed to be the most valuable member of this group; in this way they supplemented our slender store of somewhat less suitable compounds of the same type (acridine dyes), although the latter, judging by the opinion of Colonel Pilcher, D.S.O. (see Browning, Gulbransen, Kennaway, and Thornton,’ also James 4) and the report by Dr. Ligat,also proved valuable clinically. The assistance afforded by the Medical Research Committee, as well as by the Royal Society’s Scientific Grants Committee, towards this work of the Bland-Sutton Institute was acknowledged in the only publication which It is, of course, almost unnecessary to say we have made. that neither the staff of the Institute nor the Hospital has been concerned in any way with the production and supply of IFlavine." The Medical Research Committee’s Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology has since then continued to give us valuable aid, especially by providing an experimental supply of " Proflavine" (the basic constituent of which had been examined by Browning and Gilmour 6). We have had no opportunity of acknowledging the latter, as we have as yet made no publication on the investigation of its properties. However, the tribute to the Committee’s aid paid by Sir John Bland-Sutton in his speech at a recent quarterly meeting of the Board of Governors of the Middlesex Hospital and widely published in the daily press prior to the appearance of the Medical Research Committee’s official communication, would appear to have anticipated the latter in a generous and sympathetic correction of any erroneous impression which might have existed anywhere in the public I am, Sir, yours faithfully, mind. C. H. BROWNING. Bland-Sutton Institute of Pathology, Middlesex Hospital, June llth. ** Since receiving Dr. Browning’s letter the following communication has reached THE LANCET from the Medical Research Committee:—"By the courtesy of Dr. Browning the Committee have had an opportunity of seeing the foregoing statement. They would entirely confirm the accuracy of the account Dr. Browning gives. Their communication to the lay press last week was made to correct so far as possible the results of recent statements made in the lay press which were based upon misapprehension of the present situation in regard to the properties and the supply of Acriflavine, and must have been an equal source of embarrassment to all concerned. They would greatly regret that their communication should be read in any other sense."
practical applicationin
Correspondence. "Audi alteram
partem."
WAR EMERGENCY FUND OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL BENEVOLENT FUND. To tlte Editor of THE LANCET. time has come to make a further appeal for SiR,-The the War Emergency Fund. This fund was instituted last year to afford assistance to members of our profession who, in consequence of having joined the Army Medical Service, find themselves in temporary difficulties. Many medical men when called up had to leave on very short notice, without time to make adequate provision for the continuance and maintenance of their practices during their absence. As the result they have had to face a severe fall in income even when supplemented by Army pay, while many expenses, such as rent, insurance, taxes, family maintenance, and education, could not be reduced. Although in a year or two after their return it may be hoped those affected will recover their position, still in the interval that help is and will be necessary, and it is to meet these needs that the War Emergency Fund was established. To be effective the grants must be made on a liberal scale, and the fund from which they are to be drawn must be a large one. The sum obtained last year was about This is quite inadequate, as at least f:25,OOO will .&4000. be required, if even a small proportion of those requiring assistance is to be helped. From the wealthier members of the medical profession, it is hoped, substantial sums will be received, but everyone will feel it a duty which he owes to his less. prosperous colleagues to give the most liberal donation he can afford. At the same time the appeal is not, and ought not to be, restricted to the medical profession. The public, too, may be rightly called upon to bear its share, and to show by liberal contributions its appreciation of the special services so freely rendered by the medical profession to the country. The War Emergency Fund is a special department of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. It is kept separate and distinct from the ordinary operations of the general fund and is under the management of a committee specially appointed for the purpose. Communications should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, War Emergency Fund, 11, Chandos-street, Cavendish-square, W. 1, to whom cheques should be made payable.-We are, Sir, yours faithfully, SAMUEL WEST, President. CHARTERS J. SYMONDS, Hon.Treas., Col., A.M.S. June 9th, 1917. G. NEWTON PITT, Hon. Sec., Major,R.A.M.C.T.
THE ANTISEPTIC "FLAVINE
" (ACRI-
FLAVINE). To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-Under the above hearing an official statement by
the Medical Research Committee appeared in your journal last week. As the original publication concerningFlavine was made from this department and based on work by several members of the staff (Browning, Gulbransen, Kennaway, and Thornton 1), the unfortunate impression might be created unintentionally in the minds of those reading the Medical Research Committee’s statement that we had neglected to acknowledge its share in furthering this work. I would, therefore, add to what it has said that when after the outbreak of the war it seemed to us that further investigation on antiseptics was urgently required, the Medical Research Committee was approached with a view to securing its support for this department of the Middlesex Hospital on the subject, and we met with most cordial interest, the first material outcome being that the Committee provided the emoluments of one part-time worker. As a result of the combined facilities afforded by the Hospital and by the Medical Research Committee it was possible to resume work on the lines of that which had been done by myself along with Gilmour2 in Professor Muir’s department at Glasgow University some years ago and before this country enjoyed the benefit of the operations of a State Medical Research Committee ; thus we were-able here to develop the investigation with a view to a "
1 Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20th, 1917. 2 Journ. of Path. and Bact., vol. xviii., 1913, p. 144.
THE
LUMLEIAN LECTURES MEDICAL RESEARCH.
AND
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR, -The last course of Lumleian lectures1 relates without comment the transition from the purely myogenic conception of the excitatory mechanism of the heart, entertained not long ago by the new cardiologists, to the neuro-myogenic now gaining favour. The lecturer duly erects the familiar backpressure ninepins in the new cardiological bowling-alley, of which the neo-cardiologist appears to be capable of entertaining only one conception, and proceeds to knock them over with his modern aspect bowls of cardiac failure. He makes no more sufficient reference to the influence of the mechanical valvular factor in the circulation than did Sir James. Mackenzie, the Oliver-Sharpey lecturer in 1911, although some remarksof the latter in his letter in THE LANCET of May 26th suggest that his horizon has been somewhat widened on this point since that not very distant date. Questions of blood weight, blood pressure, and the relative influence of the arterial 4 R.A.M.C. Journ., March. 1917. Brit. Med. Jour., Feb. 12th. 1916. 5 Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20th. 1917. 6 Loc. cit. The Lumleian lectures were published in THE LANCET of March 17th, 24th, and 31st.
3
1
practical applicationin
Correspondence. "Audi alteram
partem."
WAR EMERGENCY FUND OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL BENEVOLENT FUND. To tlte Editor of THE LANCET. time has come to make a further appeal for SiR,-The the War Emergency Fund. This fund was instituted last year to afford assistance to members of our profession who, in consequence of having joined the Army Medical Service, find themselves in temporary difficulties. Many medical men when called up had to leave on very short notice, without time to make adequate provision for the continuance and maintenance of their practices during their absence. As the result they have had to face a severe fall in income even when supplemented by Army pay, while many expenses, such as rent, insurance, taxes, family maintenance, and education, could not be reduced. Although in a year or two after their return it may be hoped those affected will recover their position, still in the interval that help is and will be necessary, and it is to meet these needs that the War Emergency Fund was established. To be effective the grants must be made on a liberal scale, and the fund from which they are to be drawn must be a large one. The sum obtained last year was about This is quite inadequate, as at least f:25,OOO will .&4000. be required, if even a small proportion of those requiring assistance is to be helped. From the wealthier members of the medical profession, it is hoped, substantial sums will be received, but everyone will feel it a duty which he owes to his less. prosperous colleagues to give the most liberal donation he can afford. At the same time the appeal is not, and ought not to be, restricted to the medical profession. The public, too, may be rightly called upon to bear its share, and to show by liberal contributions its appreciation of the special services so freely rendered by the medical profession to the country. The War Emergency Fund is a special department of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. It is kept separate and distinct from the ordinary operations of the general fund and is under the management of a committee specially appointed for the purpose. Communications should be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, War Emergency Fund, 11, Chandos-street, Cavendish-square, W. 1, to whom cheques should be made payable.-We are, Sir, yours faithfully, SAMUEL WEST, President. CHARTERS J. SYMONDS, Hon.Treas., Col., A.M.S. June 9th, 1917. G. NEWTON PITT, Hon. Sec., Major,R.A.M.C.T.
THE ANTISEPTIC "FLAVINE
" (ACRI-
FLAVINE). To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-Under the above hearing an official statement by
the Medical Research Committee appeared in your journal last week. As the original publication concerningFlavine was made from this department and based on work by several members of the staff (Browning, Gulbransen, Kennaway, and Thornton 1), the unfortunate impression might be created unintentionally in the minds of those reading the Medical Research Committee’s statement that we had neglected to acknowledge its share in furthering this work. I would, therefore, add to what it has said that when after the outbreak of the war it seemed to us that further investigation on antiseptics was urgently required, the Medical Research Committee was approached with a view to securing its support for this department of the Middlesex Hospital on the subject, and we met with most cordial interest, the first material outcome being that the Committee provided the emoluments of one part-time worker. As a result of the combined facilities afforded by the Hospital and by the Medical Research Committee it was possible to resume work on the lines of that which had been done by myself along with Gilmour2 in Professor Muir’s department at Glasgow University some years ago and before this country enjoyed the benefit of the operations of a State Medical Research Committee ; thus we were-able here to develop the investigation with a view to a "
1 Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20th, 1917. 2 Journ. of Path. and Bact., vol. xviii., 1913, p. 144.
THE
LUMLEIAN LECTURES MEDICAL RESEARCH.
AND
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR, -The last course of Lumleian lectures1 relates without comment the transition from the purely myogenic conception of the excitatory mechanism of the heart, entertained not long ago by the new cardiologists, to the neuro-myogenic now gaining favour. The lecturer duly erects the familiar backpressure ninepins in the new cardiological bowling-alley, of which the neo-cardiologist appears to be capable of entertaining only one conception, and proceeds to knock them over with his modern aspect bowls of cardiac failure. He makes no more sufficient reference to the influence of the mechanical valvular factor in the circulation than did Sir James. Mackenzie, the Oliver-Sharpey lecturer in 1911, although some remarksof the latter in his letter in THE LANCET of May 26th suggest that his horizon has been somewhat widened on this point since that not very distant date. Questions of blood weight, blood pressure, and the relative influence of the arterial 4 R.A.M.C. Journ., March. 1917. Brit. Med. Jour., Feb. 12th. 1916. 5 Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20th. 1917. 6 Loc. cit. The Lumleian lectures were published in THE LANCET of March 17th, 24th, and 31st.
3
1