Notes and News
2
785 also a well informed and avid reader, and for many years he kept up his interest in Greek and the Greek classics. A devoted family man, he was greatly saddened by the loss of his wife, Alice, two years ago. During the last years of his life he was still making new friends, and this indicates most clearly the kind of man he was." DINSHAW JEHANGIR PETIT M.A. Cantab., M.R.C.S., D.P.M. Dr. Dinshaw Petit, who was a senior hospital medical officer at Springfield Hospital, London, died on March 25. He came from India to read law at Cambridge University, where he became M.A., but he went on to study medicine and qualified in 1943. He was then attracted to psychological medicine and took the D.P.M. in 1948. After working as assistant r2.o, at Netherne Hospital, Coulsdon, at Brookwood Hospital, Woking, and at Cefn Coed Hospital, Swansea, he joined the staff of Springfield Hospital in 1950. He is survived by his wife. H. C. B. writes: " When Dr. Dinshaw Petit joined the staff of Springfield Hospital it became immediately apparent that his asset value to his colleagues was to be considerable. He was an exception- ally pleasant colleague, stable, level-headed, mature, and good- humoured. He could turn a phrase with the best and his little chuckle as he sucked his pipe, from which he was seldom separated, was something to be remembered. As a doctor, he was meticulous and conscientious. His patients loved him and he cared for them with a paternalism which was of more therapeutic value than many a medication. His was an in- teresting career in many ways. At the outset he came from India to Europe to carry out a variation of the grand tour, and while exploring the Continent he became very fond of the Riviera. His reading was wide and extensive; he was a brilliant chess player, and a splendid exponent of contract bridge with an uncanny and percipient card sense." Diary of the Week APRIL 13 TO 19 Tuesday, 15th ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London W.C.2 5 P.M. Dr. B. H. Crawford: Colour Rendering-An Exercise in Psycho- physics. (Edridge-Green lecture.) ROYAL POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL, Ducane Road, London W.12 4 P.M. Dr. H. Taussig (Baltimore, U.S.A.): Twenty Years’ Experience with Tetralogy of Fallot. Wednesday, 16th INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGY, The National Hospital, Queen Square, London W.C.l 6 P.M. Dr. N. G. Trott: Properties of Radio Pharmaceuticals Used in Brain Scanning. Dr. James Bull: Critical Approach to the Use of Radiological Procedures in Cerebral Lesions. INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London S.E.5 5.30 P.M. Dr. R. W. Rodnight: Biochemical Changes in Mental Illness- Fact or Fiction ? Thursday, 17th INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGY 6 P.M. Dr. M. R. Dix: Vestibular Neuronitis. MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY 5 P.M. (Medical School.) Paediatrics. Prof. W. W. McCrory: Medical Aspects of Obstructive Nephropathy. Friday, 18th ROYAL POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL 2 P.M. Mr. G. C. Knight: Sterotactic Tractotomy in Mental Illness. 3 P.M. Prof. R. B. Welbourn: Adrenal Tumours. INSTITUTE OF LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY, 330-332 Gray’s Inn Road, London W.C.1 5.30 P.M. Mr. George Qvist: Surgical Management of Various Lung Lesions. ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray’s Inn Road, London W.C.! 12.30 P.M. Dr. R. 0. Recknagel (U.S.A.): Chemical Pathology of Carbon Tetrachloride. Notes and News LITHIUM OUR leader of April 5 (p.709) stated that " Lithium has escaped the scrutiny of the Committee on the Safety of Drugs because it is not technically a new drug...." This statement does not apply to’ Priadel ’ controlled-release lithium carbonate B.P.C. (1949) marketed by Delandale Laboratories Ltd., Canterbury, Kent. Priadel was approved for marketing by the Committee on the Safety of Drugs on Sept. 26, 1968. We apologise for this error. In our leader we referred to the need for careful control of lithium treatment, including regular determination of serum- lithium levels. NUFFIELD TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIPS REVISED THE Nuffield Foundation has revised the conditions on which it awards travelling fellowships to general practitioners. Awards may now be made for a period from two to six months. The Trustees hope that this will encourage candidates who could not formerly have applied because they were unable to leave their practice for a full six months. As a result, more fellowships may be awarded, although the total amount spent will not change. Provisions for assistance in a fellow’s practice during his absence will also be more flexible: each candidate should explain his own needs. Details appear in our advertise- ment columns this week (p. 34). PEOPLE AND CANCER THE object of the newly formed British Cancer Council is " to promote education on the subject of cancer and its pre- vention, treatment, and after-care "; and in furtherance of this aim the Council held its first symposium, entitled People and Cancer, at the Royal College of Physicians of London on March 26. In a session on the Public and the Profession, Mr. John Wakefield and Dr. E. C. Easson described some of the findings of the well-established Manchester group, and illustrated how uphill is the task of the health educator in cancer. The general pessimism of the public about cancer was reflected in the fact that patients who suspected that a lump in the breast might be cancer delayed between one and a half and three times as long before seeking help as those who did not suspect. Even among doctors and medical students unjustifiable pessimism persisted. Dr. Easson showed that most cancer deaths take place within two to three years of diagnosis and that after a period of declining mortality, ranging in different cancers from four to twelve years, it is possible to talk of " cure," since the expectation of life then becomes identical with that of a " normal " person of the same age and sex. Only the conviction that a good prognosis is really possible would provide the stimulus to seek earlier treatment. During the discussion on the doctor and the patient the emphasis was uniformly on responsibility and concern for the patient throughout his whole illness, from diagnosis to recovery or death. The needs of the patient as a whole person, his claim to support and truthfulness, and the requirements of his family were all brought out; and continuity of care was clearly illus- trated. Sir John Bruce emphasised particularly the need to communicate optimism even when the prognosis seemed gloomy. This approach was always justifiable and compatible with truthfulness in view of the remarkable examples of latency or spontaneous remission. The aim was to help the patient to come to terms courageously and gradually with deterioration if it came. The David Kissen memorial lecture was given by Arch- bishop Anthony Bloom, who is a doctor as well as the head of the Russian Church in Britain. He spoke of the fear of suffer- ing, which is an anguish greater than any physical suffering; and of the need for silence, peacefulness, and attentive concern when visiting the dying. He pleaded for less secrecy and fear, for letting children be aware of death in those they love and indeed to see them after death. The bearing of burdens should be reciprocal: the dying may give support to the living.
Transcript of Notes and News
785
also a well informed and avid reader, and for many years hekept up his interest in Greek and the Greek classics. A devotedfamily man, he was greatly saddened by the loss of his wife,Alice, two years ago. During the last years of his life he wasstill making new friends, and this indicates most clearly thekind of man he was."
DINSHAW JEHANGIR PETITM.A. Cantab., M.R.C.S., D.P.M.
Dr. Dinshaw Petit, who was a senior hospital medicalofficer at Springfield Hospital, London, died on March 25.He came from India to read law at Cambridge University,
where he became M.A., but he went on to study medicineand qualified in 1943. He was then attracted to psychologicalmedicine and took the D.P.M. in 1948. After working as
assistant r2.o, at Netherne Hospital, Coulsdon, at BrookwoodHospital, Woking, and at Cefn Coed Hospital, Swansea, hejoined the staff of Springfield Hospital in 1950.He is survived by his wife.H. C. B. writes:
" When Dr. Dinshaw Petit joined the staff of SpringfieldHospital it became immediately apparent that his asset valueto his colleagues was to be considerable. He was an exception-ally pleasant colleague, stable, level-headed, mature, and good-humoured. He could turn a phrase with the best and his littlechuckle as he sucked his pipe, from which he was seldomseparated, was something to be remembered. As a doctor, hewas meticulous and conscientious. His patients loved him andhe cared for them with a paternalism which was of moretherapeutic value than many a medication. His was an in-
teresting career in many ways. At the outset he came fromIndia to Europe to carry out a variation of the grand tour, andwhile exploring the Continent he became very fond of theRiviera. His reading was wide and extensive; he was a brilliantchess player, and a splendid exponent of contract bridge withan uncanny and percipient card sense."
Diary of the Week
APRIL 13 TO 19
Tuesday, 15thROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London
W.C.25 P.M. Dr. B. H. Crawford: Colour Rendering-An Exercise in Psycho-
physics. (Edridge-Green lecture.)ROYAL POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL, Ducane Road, London W.12
4 P.M. Dr. H. Taussig (Baltimore, U.S.A.): Twenty Years’ Experiencewith Tetralogy of Fallot.
Wednesday, 16thINSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGY, The National Hospital, Queen Square, London
W.C.l6 P.M. Dr. N. G. Trott: Properties of Radio Pharmaceuticals Used in
Brain Scanning. Dr. James Bull: Critical Approach to the Useof Radiological Procedures in Cerebral Lesions.
INSTITUTE OF PSYCHIATRY, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London S.E.55.30 P.M. Dr. R. W. Rodnight: Biochemical Changes in Mental Illness-
Fact or Fiction ?
Thursday, 17thINSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGY
6 P.M. Dr. M. R. Dix: Vestibular Neuronitis.MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY
5 P.M. (Medical School.) Paediatrics. Prof. W. W. McCrory: MedicalAspects of Obstructive Nephropathy.
Friday, 18thROYAL POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL
2 P.M. Mr. G. C. Knight: Sterotactic Tractotomy in Mental Illness.3 P.M. Prof. R. B. Welbourn: Adrenal Tumours.
INSTITUTE OF LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY, 330-332 Gray’s Inn Road,London W.C.1
5.30 P.M. Mr. George Qvist: Surgical Management of Various LungLesions.
ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray’s Inn Road, London W.C.!12.30 P.M. Dr. R. 0. Recknagel (U.S.A.): Chemical Pathology of Carbon
Tetrachloride.
Notes and News
LITHIUM
OUR leader of April 5 (p.709) stated that " Lithium hasescaped the scrutiny of the Committee on the Safety of Drugsbecause it is not technically a new drug...." This statementdoes not apply to’ Priadel ’ controlled-release lithium carbonateB.P.C. (1949) marketed by Delandale Laboratories Ltd.,Canterbury, Kent. Priadel was approved for marketing by theCommittee on the Safety of Drugs on Sept. 26, 1968. Weapologise for this error.
In our leader we referred to the need for careful control oflithium treatment, including regular determination of serum-lithium levels.
NUFFIELD TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIPS REVISED
THE Nuffield Foundation has revised the conditions onwhich it awards travelling fellowships to general practitioners.Awards may now be made for a period from two to six months.The Trustees hope that this will encourage candidates whocould not formerly have applied because they were unable toleave their practice for a full six months. As a result, morefellowships may be awarded, although the total amount spentwill not change. Provisions for assistance in a fellow’s practiceduring his absence will also be more flexible: each candidateshould explain his own needs. Details appear in our advertise-ment columns this week (p. 34).
PEOPLE AND CANCER
THE object of the newly formed British Cancer Council is" to promote education on the subject of cancer and its pre-vention, treatment, and after-care "; and in furtherance of thisaim the Council held its first symposium, entitled People andCancer, at the Royal College of Physicians of London onMarch 26. In a session on the Public and the Profession, Mr.John Wakefield and Dr. E. C. Easson described some of thefindings of the well-established Manchester group, andillustrated how uphill is the task of the health educator incancer. The general pessimism of the public about cancer wasreflected in the fact that patients who suspected that a lump inthe breast might be cancer delayed between one and a halfand three times as long before seeking help as those who didnot suspect. Even among doctors and medical students
unjustifiable pessimism persisted. Dr. Easson showed thatmost cancer deaths take place within two to three years ofdiagnosis and that after a period of declining mortality, rangingin different cancers from four to twelve years, it is possible totalk of " cure," since the expectation of life then becomesidentical with that of a " normal " person of the same age andsex. Only the conviction that a good prognosis is reallypossible would provide the stimulus to seek earlier treatment.During the discussion on the doctor and the patient the
emphasis was uniformly on responsibility and concern for thepatient throughout his whole illness, from diagnosis to recoveryor death. The needs of the patient as a whole person, his claimto support and truthfulness, and the requirements of his familywere all brought out; and continuity of care was clearly illus-trated. Sir John Bruce emphasised particularly the need tocommunicate optimism even when the prognosis seemedgloomy. This approach was always justifiable and compatiblewith truthfulness in view of the remarkable examples of latencyor spontaneous remission. The aim was to help the patient tocome to terms courageously and gradually with deteriorationif it came.The David Kissen memorial lecture was given by Arch-
bishop Anthony Bloom, who is a doctor as well as the head ofthe Russian Church in Britain. He spoke of the fear of suffer-ing, which is an anguish greater than any physical suffering;and of the need for silence, peacefulness, and attentive concernwhen visiting the dying. He pleaded for less secrecy and fear,for letting children be aware of death in those they love andindeed to see them after death. The bearing of burdens shouldbe reciprocal: the dying may give support to the living.
786
TRAFFIC AND SUPPLY IN A NEW HOSPITAL
IT would be hard to discover a more difficult site for a newdistrict general hospital than that at Greenwich. In the midstof dense population, the new hospital has to creep into exist-ence without causing too much disruption of the old Green-wich and Deptford Union Workhouse and its more modernappendages, now known as the St. Alfege’s wing of theGreenwich District Hospital. Very little is on the side of theplanners. The work has been undertaken in the main as adirect labour scheme of the Department of Health and SocialSecurity. The team from the architects branch of the Depart-ment and a member of the N.H.S. central organisation andmethods unit have looked at the problems of hospital trafficand supply vis-a-vis Greenwich and they have produced agreat quantity of information. King Edward’s Hospital Fundinvited these researchers to the Hospital Centre in London topass their findings to a day’s conference. The material pre-sented was judged by the King’s Fund to be of interest toall concerned with hospital planning. So the papers havebeen brought up to date and edited, with copious notebookillustrations, as Hospital Traffic and Supply Problems.1
Much of the emphasis is on the Greenwich scheme, but thethought processes, the methods of approach, and the basicintelligence are for all in the planning business. After an intro-duction to the whole Greenwich scheme, the book examines indetail the design concept, the movement of people, the move-ment of goods, the supply of meals, and storage. WhenGreenwich District General Hospital is complete there will bemany and long arguments for and against every decision takenduring the design stage, but whether the decisions eventuallyprove to be right or wrong the background to them will neverbe found inadequate.
University of LondonSir Brian Windeyer, professor of radiology (therapeutics) at
the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, has been elected vice-chancellor for the university year 1969-70.The title of professor of surgical science has been conferred
on Dr. D. G. Melrose in respect of his post at the RoyalPostgraduate Medical School, and that of professor of hsemato-logy on Dr. J. W. Stewart in respect of his post at the MiddlesexHospital Medical School. The title of reader in biochemistry asapplied to medicine has been conferred on Dr. Barbara H.Billing in respect of her post at the Royal Free Hospital Schoolof Medicine.
University of BirminghamThe title of honorary reader in traumatology has been
conferred on Dr. J. P. Bull, of honorary reader in skin pathologyon Dr. C. N. D. Cruickshank. The title of reader in virologyhas been conferred on Dr. H. S. Bedson and on Dr. D. H.Watson. Dr. E. L. Jones has been appointed lecturer in
pathology.
University of East AfricaThe following have passed the examination for the M.B.,
CH.B.:
S. H. Adatia (U), M. L. Bagenda (U), E. W. Batambuze (U), E. R.Bazira (U), K. S. Dhillon (K), P. Emurwon (U), S. L. Fernandez (U),A. Hokororo (T), S. M. Janmohamed (T), B. S. Kachra (T), M. Kaisl (T),G. B. Kassam (T), H. C. Kessy (T), R. A. Khakoo (T), M. E. M. Kibuka-musoke (U), S. N. King (K), D. M. Kirya (U), K. Kumari (T), A. Z.Lobo (K), J. M. Luyombya-Sengero (U), W. Mahalu (T), J. G. S.Makumbi (U), S. 0. Mallinga (U), M. P. Mandara (T), R. N. Masembe (U),D. R. Mugerwa (U), E. J. Muguma (U), D. Mwakyusa (T), G. M. P.Mwaluko (T), M. E. Nurbhai (T), J. C. Okumu-Achandere (U),W. Okwonga (U), F. G. Omaswa (U), L. S. Otieno (K), D. B. Patel (T),W. J. Paulsen (U), S. K. Rumanda (U), J. K. A. Rwebugisa (T), I. C.Sequeira (K), S. A. K. S. Verjee (K), I. E. Wagga (K), H. 0. Aseso (K),J. M. Bello (Malawi), A. Chibule (K), A. B. C. Dallas (T), R. K. A. Kalya (K),J. W. Matseshe (K), M. Mugambi (K), A. W. Mugenya (K), P. Oyoo (K),M. G. Sande (K), F. M. Hassanali (T), M. Virji (T).
UUgandan; K=Kenyan; T=Tanzanian.
1. Hospital Traffic and Supply Problems. King Edward’s Hospital Fundfor London. 1969. Pp. 130. 23s. 6d.
Royal College of Physicians of LondonSir Max Rosenheim has been re-elected president of the
college.
Royal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsA meeting on sterilisation is to be held at the college,
27 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, London N.W.I, on Friday,June 6, at 9.35 A.M. Tickets (42s., including lunch) may behad from the secretary of the college.
World Health OrganisationThe United Kingdom Committee for W.H.O. is to hold
a meeting to celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of W.H.O.and the fiftieth anniversary of the International Labour Office,at 5.30 P.M., on Tuesday, April 15, at the Royal College ofPhysicians of London, 11 St. Andrew’s Place, Regent’s Park,N.W.I. The theme will be health, labour, and productivity,and Sir George Godber will be one of the speakers.
Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneA meeting of the Edinburgh branch of this society is to be
held at the Postgraduate Board of Medicine, Hill Square,Edinburgh, on Wednesday, April 23, at 7.15 P.M. Prof. P. C. C.Garnham will give the presidential address, which will be onthe role of the spleen in protecting man against protozoalinfections, with special reference to piroplasmosis.
Reproductive EndocrinologyThe Endocrine Section of the Royal Society of Medicine is
to hold a symposium on this subject on May 10 in the WilliamRobertson building lecture theatre, George Square, Edin-burgh 8. Details appear in our advertisement columns thisweek.
Mr. Robin Brook has been appointed chairman of the Board ofGovernors of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, in succession toSir Michael Perrin.
CORRIGENDA: Catecholamine Excretion.-In the article by Dr.D. E. Jewitt and his colleagues (March 29, p. 635) four legends werewrongly numbered and appeared out of place. The legend belowfig. 8 refers to fig. 5, that below fig. 5 refers to fig. 6, that below fig. 6refers to fig. 7, and that below fig. 7 refers to fig. 8.
Rheumatic Symptoms and Oral Contraceptives.-In this letter
(March 15, p. 571) by Dr. Spiera and Professor Plotz, the last sen-tence of the first paragraph should read,
" On cessation of the oralcontraceptive, the signs and symptoms disappeared in from two tosix weeks ..." (not months).
AppointmentsBRODIE, H. McL., M.B. St. And.: deputy area M.o., National Coal Board,
North Yorkshire area.
DALY, J. J., M.D. Cantab., M.R.C.P. : consultant physician, Royal Hospital,Sheffield.
EADIE, D. G. A., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant surgeon in vascular sur-gery, London Hospital.
EvANS, D. B., M.B. Wales, M.R.C.P. : consultant physician, Addenbrooke’sHospital, Cambridge.
GRANT, G. L., M.B. Aberd., D.P.H., D.I.H.: assistant senior M.o., EasternR.H.B., Scotland.
JACKSON, P. M., M.B. Wales, D.P.M. : consultant child psychiatrist, Devonand Exeter clinical area.
JOHNSTON, NATALIE M., L.R.C.P.E., D.P.H. : senior administrative M.o. forpersonal and child-health services, Birmingham.
JONES, AUDREY J., M.B. Sheff.: senior M.O., Bromley.McADAM, A. H., M.A. Glasg., M.B. St. And., F.R.C.S.E., D.o.: consultant
ophthalmic surgeon, King’s Lynn and Wisbech area, East AnglianR.H.B.
PARKINSON, M. J., B.M. Oxon., F.R.C.S.E., D.o.: consultant ophthalmicsurgeon, Ipswich and East Suffolk area, East Anglian R.H.B.
POLLOCK, ANDREW, M.B. Glasg., M.C.PATH.: consultant hsematologist, UnitedBirmingham Hospitals.
SMITH, D. S., M.D. Lond., M.C.PATH. : director, Regional Blood TransfusionService.
Middlesex Hospital, LondonCORBETT, MARY, M.B. Lond., M.R.C.P.. : consultant rheumatologist and
consultant in physical medicine.DAVIES, D. G., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant otolaryngologist.WEDGWOOD, JOHN, M.D. Cantab., F.R.C.P. : consultant geriatrician.
