Obituary
1
1111 Nurses’, Midwives’ and Health Visitors’ Bill THIS Bill was given an unopposed second reading in the Commons this week. But it was supported with sus- picion and caution by Conservatives and by many Labour M.P.s. The Bill replaces the existing separate bodies responsible for the education, training, and regu- lation of the professions by a single central U.K. council. But there was considerable anxiety among M.p.s that midwives and health visitors might lose their identity in the new structure and there were indications that attempts would be made to amend the legislation in committee. During the debate Mr David Ennals, Secre- tary of State for Social Services, announced the latest nurse recruitment figures, which showed signs that the fall had been halted. Between April and September the number of new students increased by 40% compared with the same period last year. Obituary DONALD McINTOSH JOHNSON M.A., M.B. Cantab. Dr Donald Johnson, who was Conservative member of Parliament for Carlisle from 1955 to 1964, died on Nov. 5 at the age of 75. He was educated at Cheltenham College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and he qualified at St Bartholo- mew’s Hospital, London, in 1926. He held hospital appoint- ments in London and in Surrey before serving in the Grenfell Mission hospitals in Harrington Harbour and St. Anthony’s in Canadian Labrador in 1928-29. On his return he qualified as a barrister, but never practised. From 1930 to 1937 he was in general practice in Thornton Heath. He entered politics as a Liberal, contesting Bury (1935) and Bewdley (1937). In order to finance his political career, he bought the Marlborough Arms Hotel, Woodstock, in 1937; and he was a demonstrator of anatomy at Oxford University in 1937-39. During the war he served as a captain in the R.A.M.C. In 1943 he contested a by-election at Chippenham as an independent and came within 195 votes of victory against David Eccles, who later sponsored him for membership of the Conservative party. After the war he founded his own publishing company, which has published many medical autobiographies (in- cluding his own, A Doctor Regrets), travel books, and books concerned with individual freedom and mental health. He was keen to provide a forum for debate on drug addiction (his own book, Indian Hemp: a Social Menace, appeared in 1952) and on the biochemical basis of schizophrenia. In 1955 he became Conservative member for Carlisle and he was noted for his part in the Mental Health Act of 1959 and for campaigns for changes in the National Health Service. In 1959 he was the first m.p. to suggest the establishment of an ombudsman, and in 1963 he raised the parliamentary debate which led to the setting up of the Parliamentary Commissioner in 1967. In June, 1963 when he called for the resignation of Mr Macmil- lan over his handling of the Profumo affair, he was disowned by his local Conservative association. He fought the 1964 elec- tion as an independent Conservative and Labour regained the seat. He opposed State intervention in medicine. He was the author of The British National Health Service-Friend or Frankenstein?; and he was a vigorous supporter of the Fellow- ship for Freedom in Medicine. He is survived by his second wife. His first wife was killed in an air raid one London. There is a son by his first wife and a son and daughter by his second wife. His second son is also a doctor. Notes and News REFORM OF GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL THE Department of Health and Social Security has issued a consultation paper outlining the Government’s proposals for the reconstitution of the General Medical Council. The pro- posals concur with most of the recommendations made in the 1975 Merrison report.’ There should be an overall member- ship of 94 or 95, consisting of about 50 elected members, 34 appointed members, and 10 or 11 nominated members, serving a five-year term of office. The Merrison report suggested that the choice of appointed members should be a matter solely for the appointing body concerned; the Government proposes a wider approach, allowing appointing bodies to combine in choosing a member. The 10 nominated members, 6 lay and 4 medical, will be appointed by the Crown, but,. whereas the Merrison report called for the exclusion of the chief medical officers of the four health departments in the U.K., the Government feels that their wide range of experience and advice fully justifies their places on the Council. The paper says that provision must also be made for nomination of an additional overseas-qualified doctor in the event of there being no suitably qualified elected or appointed member on the Council. Elected members should be in a majority over the combined appointed and nominated members and the Govern- ment suggests a slightly lower figure than the Merrison report’s recommended total of 54. The consultation paper is intended to give the medical profession and other interested bodies the opportunity to express their views before the new constitution is laid down in Orders in Council. FATSTOCK THOSE of us (50%) who reject meat fat on the plate will wel- come the news that there is a strong economic incentive for producers to reduce the levels of fat on carcasses. So too will those who recommend that consumption of dietary fats, espe- cially saturated fats, should be reduced. The fat content of muscle is basically polyunsaturated, but as adipose fat deposi- tion is increased the saturated fat swamps the essential fatty acids which are characteristic of lean meat and liver. In the U.K. the term "fatstock" means precisely what it says. The meat industry is traditionally based on "well-finished" animals with a substantial layer of subcutaneous fat. However, surveys indicate that the consumer may well prefer a leaner carcass. The methods by which carcass fat could be reduced are detailed in a paper from the Centre for Agricultural Strategy,’ one of four from expert panels which set out to determine the implications for U.K. agriculture of proposed modifications of diet aimed at reducing the incidence of coronary heart-disease, diverticular disease, large-bowel cancer, and obesity. Meat is sold by weight, whether it is fat or lean; however, fat costs more to produce since weight for weight it requires 5-7 times as much energy. The saving to the farmer of marketing leaner stock should bring down the price of meat at the butcher’s. Much of the fat trimmed from meat before sale is used in manufactured meat products which contribute substantially (9.4%) to dietary fat. The amount and type of fat in such pro- ducts cannot be assessed by the consumer. In some respects the manufactured meat industry has developed as a means of mak- ing effective use of surplus fat. Changes in the grade of fatness of livestock at slaughter can be promoted by production of 1. See Lancet, 1975, i, 901. 1. Food, Health and Farming: Reports of Panels on the Implications for U.K Agriculture (edited by C. J. Robbins); C.A.S. Paper 7. Available from Centre for Agricultural Strategy, University of Reading, 2 Earley Gate, Reading R96 2AV. £2.20.
Transcript of Obituary
1111
Nurses’, Midwives’ and Health Visitors’ Bill
THIS Bill was given an unopposed second reading inthe Commons this week. But it was supported with sus-picion and caution by Conservatives and by manyLabour M.P.s. The Bill replaces the existing separatebodies responsible for the education, training, and regu-lation of the professions by a single central U.K. council.But there was considerable anxiety among M.p.s thatmidwives and health visitors might lose their identity inthe new structure and there were indications that
attempts would be made to amend the legislation incommittee. During the debate Mr David Ennals, Secre-tary of State for Social Services, announced the latestnurse recruitment figures, which showed signs that thefall had been halted. Between April and September thenumber of new students increased by 40% comparedwith the same period last year.
Obituary
DONALD McINTOSH JOHNSONM.A., M.B. Cantab.
Dr Donald Johnson, who was Conservative memberof Parliament for Carlisle from 1955 to 1964, died onNov. 5 at the age of 75.He was educated at Cheltenham College and Gonville and
Caius College, Cambridge, and he qualified at St Bartholo-mew’s Hospital, London, in 1926. He held hospital appoint-ments in London and in Surrey before serving in the GrenfellMission hospitals in Harrington Harbour and St. Anthony’s inCanadian Labrador in 1928-29. On his return he qualified asa barrister, but never practised. From 1930 to 1937 he was ingeneral practice in Thornton Heath. He entered politics as aLiberal, contesting Bury (1935) and Bewdley (1937). In orderto finance his political career, he bought the MarlboroughArms Hotel, Woodstock, in 1937; and he was a demonstratorof anatomy at Oxford University in 1937-39. During the warhe served as a captain in the R.A.M.C. In 1943 he contesteda by-election at Chippenham as an independent and camewithin 195 votes of victory against David Eccles, who latersponsored him for membership of the Conservative party.
After the war he founded his own publishing company,which has published many medical autobiographies (in-cluding his own, A Doctor Regrets), travel books, and booksconcerned with individual freedom and mental health. He waskeen to provide a forum for debate on drug addiction (his ownbook, Indian Hemp: a Social Menace, appeared in 1952) andon the biochemical basis of schizophrenia. In 1955 he becameConservative member for Carlisle and he was noted for his
part in the Mental Health Act of 1959 and for campaigns forchanges in the National Health Service. In 1959 he was thefirst m.p. to suggest the establishment of an ombudsman, andin 1963 he raised the parliamentary debate which led to thesetting up of the Parliamentary Commissioner in 1967. InJune, 1963 when he called for the resignation of Mr Macmil-lan over his handling of the Profumo affair, he was disownedby his local Conservative association. He fought the 1964 elec-tion as an independent Conservative and Labour regained theseat.
He opposed State intervention in medicine. He was theauthor of The British National Health Service-Friend orFrankenstein?; and he was a vigorous supporter of the Fellow-ship for Freedom in Medicine.He is survived by his second wife. His first wife was killed
in an air raid one London. There is a son by his first wife anda son and daughter by his second wife. His second son is alsoa doctor.
Notes and News
REFORM OF GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL
THE Department of Health and Social Security has issueda consultation paper outlining the Government’s proposals forthe reconstitution of the General Medical Council. The pro-posals concur with most of the recommendations made in the1975 Merrison report.’ There should be an overall member-ship of 94 or 95, consisting of about 50 elected members, 34appointed members, and 10 or 11 nominated members, servinga five-year term of office. The Merrison report suggested thatthe choice of appointed members should be a matter solely forthe appointing body concerned; the Government proposes awider approach, allowing appointing bodies to combine in
choosing a member. The 10 nominated members, 6 lay and 4medical, will be appointed by the Crown, but,. whereas theMerrison report called for the exclusion of the chief medicalofficers of the four health departments in the U.K., theGovernment feels that their wide range of experience andadvice fully justifies their places on the Council. The papersays that provision must also be made for nomination of anadditional overseas-qualified doctor in the event of there beingno suitably qualified elected or appointed member on theCouncil. Elected members should be in a majority over thecombined appointed and nominated members and the Govern-ment suggests a slightly lower figure than the Merrison
report’s recommended total of 54. The consultation paper isintended to give the medical profession and other interestedbodies the opportunity to express their views before the newconstitution is laid down in Orders in Council.
FATSTOCK
THOSE of us (50%) who reject meat fat on the plate will wel-come the news that there is a strong economic incentive for
producers to reduce the levels of fat on carcasses. So too willthose who recommend that consumption of dietary fats, espe-cially saturated fats, should be reduced. The fat content ofmuscle is basically polyunsaturated, but as adipose fat deposi-tion is increased the saturated fat swamps the essential fattyacids which are characteristic of lean meat and liver. In theU.K. the term "fatstock" means precisely what it says. Themeat industry is traditionally based on "well-finished" animalswith a substantial layer of subcutaneous fat. However, surveysindicate that the consumer may well prefer a leaner carcass.The methods by which carcass fat could be reduced are
detailed in a paper from the Centre for Agricultural Strategy,’one of four from expert panels which set out to determine theimplications for U.K. agriculture of proposed modifications ofdiet aimed at reducing the incidence of coronary heart-disease,diverticular disease, large-bowel cancer, and obesity. Meat issold by weight, whether it is fat or lean; however, fat costsmore to produce since weight for weight it requires 5-7 timesas much energy. The saving to the farmer of marketing leanerstock should bring down the price of meat at the butcher’s.Much of the fat trimmed from meat before sale is used inmanufactured meat products which contribute substantially(9.4%) to dietary fat. The amount and type of fat in such pro-ducts cannot be assessed by the consumer. In some respects themanufactured meat industry has developed as a means of mak-ing effective use of surplus fat. Changes in the grade of fatnessof livestock at slaughter can be promoted by production of
1. See Lancet, 1975, i, 901.1. Food, Health and Farming: Reports of Panels on the Implications for U.K
Agriculture (edited by C. J. Robbins); C.A.S. Paper 7. Available fromCentre for Agricultural Strategy, University of Reading, 2 Earley Gate,Reading R96 2AV. £2.20.
