Public Health
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146 Public Health The Tuberculous in Birmingham TEBRB are some 5000 known cases of lung tuberculosis at large in the community of Birmingham, and about half of these are capable of infecting other people. The public-health committee of the city, who give these figures in a recent report,! have proposed plans for devel- oping the tuberculosis service, and for providing reable- ment, employment, and housing for the tuberculous. The hospital surveyors reporting on behalf of the Ministry of Health in 1945 said that developments in Birmingham had been piecemeal, patients being treated in four tuberculosis hospitals and sanatoria. This has led, the surveyors thought, to extravagance in staffing and undesirable economies in equipment--three of the sanatoria lacked X-ray plants-and they suggested that these institutions should be replaced by one large sanatorium. The public-health committee believe there are valid arguments against such a plan. In a single institution of 1656 beds-the number judged to be needed-the medical superintendent could not know each convalescent patient as he should. They feel it would be better to have one central relatively large institution for preliminary observation and treatment, whence patients, could be sent to smaller sanatoria for convalescence. At present only 811 beds are available, so the plan contemplates a service more than twice the existing size. The Yardley Green Road Sanatorium is to be enlarged to form the central admission centre and treat- ment hospital, from which women patients will go to Romsley Hill Sanatorium and men to West Heath. Children are to be admitted direct to a much enlarged sanatorium at Salterley Grange, which would receive cases of all types. Yardley Green is near the centre of the city, but the other advantages of the site are thought to outweigh this disadvantage, climatic conditions being favourable and the hospital easily accessible to patients and friends ; moreover the span of treatment in this central institution is expected to be short, patients soon being transferred to the cleaner air of the outlying sanatoria. It is somewhat disappointing to learn that the committee have rejected the recommendation of the hospital surveyors that this central institution " should be closely linked with the University Thoracic Unit," in so far as that would imply that the thoracic unit at the sanatorium should be closed down ; though so far as staff and professional cooperation are concerned there would be the closest linkage. Chest operations, the committee consider, must be regarded merely as an incident in treatment, and it would not be in a patient’s interests to send him for treatment to " a clinic not concerned with his tuberculous condition as such, but merely as a subject for special surgery." They therefore propose to continue and extend the thoracic surgery unit at Yardley Green Road. Both the outlying sanatoria are to develop reablement. At Romsley Hill there will be workshops for 100 patients, and at West Heath workshops for 150. Diversional therapy will begin at Yardley Green Road, and at the outlying sanatoria vocational therapy will succeed it as soon as the patient is well enough. Workshops properly equipped and staffed will fit the patient either for his return to his own work or for the work which he will finally be able to undertake. In addition, the Disabled Persons Corporation Ltd., established under the 1944 Act, is to set up a factory where tuberculous people can be employed under sheltered conditions. Some will live at home and work at the factory, while others will live at hostels in Yardley Green Road Sana- torium. The committee also hope to gain the help of the estates committee in considering arrangements for housing appropriate tuberculous patients who live at home. The whole programme, though it may appear ambitious, does not go beyond the needs of the city if tuberculosis is to be brought under control ; and the committee rightly pay tribute to Dr. Geddes, the chief clinical tuberculosis officer, on whose thorough and painstaking review their recommendations are based. 1. Report of the Public Health and Maternity and Child Welfare Committee to the City Council of Birmingham, June 4, 1946. Notes and News WORLD FEDERATION OF SCIENTISTS A TWO-DAY international conference, attended by delegates and observers from 14 countries and 18 organisations, was opened in London on July 20, to found an international federa. tion of scientific workers. The objects of the federation, in whose foundation the British Association has taken the initiative, include the fullest utilisation of science for promoting peace and human welfare ; the application of science to the solution of urgent problems, such as the peaceful use of atomic energy and the rehabilitation of devastated countries, and to the problems of undeveloped and colonial countries ; the promo- tion of international cooperation in science and technology; and the exchange of scientific workers and knowledge. Prof. Joliot-Curie (Paris) was elected president; Academician N. N. Semenov (Moscow) and Prof. J. D. Bernal, r.R.s. (London), vice-presidents; and Mr. Harlow.Shapley, PH.D. (United States), treasurer. I MEMORIAL TO NURSES AND MIDWIVES MORE than 17,000 has already been raised towards the memorial fund instituted seven months ago (Lancet, Jan. 12, p. 75) for the nurses and midwives who fell in the war. The first object of the fund, whose patron is the Queen, is to furnish a chapel in Westminster Abbey to house the roll of honour of those who have fallen. Gifts in excess of the sum required for this purpose (about E5000) will be used to form a fund to benefit the nurses and midwives of the Empire and Commonwealth. The hon. secretary is Miss J. Elise Gordon, editor of the Nursing Mirror, which is paying all administra- tive expenses ; and the address is Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.I. BRITISH-SWISS MEDICAL CONFERENCE THE speakers at the conference to be held in Basle on Sept. 16-21 have now been announced. The British speakers will include : Sir Hugh Cairns, neurosurgery ; Dr. E. A. Carmichael, man in relation to his environment (heat and cold) ; Prof. E. C. Dodds, F.R.S., synthetic oestrogens in rela- tion to cancer; Dr. N. Hamilton Fairley, F.R.S., tropical diseases with special reference to the prevention of malaria and typhus ; JProf. A. C. Frazer, normal and defective fat absorption in man ; Dr. Donald Hunter, industrial medicine; Prof. R. A. McCance, nutritional problems; Dr. John McMichael, circulatory problems ; Mr. J. J. Mason Brown, arterial surgery ; Dr. J. S. Mitchell, experimental radiology; Dr. R. R. Race, the rhesus factor ; Sir Reginald Watson- Jones, surgical rehabilitation ; and Prof. F. G. Young, D.se., experimental diabetes. Among the Swiss speakers will be: Prof. E. Grasset, primitive tuberculosis, primary infection and " premunition " ; Prof. L. Riledi, acoustic trauma, its origin and prevention ; Prof. R. Meier, specificity and differentiation of sympathicotropic drug action ; Dr. J. E. Wolf, combined climatic and surgical treatment of the lungs; Prof. H. Mooser, twenty years of research in typhus ; Prof. A. Fleisch, nutrition in Switzerland during the war ; Prof. A. Vannotti, adaptation of tissue respiration to effort and altitude; Prof. H. Krayenbuhl, immediate and ultimate results of carotid ligation in intracranial aneurysms ; Prof. F. Verzar, muscular efficiency ; and Prof. H. Rossier, cardiac localisations of thrombo-angiitis obliterans. Further informa- tion may be obtained from the Royal Society of Medicine, 1, Wimpole Street, London, W.I. CONCESSIONS TO NURSING ORDERLIES LIKE the General Nursing Council for England and Wales, the General Nursing Council for Scotland has now agreed that ex-Service men and women with first-class qualifications as nursing orderlies shall be allowed to sit for the State exami- nation after an intensive course lasting a year, and the Department of Health for Scotland is arranging courses at two hospitals. Students granted this concession must have had the same experience as those seeking it in England- namely, two years’ experience of nursing in a Service hospital under a State-registered nurse, and one of the following Forces qualifications : Nursing orderly, class I, or nursing member, class I (Army). Leading sick berth attendant (Navy). Leading aircraftman or aircraftwoman in the trade of nursing orderly (Royal Air Force). Men and women who have had two years’ experience of the kind but do not hold one of these qualifications are eligible for six months’ remission of the three-year course for State
Transcript of Public Health
146
Public Health
The Tuberculous in BirminghamTEBRB are some 5000 known cases of lung tuberculosis
at large in the community of Birmingham, and abouthalf of these are capable of infecting other people. Thepublic-health committee of the city, who give thesefigures in a recent report,! have proposed plans for devel-oping the tuberculosis service, and for providing reable-ment, employment, and housing for the tuberculous.The hospital surveyors reporting on behalf of the Ministryof Health in 1945 said that developments in Birminghamhad been piecemeal, patients being treated in fourtuberculosis hospitals and sanatoria. This has led,the surveyors thought, to extravagance in staffing andundesirable economies in equipment--three of thesanatoria lacked X-ray plants-and they suggestedthat these institutions should be replaced by one largesanatorium. The public-health committee believe thereare valid arguments against such a plan. In a singleinstitution of 1656 beds-the number judged to beneeded-the medical superintendent could not knoweach convalescent patient as he should. They feel itwould be better to have one central relatively largeinstitution for preliminary observation and treatment,whence patients, could be sent to smaller sanatoriafor convalescence.At present only 811 beds are available, so the plan
contemplates a service more than twice the existingsize. The Yardley Green Road Sanatorium is to beenlarged to form the central admission centre and treat-ment hospital, from which women patients will go toRomsley Hill Sanatorium and men to West Heath.Children are to be admitted direct to a much enlargedsanatorium at Salterley Grange, which would receivecases of all types. Yardley Green is near the centre of thecity, but the other advantages of the site are thought tooutweigh this disadvantage, climatic conditions beingfavourable and the hospital easily accessible to patientsand friends ; moreover the span of treatment in thiscentral institution is expected to be short, patientssoon being transferred to the cleaner air of the outlyingsanatoria. It is somewhat disappointing to learn that thecommittee have rejected the recommendation of thehospital surveyors that this central institution " should beclosely linked with the University Thoracic Unit," in sofar as that would imply that the thoracic unit at thesanatorium should be closed down ; though so far asstaff and professional cooperation are concerned therewould be the closest linkage. Chest operations, thecommittee consider, must be regarded merely as an
incident in treatment, and it would not be in a patient’sinterests to send him for treatment to " a clinic notconcerned with his tuberculous condition as such, butmerely as a subject for special surgery." They thereforepropose to continue and extend the thoracic surgery unitat Yardley Green Road.Both the outlying sanatoria are to develop reablement.
At Romsley Hill there will be workshops for 100 patients,and at West Heath workshops for 150. Diversionaltherapy will begin at Yardley Green Road, and at theoutlying sanatoria vocational therapy will succeed itas soon as the patient is well enough. Workshopsproperly equipped and staffed will fit the patient eitherfor his return to his own work or for the work whichhe will finally be able to undertake. In addition, theDisabled Persons Corporation Ltd., established underthe 1944 Act, is to set up a factory where tuberculouspeople can be employed under sheltered conditions.Some will live at home and work at the factory, whileothers will live at hostels in Yardley Green Road Sana-torium. The committee also hope to gain the help of theestates committee in considering arrangements forhousing appropriate tuberculous patients who live at home.The whole programme, though it may appear ambitious,
does not go beyond the needs of the city if tuberculosisis to be brought under control ; and the committeerightly pay tribute to Dr. Geddes, the chief clinicaltuberculosis officer, on whose thorough and painstakingreview their recommendations are based.
1. Report of the Public Health and Maternity and Child WelfareCommittee to the City Council of Birmingham, June 4, 1946.
Notes and News
WORLD FEDERATION OF SCIENTISTSA TWO-DAY international conference, attended by delegates
and observers from 14 countries and 18 organisations, wasopened in London on July 20, to found an international federa.tion of scientific workers. The objects of the federation, in whosefoundation the British Association has taken the initiative,include the fullest utilisation of science for promoting peaceand human welfare ; the application of science to the solutionof urgent problems, such as the peaceful use of atomic energyand the rehabilitation of devastated countries, and to theproblems of undeveloped and colonial countries ; the promo-tion of international cooperation in science and technology;and the exchange of scientific workers and knowledge. Prof.Joliot-Curie (Paris) was elected president; AcademicianN. N. Semenov (Moscow) and Prof. J. D. Bernal, r.R.s.
(London), vice-presidents; and Mr. Harlow.Shapley, PH.D.(United States), treasurer.
I MEMORIAL TO NURSES AND MIDWIVES
MORE than 17,000 has already been raised towards thememorial fund instituted seven months ago (Lancet, Jan. 12,p. 75) for the nurses and midwives who fell in the war. Thefirst object of the fund, whose patron is the Queen, is tofurnish a chapel in Westminster Abbey to house the roll ofhonour of those who have fallen. Gifts in excess of the sumrequired for this purpose (about E5000) will be used to forma fund to benefit the nurses and midwives of the Empire andCommonwealth. The hon. secretary is Miss J. Elise Gordon,editor of the Nursing Mirror, which is paying all administra-tive expenses ; and the address is Dorset House, StamfordStreet, London, S.E.I.
BRITISH-SWISS MEDICAL CONFERENCE
THE speakers at the conference to be held in Basle onSept. 16-21 have now been announced. The British speakerswill include : Sir Hugh Cairns, neurosurgery ; Dr. E. A.Carmichael, man in relation to his environment (heat andcold) ; Prof. E. C. Dodds, F.R.S., synthetic oestrogens in rela-tion to cancer; Dr. N. Hamilton Fairley, F.R.S., tropicaldiseases with special reference to the prevention of malariaand typhus ; JProf. A. C. Frazer, normal and defective fatabsorption in man ; Dr. Donald Hunter, industrial medicine;Prof. R. A. McCance, nutritional problems; Dr. JohnMcMichael, circulatory problems ; Mr. J. J. Mason Brown,arterial surgery ; Dr. J. S. Mitchell, experimental radiology;Dr. R. R. Race, the rhesus factor ; Sir Reginald Watson-Jones, surgical rehabilitation ; and Prof. F. G. Young, D.se.,experimental diabetes. Among the Swiss speakers will be:Prof. E. Grasset, primitive tuberculosis, primary infectionand " premunition " ; Prof. L. Riledi, acoustic trauma, its
origin and prevention ; Prof. R. Meier, specificity anddifferentiation of sympathicotropic drug action ; Dr. J. E.Wolf, combined climatic and surgical treatment of the lungs;Prof. H. Mooser, twenty years of research in typhus ; Prof. A.Fleisch, nutrition in Switzerland during the war ; Prof. A.Vannotti, adaptation of tissue respiration to effort andaltitude; Prof. H. Krayenbuhl, immediate and ultimateresults of carotid ligation in intracranial aneurysms ; Prof. F.Verzar, muscular efficiency ; and Prof. H. Rossier, cardiaclocalisations of thrombo-angiitis obliterans. Further informa-tion may be obtained from the Royal Society of Medicine,1, Wimpole Street, London, W.I.
CONCESSIONS TO NURSING ORDERLIES
LIKE the General Nursing Council for England and Wales,the General Nursing Council for Scotland has now agreedthat ex-Service men and women with first-class qualificationsas nursing orderlies shall be allowed to sit for the State exami-nation after an intensive course lasting a year, and theDepartment of Health for Scotland is arranging courses attwo hospitals. Students granted this concession must havehad the same experience as those seeking it in England-namely, two years’ experience of nursing in a Service hospitalunder a State-registered nurse, and one of the followingForces qualifications :
Nursing orderly, class I, or nursing member, class I (Army).Leading sick berth attendant (Navy).Leading aircraftman or aircraftwoman in the trade of nursing
orderly (Royal Air Force).Men and women who have had two years’ experience of thekind but do not hold one of these qualifications are eligiblefor six months’ remission of the three-year course for State
