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way, and the possible solutions. W.H.O. is collaborating witha number of countries in preparing realistic national plans andprogrammes for the decade. Access to clean water and sani-tation would substantially reduce the burden of disease in de-veloping countries, where 80% of all illness is linked to water.

AUXILIARY LESSONS FROM THE DENTIST’SCHAIR

IN the United States and elsewhere the dental hygienist is awell-established class of health auxiliary. Thirty years ago aBoston dental centre wanted to evaluate, purely as a piece ofresearch, the quality of conservation work that dentalhygienists were capable of, under the supervision of a dentist.The Massachusetts dentists protested and the project wasquashed. Twenty years later, in 1969, the Forsyth DentalCenter tried one more, again with an experimental approach.It seemed as though this time the pioneers had at least theacquiescence of the State dental fraternity, but it was not tobe. The administration of local anaesthetics and the drillingand filling of cavities by people other than qualified dentistswas in breach of Massachusetts law, and so the State attor-ney’s department ruled, in 1974-but not before the Forsythteam had demonstrated that the quality of supervised workthat graduates of two-year dental hygiene programmes werecapable of, after six months of training in conservative den-tistry, was good, acceptable to patients, and cheaper (andthere, doubtless, lay the rub) than that done in the ordinaryway. An account of the experiment’ illustrates the difficultiesthat could face anyone who tries to bring auxiliary help to anarea of health care where traditional professional services, onstrict market lines, are geared to meet the needs of no morethan half the population. After three years of argument theDental Practice Act was changed, and freedom for suchresearch is now guaranteed under Massachusetts law, thoughmany restrictions remain. The national picture is even less

encouraging.

University of London

The following have been appointed to chairs: Dr A. Barring-ton Kay (clinical immunology, at the Cardiothoracic Insti-tute) ; Prof. N. M. Hjelm (chemical pathology, Institute ofChild Health); Dr A. Wakeling (psychiatry, Royal Free Hospi-tal School of Medicine); Dr N. A. Wright (histopathology,Royal Postgraduate Medical School).The title of professor has been conferred on: Dr H. G. Brit-

ton (chemical physiology, St Mary’s Hospital Medical School);Dr S. H. Curry (pharmacology, London Hospital Medical Col-lege) ; Dr J. Hughes (pharmacological biochemistry, ImperialCollege); Dr S. L. Jeffcoate (biochemical endocrinology, Insti-tute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology); Dr A. D. Patrick (enzym-ology, Institute of Child Health); Dr G. Webbe (applied parasit-ology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine).

Royal College of General PractitionersDr John Horder has been elected President of the College.

The following officers have also been elected: Dr A. G. Donald(chairman); Dr D. Garvie (vice-chairman); Dr V. Drury(deputy vice-chairman); Dr S. J. Carne (honorary treasurer);Dr J. C. Hasler (honorary secretary).

A.M.A. and Continuing Medical EducationLast month the American Medical Association announced

the formation of a committee on accreditation of continuingmedical education. The committee held its first meeting and

1. The Forsyth Experiment: An alternative system for dental care. By RALPHR. LOBENE, with Alix Kerr. Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London: Har-vard University Press. 1979. Pp. 149. $13; £9.

reviewed the 34 organisations and institutions applying foraccreditation of their continuing medical education programs.The committee draws its members from State and specialty

medical societies, hospitals, medical schools, resident phys-icians, national organisations, and the public. The chairman isDr Edward N. Brandt, Jr, of Austin, Texas, who is Vice-Chan-cellor for Health Affairs at the University of Texas.

Rectal Dosage of MetronidazoleDr B. S. B. Wood, editor of A Paediatric Vade-Mecum,

draws attention to an error in the ninth edition of this book,where, at p. 191, the rectal dose of metronidazole is given as500 mg three times daily for ages 2 weeks to 7 years. This isa toxic dose at the lower age range. Under 1 year the doseshould be 125 mg (t suppository); from 1 to 5 years the doseshould be 250 mg (t suppository); and from 5 to 12 years500 mg (1 suppository) 8 hourly.

Foulkes Foundation Fellowships

Applications are invited for the 1980 Foulkes Foundationfellowships, which provide financial support for recently quali-fied science graduates with research experience wishing tostudy medicine, and for medical graduates who want to takea degree in a science subject. In both cases the graduates mustintend to undertake medical research after qualifying. Detailsmay be obtained from Mrs Susan Venables, Foulkes Founda-tion Fellowship Scheme, Ciba Foundation, 41 Portland Place,London WIN 4BN (stamped addressed envelope to be

enclosed). The closing date for applications is March 31,1980.

National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease

This Association was recently formed by a group of patientsand their relatives with the aims of mutual help, of makingavailable information about the disorders, and of furtheringprogress in knowledge. The Association has the support of theIleostomy Association. It is hoped that branches will extend toall parts of the United Kingdom. The Association is to receivehelp from a panel of professional advisers, and it invites offersof help or interest from other doctors concerned with these dis-orders. All inquiries should be addressed to Mr R. Annetts, 3Thorpefield Close, St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Wellcome Foundation Award

In conjunction with the Royal Society, the Foundation hasestablished a biennial award of a gold medal and z2500 fororiginal contributions to medicine and veterinary science pub-lished within a 10-year period from the date of the award. Itwill be known as the Royal Society Wellcome Foundation prizeand lecture. The recipient will be asked to deliver a lecture.The first award will be made by the Royal Society in 1980.

Diary of the Week

DEC. 16 To 22

Tuesday, 18thROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON, 11 St. Andrew’s Place, Regent’s

Park, London NW1 4LE3 P.M. Dr D. R. Laurence: The Medicines You Take-For Good and for Ill.

Wednesday, 19thMANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY

5.30 P.M. (Stopford Building, Medical School) Sir Alec Merrison: Patient andProvider: The Idea of a Health Service.

MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH8 P.M. (Royal College of Physicians, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh) Mr D. McIn-

tosh : A Great Hospital: Highlights and Sidelights.