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British Medical Students’ AssociationIn the week before Christmas the association held film

shows for the children at several long-stay hospitals inLondon. It is hoped to extend the scheme next year.Dr. Fishbein’s Appointment

Dr. Morris Fishbein, formerly editor of the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association, has been appointed contri-

buting editor of Postgraduate Medicine, the official journal ofthe Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association.

Maida Vale HospitalA postgraduate school in neurology has lately been set

up at this hospital, and during the coming months a courseof lectures and clinical demonstrations will be given. Thereare also a limited number of clinical clerkships for studentswho are preparing for the r2.R.c.P. or special diplomas. Furtherparticulars may be had from Dr. Redvers Ironside, dean ofthe school, Maida Vale Hospital, London, W.9.Blood Donors

Gifts of blood to the National Blood Transfusion Servicein England and Wales during the September quarter, 1949,were the highest since the war. They totalled 116,021, com-pared with 95,301 in the same quarter of 1948. New donorsenrolled in the quarter numbered 37,219. This was anotherpost-war record ; the total strength of donor panels rose to376,502-9335 more than a year ago. The use of blood in

hospitals is still increasing, and it is estimated that over200,000 more donors will be needed to provide for futurerequirements.Research Fellowship in Psychiatry

, The Medical Research Council invite applications for aresearch fellowship in psychiatry to be provided from a fundestablished by the late Dr. and Mrs. Edward Mapother.

The fellowship will be awarded by the council to a suitablyqualified graduate for whole-time work on the histochemistry ofthe nervous system to be carried out under the direction of Prof.A. Meyer and Dr. H. McIlwain at the Institute of Psychiatry,Maudsley Hospital, London, S.E.5-; and candidates should prefer-ably have had experience in the use of both biochemical andhistological methods. The award, to be made for one year in thefirst instance, will be renewable annually to cover three years inall. Stipend will ordinarily be at the rate of £600 per annum butmay be fixed at a higher rate up to a maximum of £800 per annum ;and provision of up to £200 per annum will also be made by thecouncil for research expenses. Applications should be lodged withthe Secretary, Medical Research Council, 38, Old Queen Street,Westminster, London, S.W.1, not later than Jan. 31.

" Mercy Killing" by an American DoctorAt Manchester, New Hampshire, a doctor was last week

charged with the first-degree murder of a 59-year-old patient,who was apparently moribund with carcinoma of the boweland metastases, by injecting intravenously 10 c.cm. of air.The patient died within ten minutes of this injection, which thedoctor noted on the hospital case-sheet. It was through thisnote that his action came to light. A grand jury before whomhe appeared last Tuesday, indicted him on the charge.

People and Planning ,

The British Social Counciland the Town and Country PlanningAssociation are holding their fifth joint conference on thefamily at the Planning Centre, 28, King Street, Covent Garden,London, W.C.2, on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 2 and 3.The chief subject chosen for discussion is the report of theRoyal Commission on Population, and the speakers willinclude Dr. C. P. Blacker. Tickets (members 10s., non-members15s.) may be had from the British Social Hygiene Council,Tavistock House North, Tavistock Square, W.C.I. -

New Adoption ProcedureWith the passing of the Adoption of Children Act, 1949,

some changes in procedure on applications for adoptioncame into force. The main changes are : the identity ofadopters need no longer be disclosed to the parents of thechild ; non-British children may be adopted ; the date ofbirth may be inserted in any adoption order ; for the purposesof succession to property a person adopted before the dateof an intestacy occurring, or of a will or settlement made,after Dec. 31, 1949, will normally be treated as a memberof his adopter’s family and no longer as a member of hisnatural family. After April 1 an adoption order may notbe made until the child has been in the care of the applicantfor three months and until three months’ notice has been

given to the county or county-borough council.

International Congress of PsychiatryWe regret that the dates of this congress were given

incorrectly in our issue of Dec. 31 (p. 1248). It is being heldin Paris from Sept. 18 to 27, and the secretary-general isDr. Henri Ey 1, Rue Cabanis, Paris XIV.

International Congress of GynxcologyThis congress will be held in Paris from June 23 to 29, 1951,

under the presidency of Dr. M. E. Douay. Further informationma-.y be had from the secretary-general, Dr. Maurice Fabre,1, Rue Jules-Lefebvre, Paris, IX.

Commonwealth Travelling ProfessorshipThe Royal College of Physicians of London have nominated

Dr. D. M. Dunlop, professor of therapeutics and clinicalmedicine in the University of Edinburgh, as Sims Common-wealth travelling professor for 1951. He .will visit Australiaand New Zealand.

Dr. P. V. Pritchard, medical officer of health for co. Antrim,has been appointed chairman of the Northern IrelandAssociation of Local Government Officers for 1950.

The proceedings of the conference on the scientific studyof juvenile delinquency held in London on Oct. 1 (see Lancet,1949, ii, 663) have been published by the-National Associationfor Mental Health. Copies, price 2s. 6d. each, may be obtainedfrom the association, 39, Queen Anne Street, London, W.I.

The Board of Registration of Medical Auxiliaries has nowpublished the 1949 edition of the Register of Orthoptists.Doctors may obtain a copy without charge by applyingto the registrar of the board, B.M.A. House, TavistockSquare, London, W.C.1.

Diary of the Week

JAN. 8-14Monday, 9thMEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, 11, Chandos Street, W.1

8.30 P.M. Dr. N. Lloyd Rusby, Dr. Joseph Smart : VirusPneumonia.

Tuesday, 10thROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, Pall Mall East, S.W.1

5 P.M. Dr. Howard Nicholson : Suppurative Pneumonia.(First Goulstonian lecture.)

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON5 P.M. (St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School, W.2.) Prof. W. J.

Dieckmann (Chicago) : Trends in the Treatment of Pre-eclampsia.

INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY, Lisle Street, W.C.25 P.M. Dr. A. C. Roxburgh : Cutaneous Syphilis.

CHELSEA CLINICAL SOCIETY7.30 P.M. (South Kensington Hotel, 47, Queen’s Gate Terrace,

S.W.7.) Dr. Harry Coke : Modern Research onRheumatism.

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Wednesday, llthROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, W.C.2

5 P.M. Dr. L. W. Proger : Recent Additions to the Museum.(Erasmus Wilson demonstration.) ,

ROYAL FACULTY OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, 242, St. VincentStreet, Glasgow

5 P.M. Mr. Terence Millin : Retropubic Surgery. (Weildlecture.)

Thursday, 12th .

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS5 P.M. Dr. Nicholson: Suppurative Pneumonia. (Last

Goulstonian lecture.)ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

5 P.M. Prof. Arnold Sorsby : Prospects in the Control ofGenetic Disease. (Ophthalmology lecture.)

ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, S.W.14.30 P.M. Dr. Partridge : Psychiatry lecture-demonstration.

ADLERIAN SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN8 P.M. (11, Chandos Street, W.1.) lJ-Iedical section. Dr. G. 1. M.

Swyer : Psycho-endocrine Association. Dr. van Someren,- Dr. J. Bierer : Treatment of a Male Recluse with Stil-

beestrol and Social Psychotherapy.NORTH-EAST LONDON CLINICAL SOCIETY

8 P.M. (Prince of Wales’s Hospital, Tottenham) Dr. J. A. D.Wyndham Pearce: Emotional Disorder of Childhood.Films will be shown.

Friday, 13thMAIDA VALE HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, W.9

5 P.M. Mr. Valentine Logue : Demonstration of neurosurgicalcases.

Saturday, 14thSOUTH-EAST METROPOLITAN REGIONAL TUBERCULOSIS SOCIETY

11 A.M. (Farnborough Hospital.) Dr: D. G. Madigan : Manage-ment of the Chemotherapy of Tuberculosis.