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IN the House of Commons on Nov. 17 Mr. ERIC FLETCHERasked the Minister of Health whether he was aware of thefeeling that existed among parents and others against theproposal to close Queen Mary’s Hospital for Sick Children,Carshalton; and whether he would reconsider the matter.-Mr. DEREK WALKER-SMITH replied: I have received repre-sentations from several sources about the proposal to changethe use of this hospital, and I will certainly take these and allrelevant factors into account before coming to a decision.Mr. FLETCHER: Will the Minister bear in mind that for manyyears this hospital has enjoyed a deservedly high reputationamong parents for its specialised work in dealing with childpatients, and that there would be great concern if it wereclosed and children sent in future to general hospitals ?-Mr. WALKER-SMITH: I must make it clear that there is no

proposal to close Queen’Mary’s Hospital. The proposal isconcerned merely with a change of use. I accept what thehon. Gentleman says about the high repute of this hospital,but at present it is nearly half-empty because of the verywelcome fall in the need for accommodation for children.Mr. KENNETH ROBINSON: In considering this matter, will the

Minister also not forget the desperate need of the FountainHospital, which also has a high reputation, for decent, modern,permanent accommodation ?-Mr. WALKER-SMITH: I havethat very much in mind.

Working Hours of NursesMr. ARTHUR BLENKINSOP asked the Minister of Health

(1) whether he would reconsider the terms of his recent circularto hospital authorities in which their attention is drawn to thedesirability of introducing shorter working hours for nurseswhile denying any financial provision that might be required;(2) what progress has been made in implementing shorter

working hours for nurses in hospitals.-Mr. WALKER-SMITHreplied: I have called for progress reports at the end of thismonth and will consider the position in the light of the resultsachieved.-Mr. BLENKINSOP: Do I understand that the’Minister is prepared to change his view about financing theseschemes ?-Mr. WALKER-SMITH: That does not arise at thisstage. What I want to do is to see whether we can get a reduc-tion of hours following on an increase of efficiency due torationalisation rather than to a further expenditure of money.- Mr. BLENKINSOP: Can I take it that the Minister is preparedsympathetically to consider the problems of some hospitalswhich, for financial reasons, cannot reduce hours without

increasing staff ?-Mr. WALKER-SMITH: The need for increasesin staff and the extent to which that can be achieved within thefunds available will be a matter to be considered in the light ofthat and all other circumstances.Mrs. B. BRADDOCK: Is not the Minister aware that the difficulty

about putting a 44-hour week into operation is largely that in theolder hospitals the staffs are under establishment because ofthe difficulty of recruiting nurses, due to the hard work and thenumber of steps which have to be climbed in those hospitals ?Is he not aware that management committees have been in-formed that they cannot reduce hours by increasing staff, andthat without financial assistance for that the situation is beingmade even more difficult ?-Mr. WALKER-SMITH: I take thehon. Lady’s point, but she will appreciate that I shall be ableto test its extent and validity when I compare reports fromdifferent types of hospitals.

Design of Children’s ShoesThe British Boot, Shoe, and Allied Trades Research

Association, supported by the Department of Scientific andIndustrial Research, has made foot measurements on manythousands of children, in conjunction with the health depart-ments of some local authorities. The data have been analysed,and as a result new and improved lasts for children’s shoeshave been designed by the Association. If manufacturersof shoes use the lasts, they are able to stamp on the inside of theshoes that they are to that specification. The lasts make nodifference to the cost of the’shoe.

Diary of the WeekNov. 23 To 29

Monday, 24thMANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY

9 P.M. (Large Anatomy Theatre, University of Manchester.) GeneralPractice. Dr. Fred Janus: The Differential Diagnosis and Treat-ment of Glaucoma.

Tuesday, 25thBRITISH POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL FEDERATION

5.30 P.M. (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, KeppelStreet, W.1.) Dr. E. H. Mercer: Electron Microscopy and theStructure of the Living Cell.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE, 1, Wimpole Street, W.18 P.M. Medicine. Dr. Alan Jacobs, Dr. David Sutton, Mr. Peter Martin:

Peripheral Arterial Disease.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL, Paddington, W.2

5 P.M. Mr. W. R. Winterton: Gynaecology of Old Age.INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY, Lisle Street, W.C.2

5.30 P.M. Dr. E. J. Moynahan: Pigmentation.INSTITUTE OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNaeCOLOGY

3 P.M. (Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Road, W.12.) Mr. LeslieWilliams: The Obstetrician’s Attitude to Radiology.

PLYMOUTH MEDICAL SOCIETY8.30 P.M. (Freedom Fields.) Dr. Robert Blair, Mr. L. Walrond Innes,

Dr. J. Nixon Morris: The National Ill-Health Service.

Wednesday, 26thPOSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL, Ducane Road, W.122 P.M. Dr. H. M. Sinclair: Essential Fatty Acids.INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY

5.30 P.M. Dr. R. W. Riddell: Control of Fungous Diseases.INSTITUTE OF DISEASES OF THE CHEST, Brompton, S.W.3

5 P.M. Dr. N. Lloyd Rusby: Lung Manifestations of the CollagenDiseases.

INSTITUTE OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNaeCOLOGY4.30 P.M. (Chelsea Hospital for Women, Dovehouse Street, S.W.3.)

Mr. Alan Brews: Development Anomalies of the Female GenitalTract and Their Clinical Significance.

ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND HYGIENE, 28, Portland Place, W.13.30 P.M. Dr. E. W. Gibbs: Food Hygiene in Retail Shops.

BRITISH PSYCHOLOGICAL SOCIETY8.30 P.M. (1, Wimpole Street, W.1.) Medical section. Dr. John Bowlby:

Studies of Parent-infant Interaction in Man and Animals.MANCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY

5 P.M. (Medical School, University of Manchester.) Pathology. Prof.H. G. Cannon: Lamarck-Fact and Fancy.

ROYAL FACULTY OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS, 242, St. Vincent Street,Glasgow

5 P.M. Sir Russell Brain: Neurology of the Cervical Spine. (Finlaysonlecture.)

Thursday, 27thBRITISH POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL FEDERATION

5.30 P.M. (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.) Mr.Michael Abercrombie: Cell Surface and the Control of Growth.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE5.30 P.M. Library (Scientific Research.) Mr. W. J. Bishop, Dr. William

McCartney, Dr. R. W. White: What the User Expects of a MedicalLibrary, with special reference to the Needs of the LibrarySection.

INSTITUTE OF DERMATOLOGY5.30 P.M. Dr. R. H. Marten: Dermal Allergy.

HONYMAN GILLESPIE LECTURE5 P.M. (University New Buildings, Teviot Place, Edinburgh.) Dr. Ian

Gordon: Rheumatic Syndromes in the Elderly.UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS

5 P.M. (Physiology lecture theatre, Dundee.) Prof. L. S. Penrose: Muta-tion and Selection in Man.

’Friday, 28thPOSTGRADUATE MEDICAL SCHOOL

10 A.M. Mr. F. R. Kilpatrick: Partial Nephrectomy.

AppointmentsBOTHWELL, P. W., M.B. Aberd., D.P.H.: senior M.o. for epidemiology,

Bristol.GEIRINGER, ERICH, M.D. Lond., PH.D. Edin.: senior research M.O., depart-

ment of medicine, Otago University, New Zealand.HIGGINBOTTOM, W. M., L.R.C.P.E., D.O. : ophthalmologist (S.H.M.O.), North

and South Tees-side groups of hospitals.NICHOLAS, P. 0., M.B. Brist., D.c.H.: assistant M.o. and school M.o., Castle-

ford, Yorkshire.REID, ANNA M. M., M.B. Edin., D.P.H. : assistant M.o. (maternity and child

welfare), Northumberland.TOGOOD, SHIRLEY, J., M.B. Lond.: assistant M.o.H., Walsall.WHITE, J. R., L.R.C.P.I., D.P.H. : assistant M.O,H., Walsall.Colonial Appointments :BENETT, G. R., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S.: assistant surgeon, health department,

Mauritius.BERRIE, J. R. H., M.B. Glasg., D.P.H., D.I.H.: senior M.o. (administrative),

Northern Region, Nigeria.CROUCH, D. R., M.B. Lond.: M.o., Jamaica.GERBER, J. H., M.D. Berlin: senior M.o. (administrative), Northern

Region, Nigeria.HAWORTH, JAMES, M.B. Edin., D.T.M.&H., D.P.H. : senior M.O., Somaliland.KENYON, W. L. R., M.B. Mane., M.R.C.P.: specialist officer, health depart-

ment, Zanzibar.MILLER, J. R. M., M.B. Lond., F.R.C.S.: surgical specialist, Kenya.MURRAY, P. C., M.D., M.P.H., D.I.H.: principal M.O., Jamaica.NAIDOO, S. C., M.B. Madras, B.sc.: M.o., Jamaica.RAJBULLY, M. A., M.D. Paris: M.o., Mauritius.SCHMIDT, K. E., M.D. Graz, D.P.M. : specialist alienist, medical department,

Sarawak.YATES, F. W., L.M.S.S.A. : M.o., Northern Region, Nigeria.