461

THE DISPENSING OF PRESCRIPTIONS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SiB,—My attention has been drawn to the letterin your issue of last week signed by Dr. Clark Trotter,the medical officer of health for Islington, on thedispensing.of prescriptions. I have no knowledge ofthe campaign in Islington to which Dr. Trotter refers,but I have no doubt the facts, if they are availableto my Society, will be investigated by them, for theycertainly call for some investigation.My object in writing at this stage is to express my

great regret that a professional man holding theimportant post of medical officer of health shouldhave thought fit to take a method of dealing withthe matter which, to say the least, is not what theauthorities or the public expect from a public servantin Dr. Trotter’s position. If there was anythingseriously wrong no one knows better than Dr. Trotterthat the Ministry of Health should have first of allbeen communicated with and, either through them ordirectly, the attention of my Society called to anyground of general complaint.

I deprecate the reference in the letter to theremuneration which Dr. Trotter assumes the phar-macist receives for dispensing. It is not the argumentone expects from professional men. I express noopinion as to the adequacy or otherwise of thatremuneration, as it has no bearing on the allegeddelinquencies; whether the remuneration is satis-factory or not, the exercise of due skill and care onthe part of the pharmacist is essential, and I am satis-fied it will be found that pharmacists in the maindo their duty.

I think the medical profession will share my regretthat Dr. Trotter has been so unwise as to excuse hisletter by inferring that because so many chargeshave been made against the panel doctor it was wiseto " show up

" the chemist. The medical professionwell know that pharmacists have never brought anycharges against panel doctors, and his comment ÍE

obviously open to the retort that if the charges againsipanel doctors are well founded it is no answer to themif it be a fact, that other people are open to simila]charges.

It is difficult to understand why the letter wa:written, but more difficult to appreciate the actiorof a medical officer of health attempting to createand to foster antagonism between the medical an(pharmaceutical professions. Fortunately, althouglDr. Trotter may have succeeded in depreciating th!pharmacist in the eyes of the public, the great masof his colleagues in the medical profession from personal experience know that such general charges ahe has brought against pharmacists are in no wa;founded.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

E. T. NEATHERCOATPresident, Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britair

Bloomsbury-square, London, W.C., Feb. 27th, 1923.

E. T. NEATHERCOAT,President, Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

Bloomsbury-square, London, W.C., Feb. 27th, 1923.

THE OPPOSITION TO PANEL PRACTICE.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SiB,—I have read Dr. S. G. Askey’s letter in

THE LANCET of to-day’s date together with yourremarks. It would be interesting to know whatmeaning you wished to convey by the words : " Thereexist a certain number of non-panel doctors who,being hostile to the Act, persuade patients that theyget better treatment by attendance as privatepatients." My difficulty is to persuade patients notto waste my time with their complaints against theAct. Can you name one non-panel doctor whopersuades patients as you state or does " a certainnumber " in your unhappy choice of words mean ’,none " ?

I think we are entitled in a scientific journal toexpect your words to convey their obvious meaning.It is not as if you were some politician making recklessstatements, and when called to account trying to getout of it by saying you meant something else.

Dr. Askey is not alone in imputing to you a hostileattitude towards non-panel doctors.

I am, Sir, yours faithfully,GEORGE F. GRANT, M.B., C.M.

Brixton-road, S.W., Feb. 24th, 1923.

** * We wish that the insured person, as such,could select the practitioner by whom he wishes to betreated, but that is far from the hostility to non-paneldoctors attributed to us. The insured person, whoalso pays private medical fees, must be persuaded inhis mind that he is getting something thus that hewould not get otherwise.-ED. L.

GEORGE F. GRANT, M.B., C.M.

The Services.ARMY MEDICAL SERVICES : NEW

DIRECTOR-GENERAL.

Maj.-Gen. Sir William B. Leishman, K.C.M.G., C.B., has.been appointed Director-General, in succession to Lt.-Gen.Sir John Goodwin, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., with effect fromJuly 29th next. -

ROYAL NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE.Surg. Comdr. S. H. Woods is placed on Ret. List with the

rank of Surg. Capt.Temp. Surg. Lieut. (D) D. Barker is transferred to the.

permanent list. -

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.Lt.-Col. F. P. Lauder retires on ret. pay.Maj. A. H. Jacob and Capt. A. S. Plant retire receiving

a gratuity.The undermentioned to be Lts. (on prob.) : Capt.

W. L. S. Cox (late The Queen’s R.), Lt. H. A. Gilkes (T.A.Res. of Off.), and Second Lt. F. C. H. Sergeant (late R.F.A.,.Spec. Res.).

ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS.

Capt. T. D. Inch resigns his commn.Army Dental Corps.

Capt. C. D. Currie, late Spec. List, to be Capt.TERRITORIAL ARMY.

The undermentioned officers relinquish their commns. analretain their rank except where otherwise stated : Lt.-ColA. Ogston (with permission to wear the prescribed uniform),Maj. A. L. Heiser, Capts. G. H. Hunt (Bt. Maj.), G. G.Middleton (granted the rank of Maj.), W. Burt, W. Scarisbrick(granted the rank of Maj.), W. L. Hibbert, T. P. Kilner,T. H. Somervell, G. W. M. Andrew, C. S. J. Kearney,J. L. Moir, R. R. Lishman, F. P. Gibson, A. C. Smith,C. A. Raison (granted the rank of Maj.), V. M. Wallis,P. J. Smyth, W. H. Milligan, J. B. Hogarth, E. G. T.Poynder (granted the rank of Maj.), F. P. Smith, J. W.Rammell, F. Standish, 0. K. Wright (granted the rank ofMaj.), T. G. Buchanan (granted the rank of Maj.), F. H.Davies, H. W. Greig, F. G. Harper, W. E. H. Bull, W.Tresawna, F. Simmers, J. Browne (granted the rank ofMaj.), N. T. K. Jordan, J. H. Cumming, C. D. Relton,W. S. Soden, and G. D. Newton.

Capt. A. Don, having attained the age limit, is retired,.and is granted the rank of Maj.

General Hospitals : The undermentioned relinquish theircommns. and retain their rank except where otherwisestated : Lt.-Cols. J. Marnoch (Bt. Col.), A. W. Mackintosh(with permission to wear the prescribed uniform), and RWaterhouse; Maj. T. V. Crosby; Capts. N. I. Spriggs,J. S. C. Douglas, F. Alcock, and J. Clark.

Capt. W. J. Stuart, having attained the age limit, is.retired, and is granted the rank of Maj.

Capt. A. F. Hewat to be Maj. (Prov.).2nd Eastern General Hospital: Capt. H. H. E. Scatliff

resigns his commn. and is granted the rank of Maj., withpermission to wear the prescribed uniform.

Sanitary Companies : Capt. (Bt. Maj.) W. J. F. Mayne-and Capts. J. M. McQueen, D. Porter, and A. Whiterelinquish their commns. and retain their rank.Supernumerary for Service with the O.T.C. : Capt. R. J-

McN. Love (late R.A.M.C.) to be Capt. for service with theUniversity of London O.T.C.

TERRITORIAL ARMY RESERVE.

Capts. A. J. Campbell, A. M. Deane, W. N. West-Watson,and A. G. Williams relinquish their commns. and retaintheir rank.

Maj. T. R. Kenworthy, from Genl. List, and Capt. A. A,McWhan (from lst London Sanitary Co.) to be Majors.