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the form of the annual Allison lecture and prize. Sydney Alli-son was warmhearted and generous and a dedicated physician.

His wife, an artist who had illustrated several of his books,died two years ago; he is survived by two daughters and a son.

J. H. D. M.

Mr CHARLES PHILIP NICHOLAS, consultant general surgeonto Worcester Royal Infirmary, died on March 1. He graduatedM.B. from the University of Birmingham in 1937 and CH.M. in1950. He joined the R.N.V.R. and served throughout the warboth ashore and afloat; his career continued with a senior

registrarship at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham,and appointments at Guy’s Hospital, London, and as consul-tant to the Evalina Hospital for Children. In 1950 he movedto Worcester, where he developed a genitourinary surgical ser-vice, and was closely associated with the psediatric service,devoting much of his time to the genitourinary problems ofchildren. As surgical tutor he was keenly interested in teachingpostgraduates and general practitioners.

Mr MICHAEL KEVIN MURPHY, a consultant orthopaedic sur-geon in Cork, Ireland, died on March 9 at the age of 44. Hewas educated in Cork and at Downside and the London Hospi-tal Medical School, graduating M.B. in 1960; he becameF.R.C.S. in 1966. He was senior registrar at the Luton andDunstable Hospital and later moved to Guy’s Hospital, Lon-don, before returning to Cork. His special interests were injoint replacement and scoliosis.

Appointments

JACKSON, JANE M., B.LITT.OXon., M.B.Dubl., M.sc.Lond., D.C.H. : specialist incommunity medicine (social services), City and East London A.H.A.(teaching).

LEWIS, M. J., M.B.Manc., M.R.C.P., M.R.C.PATH. : consultant haematologist,north district, Manchester A.H.A. (teaching).

METREWELI, CONSTANTINE, M.B.Cantab., M.R.C.P., F.R.C.R., D.M.R.D.: consul-tant radiologist, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, Lon-don.

Birmingham Area Health Authority (Teaching):EELES, G. H., M.B.Durh., M.R.C.PATH. : consultant histopathologist, West

Birmingham health district.FINNEGAN, J. A., M.B.Leeds, M.R.C.P. : consultant clinical neurophysiologist,

South Birmingham health district.MATHESON, A. T., M.B., B.sc., F.R.C.S., F.R.C.S.E.: consultant surgeon, South

Birmingham health district.NEEDHAM, P. G., M.B.Cantab., M.R.C.O.G., F.R.C.S. : consultant obstetrician

and gynxcologist, South Birmingham health district.RITCH, A. E. S., M.B.Edin., M.R.C.P. : consultant physician in geriatric medi-

cine, West Birmingham health district.

Greater Glasgow Health Board:FITZGERALD-FINCH, 0. P., M.B.Lond., F.R.C.R., D.M.R.D.: consultant radiolo-

gist, eastern district, based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.McARTHUR, J. D., D.M.Madras, B.sc.Glasg., M.R.C.P., M.R.C.P.E., M.R.C.P.G.:

consultant physician with an interest in cardiology, western district atGlasgow Western Infirmary and Gartnavel General Hospital.

McNEiLL, JAMES, M.B.Glasg., F.R.C.S.G., D.L.O. : consultant E.N.T. surgeon,eastern district, based at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

RAHMAN, M. Z., M.B., M.R.C.PSYCH. : consultant psychiatrist, northern district,based at Woodilee and Stoneyetts Hospitals.

VERNON, D. R. H., M.B.Lond., M.R.C.P. : consultant physician with an interestin respiratory diseases, based at Victoria Infirmary and Mearnskirk Hos-pital.

Wessex Regional Health Authority:DORRELL, E. D., M.B.Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant ophthalmologist, East Dorset

health district. ’

GOODWIN, P. G., M.B.Lond., M.R.C.P. : consultant dermatologist, HampshireA.H.A. (teaching).

HURLEY, Ju,t, E., M.B.Manc., F.F.A., R.c.s.’ consultant anesthetist, Hamp-shire A.H.A. (teaching).

LOGAN, A. D., M.B.Lond., F.F.A., R.C.S.: consultant anwsthetist, Isle of WightA.H.A.

RANA, M. Z. K., M.B., B.sc.Panjab, M.R.C.P. : consultant physician in geriat-rics, Dorset health district.

RoBERTSON, J. A., M.B.Lond., F.R.C.S. : consultant in orthopaedics, Southamp-ton and South West Hants district.

Notes and News

CANCER OF THE PANCREAS: THE WORLD SCENE

PANCREATIC cancer carries the double burden of a rising in-cidence and a poor prognosis. The disease is accorded a specialarticle in the latest quarterly statistical report from the WorldHealth Organisation. Death from the disease is rare-roughly1 in every 5 male deaths in the Western world is ascribed to

malignant disease, and of these cancers only 4-6% will be ofthe pancreas. This makes international comparisons and thesearch in them for preventable causes difficult. A further com-plication is the possibility that better diagnostic techniques arenow bringing to light tumours of this inaccessible organ thathitherto would have been undisclosed. The rise may now be

levelling off, and Aoki and Ogawa’ suggest that it has beenfaster in countries where the mortality-rate was low twentyyears ago than in countries where it was above 5 - 0 per 100 000for males in the 1950s. The W.H.O. review stops in 1972, andsome countries may by now be able to reassure themselves byconfirming the existence of a long plateau: others, notably innorthern Europe, will be alarmed by what seems an unendingclimb. Sweden, Scotland, and England and Wales started frommuch the same point in the late 1950s (9 per 100 000), butthey have run different courses since. By 1972 the rate forEngland and Wales had crept up to 11.7, and in 1975 thefigure was 12.3, a rate surpassed in Scotland five years earlier.In 1972 the rate in Sweden was 16.6 (the highest in theW.H.O. tables) and the picture in Denmark has been almostexactly the same. Data on alcohol consumption are not pro-vided.

RECOLLECTIONS OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS

THIRTEEN authors reminisce on their individual medical

schools, their reasons (or lack of them) for entering medicineas a career, and their recollections (and criticisms) of theirmedical courses.2 Many of the contributors are alreadyrenowned for their abilities as writers and lecturers. Memoryis essentially kind and "la vie en rose" is often the prevailingtheme: but the memoirs make delightful reading and provideinsight into the authors as well as pen sketches of individualmedical schools. Indeed some readers will prefer the dissectionof the schools while others will be intrigued by the personali-ties of the writers as they recollect their early days. Thus somewho were prejudged as outstanding will be even more so;others display their characters as lesser men. The contribu-tions by Derrick Dunlop, Sheila Sherlock, Dannie Abse, andMichael O’Donnell were especially interesting; that by JohnStone was outstanding for his sincerity and conscientious careand thought for the patient. Readers will have their own pre-ferences but the book contains much pleasurable reading andhas appeal for a wide spectrum of readers, medical and non-medical. It has more good advice on medical education thanmany glossy textbooks and a great deal more wisdom.

BETA-ADRENOCEPTOR BLOCKING AGENTS

IN December, 1976, Sir Theo Crawford (then vice-chairmanof the committee on safety of medicines) wrote to all doctorsgiving an account of reports received by the C.S.M. of sus-pected adverse reactions to p-adrenoceptor-blocking drugs andasking doctors to continue to report. Since that date approxi-mately 2500 reports relating to beta-blockers other than prac-tolol (’Eraldin’) have been received. Rashes or dry eyes wereassociated with the use of all the drugs in this group but inmost cases the signs and symptoms cleared when treatment

1. Aoki, K., Ogawa, H. Wld Hlth Stat. Rep. 1978, 31, no 1 p. 2.2. My Medical School. Edited by DANNIE ABSE. London: Robson Books. 1978

Pp.211.£5 25