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The report suggests that clinical genetics students should use agenetics log book to record visits to laboratories and clinics, detailsof cases, and reports of their own research.To implement the changes the genetics working party

recommends that a Genetic Education Task Group should be set upto consider how genetics topics should be taught. The group would,however, recognise the prerogative of individual schools to decidetheir own curricula, and methods of teaching.

1. Teaching genetics to medical students. Available from the Royal College of Physicians,11 St Andrews Place, London NW1 4LE. Pnce £ 5.00 (overseas £7.00 or US$15.00). ISBN 0-900596961.

Doctors with a human face

This week sees the publication of two "demystifiers" about Britishmedicine. For The Noble Tradition1 the journalist Danny Danzigerinterviewed 33 doctors, 4 nurses, and 1 physiotherapist about theirlives and work. The result is a very mixed bag: some of his subjectswere generous with self-revelation (Howard Baderman’scontribution is a gem); others enliven a straightforward account oftheir work with flashes of insight from personal mishaps (BrianGazzard, the AIDS specialist, on pricking himself with an

HIV-positive needle, Nick Thatcher, the oncologist, on getting amelanoma); many seem unwilling to lift the veil at all. Evidently,one of Danziger’s selection criteria was verbal fluency (AnthonyClare and Robert Winston are once again on view), but good talkdoes not always translate well into print. Danziger himself fails todetect any common denominator in the "noble profession" otherthan enthusiasm, and seems less than enchanted with some of hisinterviewees. Perhaps he does not enjoy being patronised.For Understanding Doctors Gillian Rice (a GP/journalist)

interviewed about 70 doctors as well as other medical workers and

patients. Her text, well laced with quotations, paints a very differentpicture from Danziger’s. The subjects were promised anonymity,and in Dr Rice’s confessional far more self-doubt and human

failings are revealed. "Real doctors", she concludes, "are

undoubtedly less glamorous, heroic and tyrannical than their

mythical counterparts; we are also more human, and we need toacknowledge that as a strength not a weakness". The cover is correctin declaring that this book should be read by doctors as well asnon-doctors. Its strong plea for a more personal and honest practiceof medicine will be welcomed at both ends of the stethoscope.

1. The Noble Tradition. Interviews with the Medical Profession By Danny Danziger.London. Viking (Penguin). 1990. Pp 224. £14.99. ISBN 0-670819611.

2 Understanding Doctors: Getting the Best Health Care By Gillian Rice. London:Michael Joseph. 1990. Pp 216. £7.99 (pback). ISBN 0-71813462.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill

Between the drafting of the Human Fertilisation and EmbryologyBill and its introduction into Parliament, the Government inserted aclause that had nothing to do with the Bill’s original purpose, whichwas to establish a legal framework for matters relating to in-vitrofertilisation and gamete and egg donation. As a result, MPs thisweek had the chance of a free (non-party) vote on two highlyemotive issues-whether to allow research on human embryos andwhether to lower the time limit for abortion. On April 23 they voted,by 364 votes to 193, to allow research on human embryos up to 14days old (pre-embryos), under the strict control of a statutorylicensing authority. The Lords had already voted to support suchresearch by a majority of nearly 3 to 1. At present there are no

statutory controls on embryo research, but since 1985 centrescarrying out research have been operating under the guidance of theVoluntary (now Interim) Licensing Authority.On April 24 the Commons decided, by a majority of 206 (335

votes to 129) to lower the time limit on abortions from 28 weeks to 24(except when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk or when fetalabnormality is diagnosed too late for an earlier abortion). The resultwas a bitter blow to anti-abortionists: amendments to reduce thetime limit to 18 or 20 weeks were roundly defeated, by 375 votes to165 and 358 to 189, respectively, and 22 weeks lost by 255 to 301.

Dr Marietta HiggsThe dispute between Dr Marietta Higgs and the NorthernRegional Health Authority has been resolved. The matter ended inthe Court of Appeal on April 24 with the acceptance by Dr Higgs ofthe Northern RHA’s offer (first made in October, 1988) of aconsultancy in neonatology and paediatrics at Gateshead. However,she is "not to be asked to do physical and sexual child abuse work forthe time being".

In England Now

Doctors as patients are a well-worn subject. But what really happensto doctors when they feel ill and wish to see their own family doctor?With today’s organisation of general practice things are not simple.Let me give examples of three retired London teaching hospitalconsultants living in different districts of London. One had quitesevere mid-epigastric pain, with a history of surgery for duodenalulcer. She telephones the surgery, to ask for a visit of the familydoctor. The receptionist asks: "What’s the problem?" A briefexplanation is given. It is a Sunday morning. The doctor on dutyrings back and suggests that the patient should telephoneappointments next morning to arrange to see her own GP. Thefamily doctor is friendly and kind and suggests: "It would be betterif you saw the hospital consultant who looked after you the lasttime". The hospital appointment is made for two weeks later. In themean time, the mid-epigastric pain becomes worse but yieldseventually to self-medication. And the hospital consultant says:"Would you like to come in for a week for investigations, or wouldyou like to wait, as the condition has improved? You are adistinguished doctor, you decide yourself’.The second retired doctor has frequency of micturition. Possibly

prostatic trouble? Embarrassing to mention the problem to thewoman receptionist over the telephone. Rather have 72 hours’delay, before seeing the family doctor. Result: immediate referral tosee the urologist at the hospital. Immediate? Well, nearly threeweeks, and after another two weeks of investigations, surgery isrecommended for a benign enlargement of the prostate. The nameis put on the waiting list, which means another twelve weeks beforeadmission.The third case concerns arthritic pain and changes in both hands.

The delay is only eight weeks, before successful steroid treatment isbegun.Lay people believe that doctors, who are notoriously bad patients,

have privileged treatment. I wonder.

International Diary

World conference on Lung Health is to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, onMay 20-24: Gwen Phillips, Director of Public Relations, American LungAssociation, 1740 Broadway, New York 10019, USA (212-315 8733).

A course entitled Control of Biohazards in the Research Laboratorywill take place in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, on July 16-20: Dr JacquelineCorn, Director, Continuing Education Program, Department ofEnvironmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene andPublic Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Room 1003, Baltimore, Maryland21205 (301-955 2609).

24th conference on Genetics, Ethics, and Human Values-HumanGenome Mapping, Screening, and Treatment will be held in Tokyo,Japan, on July 24-28: Multinational Meetings Information Services, PO Box5090, NL-1007 AB Amsterdam, Netherlands.

A symposium entitled Etiology of Mental Disorder is to take place in Osloon Aug 24-26: Prof Einar Kringlen, Institute of Psychiatry, University ofOslo, POB 85 Vinderen, Oslo, Norway (47 2 146590).

4th world meeting on Impotence will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, onSept 2-6: Soma Relacoes e Comunicacoes s/c Ltda, Av Pacaembu 1280,01234 Sao Paulo, Brazil (55 11 826-5000).